First look: Nandan Coffee opens a new cafe in Bengaluru

Long before coffee brewing was the cult it is today, Yahvi Mariwala’s grandparents acquired an estate in Kodaikanal in the early ‘90s. Nandanvan Estate is where she spent a lot of time growing up, and soon she took over the farm-to-cup coffee business to give it a new life. Today Nandan Coffee is an award-winning coffee brand, with standalone and in-store cafes, and a strong B2B presence. Their latest outpost is a pet-friendly flagship coffee shop in Bengaluru. Located in Embassy One on Bellary Road, adjacent to the Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, Nandan Coffee marks its spot in the north of the city.

Co-founder Yahvi Mariwala
| Photo Credit:
Special arrangement

Coffee is part of the fabric of Bengaluru

Nandan’s coffee is sourced from their estate in Palani Hills in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu and comes in dark to medium roasts. The estate is certified organic since the early 2000s.

In 2017, Yahvi, who hails from and is based in Mumbai, took over the business. “I have a soft spot for the estate, so it was important to bring that side of the business into whatever we did for the brand. Suitability and quality are at the forefront.” The roastery is run by an all-women team from the valley.

Their cafe in Kala Ghoda in Mumbai was their first foray into the cafe business, and the Bengaluru one is the second. Nandan Coffee is also inside grocery shop chain Foodstories. “Bengaluru has such a rich coffee culture and we are happy to come here. Coffee is part of the fabric of the city here more than so in Mumbai, and we want to be part of it.” There are already many players in the coffee scene, but Yahvi says she does not see anyone as competition, because everyone is building the industry together.

The affogatos

The brews

The beverage programme at Nandan Coffee has a good mix of the classics and a few experimental options. “For Bengaluru we have created an entire filter coffee menu. We are not coming here saying we are out competing with you when it comes to filter coffee, but it is our own twist.”

Options include a honey cardamom, and a peanut chikki filter coffee. I try the spiced orange and vanilla option, and it is floral and vibrant. The filter coffees are made with a south special blend of beans, created especially for this. The other fun options include a Mango Bite latte, a raspberry latte and the brown butter cookie mocha.

The cafe is mostly vegetarian, but with a good dose of egg dishes. The Turkish eggs and rosti Kejriwal (fried eggs on a potato pancake) come highly recommended. One dish I really enjoy is the rasam minestrone soup, created for Bengaluru. The dish has chunks of veggies and pasta in a bright peppery rasam broth. “When I am at the estate I eat so much rasam, so we wanted to have a twist on the menu.”

I try the grapefruit and raw mango salad. While nice, I would skip this for their more interesting options, that include the Bombay bagel sandwich (with green chutney and veggies) and the citrus spiced baked brie.

₹1,500 for two. At Embassy One, Bellary Rd. For more details call 7304857885

The Nachni waffles