Cafe des Arts — Restaurant in Puducherry

Here is my review of Cafe Des Arts, Pondicherry after my visit today. A vintage food joint that brings back timeless memories.

Food: Most of the ingredients are same but the base is different. Eg: sandwich, tartain share the same ingredients but one's base is bread & other one is like pizza base. Menu is just right. Waffles were not available, such a let down - 4/5.

Ambiance: In November, 29 degrees Celsius this cafe doesn't have air-conditioning facility. However the location is so breezy, with cross ventilation it feels like home. Old books for reading while sipping a coffee is a nice touch. Trees nearby and vintage items attract a lot of mini pesky mosquitoes - would recommend owner to install repellent at corners. Nice background music. A boutique with tops, slippers, shoes etc were also up for sale - 3/5

Comfort: Any cafe needs high chairs with high round tables. Outside seating is available. Sitting inside on a sofa with a centre table was very uncomfortable and had to bend most of time. Not sufficient space to keep plates. 2 people are seated on 4 seat tables which increases the wait time, effective seat grouping and allotment would reduce Wait time considerably. Had 7 or 8 tables inside the cafe, around 6 ~ 7 outside in lawn - 3/5

Hospitality: The owner's greeting with a smile when I entered the cafe, brought back memories of European culture. Waiters need to be trained on "what should be served first". Service was a tad slow. - 3.5/5

Location and Exterior Feel: Diagonally opposite to SBI bank. A painted retro auto-rickshaw is placed in the lawn (nice touch). Easy to locate. Exterior has a retro vintage appeal, however a mini renovation is needed to bring in some life. Peddlers and Beggars are seated outside the cafe, they keep nagging you until you enter. Very annoying! - 3/5

Crowd: Sophisticated crowd, cozy for couples, good for groups. Took a while to get a comfortable place to sit and eat. It gets busy quickly - 4/5

Price: Wouldn't say it was a value for money, prices are on the higher side, - 3/5

Overall : 4 / 5 Check out pictures, if you like my review,...

One of the places in Pondichery to be highly avoided! Based on the reviews, i had been planning to visit this place for a long. Made the biggest mistake of visting it yesterday! Their blunder started with their very reception, there were 2 families waiting outside, when enquired, a person from the restaurant in a rough tone said that the waiting time is 1 hr. His attitude was like "go away"! After 10 mins he let us in (not sure how this was 1 hr earlier). The ambience was ok, it was a bungalow turned resto. There were seats both within and outside the building. We were offered a seat in the garden area. I read that their baguettes were damn good in reviews, hence i ordered a classique breakie which had baguettes with butter and jam, coffee and fresh juice. To the contrary they brought the coffee first followed by water melon juice. They by default assumed I am diabetic and didnt add or provide sugar for both the beverages. Coffee was below average with a old rustic smell. The best of the worst was the baguette, it was hard as a stone. I tried hard to take a bite and ended up wounding my gums and upper jaw!

We also ordered chicken open and closed sandwiches, the topping was ok.but it was tasting similar to the avg pizza u get in mediocre bakeries.

We ordered for cheese omelette priced at 300+, it was the only thing good. But they made sure to spoil it by adding their hard stone bread to it.

We also had a waffle with cacao spread, it was ok.

I finally returned back the mostly untouched baguette to the chef and they shamelessly charged for it in the bill.

Verdict: one of the overhyped place to be totally avoided.kaiyendhi bavans offer better customer experience and...

If you want to get discriminated in your own country then please go to this cafe. Being an Indian I was mistreated by the arrogant owner of this cafe.

1. First of all the staff is not at all welcoming to you. They will literally ignore you while u stand there and wait to get their attention.

2. Secondly the 4 seater or 5 seater table is given to 2 people ( majorly Foreigners) . When the staff knows that they have people in the queue then why the tables are given to all the foreigners and Indians are asked to wait. Basically the staff are polite towards the foreigners and not to their own people.

3)There were few tables reserved but NOT offered to people who were in the queue.

4)I was stopped for taking pictures of the cafe while I was waiting. When asked I was highlighted rudely that it’s mentioned outside the cafe . And that while waiting I’m NOT ALLOWED to take pictures. It’s only when I have ordered food I CAN TAKE PICTURES.

5)If your customers are waiting they will definitely take pictures of the cafe and if the owner does not like that then the owner should put that disclaimer in bold letters at the entrance. Above all atleast learn how to speak politely to females. The owner also said he does not care about the restaurant rating since he already has his own customers.

6)lastly as in Indian I just know that we treat guests like God- Atithi Devo Bhava ,अतिथि देवो भव . But sadly being an Indian i was mistreated by an Indian who definitely does not know our Hindu Philosophy and is sadly still being a slave to the foreign nationals and having a...