Cafe Kathaa — Restaurant in Pune

Cafe Kathaa - Little Bit Of Everything For Everyone

There's a charming old-school bungalow on FC road that has been turned into an expansive cafe. With a social media-worthy style and peaceful ambiance with green foliage all around, Cafe Kathaa is a must-visit place for those who like to enjoy good books while munching on amazing food.

Offering free Wi-Fi, Kathaa welcomes you with open arms and hot coffee to spend your day working in one of the most peaceful location in the heart of the bustling city. And for the millennials, there are Kindles as well.

I recently visited them on a #TastingInvite to try their breakfast menu and it was a fun morning with friends.

Smoothies The Green Apple and Kale Smoothie [Rs. 170] had yoghurt and honey, which upped the health quotient of the already healthy drink. Lovely assortment of flavors in the glass, I felt instantly healthy upon tasting it, all thanks to the Kale. :P

The Strawberry & Avocado Smoothie [Rs. 170] was a combination that I did not think would work, however ended up being my pick of the day. A wonderful blend of super-fruits loaded with calcium and other natural supplements. #HighlyRecommended

The Kathaa Wake-Up Call [Rs. 180] had watermelon, lychee, honey and home-made yogurt. Unfortunately the quantity of yogurt fell short and the smoothie ended up being too watery. On the other hand, the Morning Sunshine [Rs. 170] had a decent combination of mango and pineapple, a little richness, a little tartness. Loved the freshness and bite of mint leaves throughout the drink.

The Tropical Smoothie [Rs. 170] had all the tropical flavors of papaya, pineapple and coconut blended in yogurt. Unfortunately the flavors didn’t gel well together and I personally didn’t like the aftertaste of grated coconut.

Salads The Grilled Cottage Cheese and Melon Salad [Rs. 220] had gherkins and cheese slices for company. The zing of the watermelon, the creaminess of the cottage cheese and the tang of the pickled gherkin complemented each other very well however the paneer was a tad bit chewy. The Smoked Pepper and Pasta Salad [Rs. 220] had underdone pasta but overall, did enjoy the cold pasta salad.

Breakfast Menu The Broccoli Corn Spinach Omlette felt a little too sweet for my palate, thanks to the corn and the blanched spinach however the Tex Mex Omlette [Rs. 200] with Thousand Island dressing and jalapeno salsa had the perfect proportion of spiciness. The inclusion of tortilla crisps added a nice crunch to the dish.

The Kathaa Jumbo Omlette [Rs. 220] is probably a regular-portioned breakfast of “ The Great Khali” or “ Andre the Giant”. Made with 8 eggs, fresh veggies, basil and lots of mozzarella cheese; this, however, is a group brunch for mere mortals like us. #Humongous

The Shakshouka [Rs. 200] is a North African style poached egg with spicy tomato sauce however the tomato spread could've been more moist. Flavor-wise, the dish was on point.

The French Kiss [Rs. 220] was a savory French toast with stuffed tropical veggies. My first impression and memory of a French Toast has always been sweet so was rather skeptical when we were served the savory version, especially jittery since the previous attempts at a savory version have always ended in disaster for me. But the dish blew me away. It managed to retain a slight hint of the sweetness and subtle undertones of cinnamon and nutmeg while allowing the tropical veggies to shine through. #YumYum

Pancakes The Zucchini and Corn Pancakes [Rs. 220] had loads of cheese with a hint of basil and oregano. Loved the combination of the suppleness of the zucchini and the juicy bite of the corn in the pancakes.

Quite like an oasis in the middle of chaos, Café Kathaa provides solace to the weary and a destination to...

Kathaa in simple terms mean a Story. This is a Story well told and worth narrating. So here is the Story of Cafe Kathaa.

Cafe Kathaa is conceptually different from all the other Cafes in Pune. It was conceived as a book cafe, it still is- they have a good Library and it is romantic to see booklovers flock here to read and also have a Cuppa and some munchies to nibble on. They also organise book reading sessions, art classes, workshops, career guidance counseling and what not.

The place, even on a weekday is full of admirers; the clientele from all age groups visit- I was pleasantly surprised to see a group of retired Merchant Navy fellas, all in their 60s, having a social.

It is also super pet friendly, so we took our gangsters Atlas, Alaska the huskies and Havana, the golden retriever. They had a field day literally and it was a sight to see them instantly making friends with many customers, people taking selfies and all with them.

They have an array of seating areas, both inside and outdoor in different clusters in and around the Kathaa Villa. The interiors are beautiful in an old world charm meets modernity type approach. The Villa reminded me of my ancestral home in God's Own Country.

Their service is incredibly fast, staff is courteous and knows what they are serving. Drinks/ Beverages were a pleasure to sip on especially the Hot Chocolate which leaves a soothing effect on your palate. Two mocktails I had here -

Guava-chilli Lemoande- A very light drink infused with guava, a hint of chilli, thimble squish of club soda and a chop of lime.

Watermelon Mojito- This Mojito rejuvenates you from inside, the watermelon brings in an added freshness to the drink.

Beetroot cutlet with mint chutney- The best Veggie Cutlet I've ever had till now. Crispy on the outside, soft inside and really yum.

Firecracker spring rolls- very innovative, shaped like a squid with meduzza tentacles, verily crunchy and the noodles cooked perfectly.

Cajun spiced french fries- These fries are crisp and a generous sprinkle of cajun spice, a very handy finger food.

Masala omelette sandwich- This is their flagship dish, ingenious, creative and clever. It is mushy inside and the crunch outside gives it a unique way about it.

Mexican corn fried rice with piri piri paneer and Burnt garlic rice with paneer chilli - both are wok sautéed rice with flavours which are delectable, mildly spiced and feels absolutely delightful on the palate.

Banana Nutella waffles- This is an epic dessert of waffles with a liberal application of nutella and chops of banana. The hazelnut- choco flavour duo suits perfectly well with the waffle to arrive at a delish dish. Folks, this is the place to bring your furry friends, sip on a piping hot chocolate and read a book or catch with old friends or have a reunion in the solace of the old world charm of the smell of books! My...

#supriyachaubal11

Café Kathaa situated across Vaishali Restaurant in a lane.

FC road prides itself with buzzing activity and noise. Commercial spaces with café’s, shops and stores. Missing the old Pune charm of peace and quiet, chirping birds, bikers waiting under trees in the rains and occasional honk of cars.

The moment you enter you feel the tranquility. Trees, colourful pots and walls adorned with creepers. No noises of buzzing activity on F C Road. A place where you can get your peace and quiet A bungalow with vintage ambiance of wooden doors, book shelves, high ceiling with hanging lanterns. Seating is low and the array of books attracts you. They pride themselves with e-books and hard bound books and one can use their spaces for -All day dine in -Reading Books -Work from café -Events & Exhibitions -Hang out all day or for several hours, all you need to do is order food every 90 mins.

Restaurant has a mouthwatering delicious menu from breakfast to dinner curated by Chef Bhushan Ganorkar.

We had: Hot Chocolate Kiwi & Cucumber Mojito Watermelon Mojito

-Starters- Trio of hummus & pita bread Fire cracker spring roll Cheese Bombs

Katha Bowl (Mains) :- Mexican Corn Rice with Grilled Paneer, Salsa, Nachos Burnt Garlic Fried Rice with Paneer Chilli

Ending with eye catching-Blueberry Cheesecake

Everything served is so delicious.

Thrilled with the smiley mug that had hot chocolate. Awesome !Loved the thick hot chocolate. At 2nd position is (crushed icy chilled) Kiwi cucumber mojito. Both #highlyrecommended

Trio Hummus was beetroot, garlic and coriander flavours. Healthy Yum yum

Eating out of a bowl rather then a plate , specially if you are working or busy reading seems apt here. A sizeable portion of Kathaa bowl ( meal) both the Chinese and Mexican bowl were spicy, pungent and perfect for this weather. #highlyrecommended

Blueberry Cheesecake was moist with generous amount of blueberry sauce which stole my heart.

Other services that they offer are Free wifi Smoking area Jain/ Vegan Meals Delivery via Zomato etc apps Indoor/outdoor seating for privacy/ social distancing. A separate section for kitty/ exhibits/ meeting etc

This Café is a must visit place, trust me you are going to love this location And although the menu is vegetarian you will be seen licking your fingers. So next time you go shopping or for a date do keep Café Kathaa in mind. — with Nivedita Atre at...