Sahil KhanAboutBlog
Teriyaki Tofu with Soba Noodles at Zen Cafe, Koregaon Park

My favorite places in Pune to eat at and order from

August 26, 2022

Even though I moved out of Pune in mid-2021 I figured I'd document my favorites and regulars, since I still keep getting asked for recommendations from folks who're visiting the city. Some of these are probably outdated now, but I intend on keeping this list updated as I do visit Pune often.

There are a lot of new interesting places that have opened since I left, and hence aren’t part of this list yet. I hope to get a chance to try them and update this.

Happy eating!

Breakfast & Cafes

  1. One O Eight Cafe, Koregaon Park, breakfast/coffee, good location
  2. Le Petit Amour, Kothrud, same folks as Brasserie Cinq but a pâtisserie
  3. Zen Cafe, Koregaon Park, get the cold brew and soba noodles with teriyaki tofu
  4. The French Window Patisserie, Koregaon Park, desserts/coffee
  5. Fat Labrador, Bavdhan, get the iced Vietnamese coffee and bagels
  6. Irani Cafe, Viman Nagar is the OG but multiple outlets now, if you really want that experience and are being recommended to go to Vohuman
  7. Blue Tokai, Ghole Road, get the iced pour-over in a light roast
  8. Deshmukh Vadapav, Viman Nagar, pushcart only in the mornings at Ganpati Chowk, run by a middle-aged couple, runs out very quickly

Lunch & Dinner

  1. Ground Up, Viman Nagar, everything, banh-mi are excellent, especially the bread which is like crack cocaine
  2. Brasserie Cinq, Bund Garden Road, chicken liver parfait with rhubarb compote, slow cooked pork belly
  3. One O Eight Cafe, Koregaon Park, good location, good simple food, good coffee
  4. Boteco, Koregaon Park, Brazilian, get the pao de queijo, escondidinho, carne na pedra
  5. WeIdliwale, Viman Nagar and Balewadi, fantastic dosas/idlis with curries
  6. Le Petit Amour, Kothrud, same folks as Brasserie Cinq but a pâtisserie
  7. Le Plaisir, Prabhat Road, dependable, get the espresso panna cotta
  8. Yeti and the Monk, Aundh Road, pork chops on rice, summer rolls, pho
  9. Malaka Spice, Koregaon Park, dependable Asian, get the outdoor seating
  10. Chopsticks Malabar Spice, Viman Nagar, cheap Kerala food, ask for off-the-menu items, good Chindian food as well
  11. Kerala Cafe, Kalyani Nagar, for good Kerala food, great ambiance, and an alcohol menu
  12. Savya Rasa, Koregaon Park, for fine-dine Kerala food and fantastic cocktails
  13. Fish Curry Rice, Sadashiv Peth is the OG but multiple outlets now, Malvani and Goan cuisine
  14. Koji, Conrad, Koregaon Park, or Ukiyo, Ritz Carlton, Yerwada, for excellent Japanese
  15. Toscano, Koregaon Park, or Greedy Man, Baner, for pizzas
  16. Dakshin Loni Dosa, Viman Nagar, a pushcart only in the evenings in front of Khalsa Sweets, get the set dosa
  17. VHC Restaurant, Koregaon Park, attached to an art gallery by the same name, get the torched confit chicken legs, beef burger, and black gin cocktail
  18. Marrakesh, Kalyani Nagar, for the only decent shawarma in the city
  19. Gong, Balewadi, casual Chinese offering from the Mainland China folks, get the prawns cheung fun, decently priced alcohol menu
  20. Teri Rajput, Koregaon Park, for chole bhature and jalebis, or this Chole Bhature couple in a food truck in the evenings outside Khalsa Sweets in Viman Nagar
  21. Bombay Paratha House Kondhwa, Al-Hifazat on Nagar Road, or Shifa Restaurant in Nana Peth for kebabs, kebab rolls, bheja, etc
  22. Maratha Samrat, Karve Nagar is the OG but multiple outlets now, Maharashtrian a la carte and meals

Desserts & Bakes

  1. Piatto, Kalyani Nagar, best gelatos and sorbets, pre-order donuts on weekends
  2. Henny's, Koregaon Park, absolutely the best waffles ever in any city so far, get the blueberry waffles with vanilla french custard, or the banana with whipped cream, caramel, and cinnamon
  3. Zen Cafe, Koregaon Park, get the cold brew and soba noodles with teriyaki tofu
  4. The French Window Patisserie, Koregaon Park, good desserts and coffee, fantastic cakes
  5. The Good Butter Bakery, absolutely fantastic breads and other bakes, but pre-delivery only
  6. Tokyo Bakery, Baner, Japanese bakes

Bars & Pubs

  1. Great State Dive, Koregaon Park, exceptional craft beers, good bar food menu, rooftop (their beers are available at Boteco, Malaka Spice, VHC Restaurant, and others)
  2. Daily All Day, Koregaon Park, good drinks and food, gets crowded, but a good crowd
  3. Elephant and Co, Kalyani Nagar, good drinks, popcorn on the house, gets crowded, but a good crowd
  4. Toit, Kalyani Nagar, for the location
  5. Palkhi, Kothrud, gent’s bar with outside seating (which makes it a little more friendly for women, with a Starbucks nearby that they can use for toilet visits), and insane chakna on the house
  6. Abhishek Non-Veg in Kothrud, Kavi in Kothrud, Signature in Viman Nagar (good Mangalorean seafood menu as well), for other gent’s bar options

Brunch & Meals

  1. Kaveri or Surve’s (both have multiple outlets), for Kolhapuri mutton thali or Ahilyadevi, if you want to go for a drive, setup by erstwhile butchers
  2. Hotel Shreyas, Deccan, veg maharashtrian thali
  3. Coriander Kitchen, Conrad, Koregaon Park, or Spice Kitchen, JW Marriott, SB Road, for five-star brunches

New places in the city

Here are a few places that I’ve gotten a chance to try out at least once and left a decent impression so far.

  1. Soy Como Soy, Kalyani Nagar, get the hamachi ceviche and the beef carpaccio, in that order
  2. The LCR Gymkhana, Law College Road, note that it is not a gymkhana nor do you need a membership, but that it is an erstwhile gym converted into a friendly neighborhood bar, get the mutton chops
  3. Qora, Koregaon Park, next to VHC Restaurant, good drinks and crowd, food is decent.
  4. Bai Mu Dan, Koregaon Park, specialty tea and coffee shop, excellent iced pour-over, one of the baristas is the winner of the Pune regionals of the 2022 Aeropress Championship