Mumbai’s best bites to build your dream café spread at home

Representation pics/iStock

Order, don't bake

You don't need to spend hours sweating over an oven to curate a counter that looks straight out of a café. These niche local favourites are delivering across the city.

Chicken Puff

The Family Table by Joseph

Ham and Cheese Croissant

If you want to keep things on a budget, head here early in the morning or around 4.30 pm. Pick up their Bacon and Cheese Quiches, Cheese Croissants, or Pan Rolls and Croquettes that you can serve at your home café with ease; there's fugias too. It also gives your café an old-school Mumbai bakery menu.
TO ORDER Zomato
PICK UP Epitome, 29th Road, Bandra West.

Commis Station

For those who like things made to order, Commis Station is your best bet. Their Rocky Road Brownies or order their spreads , like the Onion Jalapeno Jam, to zhuzh up an average sourdough slice.
TO ORDER @commis.station
CALL 7506430004

Weirdough

This small-batch micro-bakery dishes out slow-fermented sourdough bakes. Serve their Olive, Roasted Garlic & Cheddar loaf as a toastie, or opt for their
Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Scones, or even their biscotti for an easier bite served with coffee.
Log on to helloweirdough.in

House of Amel

Pics Courtesy/Special Arrangement

A long-standing bakery in Colaba and Chembur with some of the flakiest pastries in the city. Think Pesto Feta Danish, Gochujang Cottage Cheese Lattice Croissant, Mushroom Onion Danish, and more. It will make your apartment café menu a hit. They also have a catering wing that will turn their croissants into mighty sandwiches.
TO ORDER Swiggy or Zomato
CALL Colaba: 7506307607; Chembur: 7506307609 (For catering queries)

Turn into a master barista

Keep your hands off heavy machinery and complex mixology by sticking to these low-effort recipes that rely on clever kitchen hacks and pantry staples

Orange Espresso Float
ingredients: 1 shot of strong-brewed instant coffee or espresso, 1 can of sparkling orange soda (Raw Pressery has a great one!), and plenty of ice cubes.

Method:
Pack a tall glass tightly with ice. Fill it three-quarters full with the chilled sparkling orange soda. Pour the cooled coffee slowly over the back of a spoon onto the ice so it floats and creates a stunning layered sunset effect. Serve immediately.

Three-minute Maple Cinnamon Latte
Ingredients:
2 tsp of good instant coffee powder, 1 tbsp of warm water, 200 ml of milk, 1 tbsp of maple syrup or honey, and a pinch of cinnamon powder.

Method:
Whisk the coffee powder, sweetener, and warm water in a mug with a hand frother, or spoon until it turns into a thick, glossy foam. Heat the milk until hot, pour it straight into the mug over the foam, and stir gently. Dust with cinnamon on top.

Nail the café aesthetics

Set the table: Keep it casual, this is an apartment café. Style your coffee table like a gorgeous grazing board. Let people wander over, pick up a pastry, and graze at their leisure.

Lean into the vibe: Want to feel like you're running an actual café? Design a quick menu on Canva. Give your dishes slightly tongue-in-cheek café names. Let your friends actually place an order and serve them, café-style.

Set the mood: Turn off harsh overhead tube lights and rely entirely on warm lamps. Play a low-fi jazz or acoustic playlist in the background at a volume that encourages long, lazy conversations.