With their baristas becoming brand ambassadors, these Mumbai cafés are winning hearts with a fresh social media playbook
From left to right: Shayne Pinto, Nikhat Shaikh, Ophina Fernandes, Suraksha Pilane, Glen Frank, and William Fernandes are all “cast” members of Mokai’s rendition of ‘The Office’. Pic/Ashish Raje
If you’re hunting for your next binge-worthy sitcom — complete with plot twists, lovable characters, and punchlines that land every time — forget Netflix. Head to Instagram. A new wave of Mumbai cafés has cracked the code: turning their staff into on-screen stars and their everyday antics into must-watch Reels. There’s drama, cheeky rivalries, running gags, and enough caffeine-fuelled chaos to keep you hooked. Sunday mid-day meets the baristas-turned-viral sensations to find out what it’s like to brew coffee by day and rack up views by night.
‘We’re inspired by The Office’
Mokai Café in Bandra is known for its matcha, coffee, and laid-back vibe — but lately, it’s the staff who’ve stolen the spotlight. Their latest Instagram Reel has Suraksha Pilane, the café’s no-nonsense manager, shutting down a customer’s absurdly complicated order (hazelnut latte with almond milk, protein powder, sprinkles, and more) with a savage one-liner: “Tu bahar toh mil... Virar mein.” The skit’s punchy, relatable, and pure entertainment.
Think The Office — but make it Bandra café culture. The team plays exaggerated versions of themselves in a running workplace comedy series, complete with drama, banter, and the occasional cameo by an adorable dog. Suraksha plays the sassy boss; Shayne Pinto and Glen Frank are her sidekicks and rivals rolled into one. Vineet Nayak runs the kitchen, and regulars like Siddhant Gamare, Nikhat Shaikh, and William Fernandes round out the “cast.”
Beyond her tough exteriors, Suraksha is a total softie. “It was Karreena ma’am’s idea,” she says, referring to founder Karreena Bulchandani. “She told us to stay serious, but I couldn’t stop laughing!” Her warmth is infectious, and her son is her biggest fan. “He says, ‘Mumma, you’re a star!’ It’s a wow feeling,” she beams.
Bulchandani didn’t have to convince anyone — they were excited about the concept. The script is written by her, a self-confessed movie buff who draws inspiration from the funny moments at the cafe and with the staff.
Shayne and Glen admit the roles aren’t much of a stretch. “We’re just being ourselves, really,” says Shayne. “People come up to us and say, ‘Hey, you’re that guy from Instagram!’ It’s wild, but we love it.” Glen adds, “We used to be camera-shy, but not anymore. Now we shoot even when the café’s full.”
Their favourite Reel? “The one where Suraksha thinks I’m copying her,” says Glen, grinning as she high-fives him.
The trio has been at Mokai since the beginning, and their bond is evident. “This café is home,” says Suraksha. “We’re more than colleagues—we’re family.” The others nod in agreement.
‘95% of our sales are through Instagram Reels’
Films are proof that when a group of three guys take a trip together, lives are bound to change. Whether it’s Dil Chahta Hai, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara , or The Croffle Guys. From a trip to Thailand Rahul Vohra, Amay Thakkar, and Veer Pinto brought back to Mumbai a croffle. A crisp, buttery cross between a croissant and a waffle, the croffle sparked an idea that soon became a Mumbai café with serious personality — and a social media game that’s driving real-world sales.
From left to right: Veer Pinto, Rahul Vohra, and Amay Thakkar (seen here with a friend) are the co-founders of the Croffle Guys
“We started experimenting with croffles at home — filling them with everything from Nutella to chilli cheese. It all worked,” says Vohra. In May 2025, the trio opened their café, and knew they needed to stand out in a crowded food scene. Their answer? Reels with character.
On Instagram, the founders aren’t just food entrepreneurs — they’re entertainers. Vohra becomes ‘Dr Rahul,’ an over-the-top comic scientist; Veer plays the suave charmer; and Amay, the reluctant heartthrob. “Amay’s actually very shy but good-looking, so we made him our poster boy,” jokes Vohra.
All three have film roots — Veer has worked with Karan Johar; Vohra with Kabir Khan — and that cinematic flair shows. Their feed is filled with sitcom-style moments. “We love shows like Friends and wanted to capture that vibe: life at our café, with a dash of drama.”
The payoff? “95 per cent of our sales are through Instagram Reels. People walk in because they’ve seen our content and feel connected to us,” says Vohra. “We haven’t spent a rupee on ads — just stories, humour, and staying real.”
‘We’re all like a family’
Social media manager Piushi Ajwani kickstarted the idea of featuring Steps Café staff in Instagram Reels back in December 2024. Since then, Amit Paswan, Maheshkumar Sahani (aka Mahadev), Dhiraj Thorak, Shamim Aktar Shaik, Sumit Sarkar, Vijay Deepak Das, and Aamna Hasmatali have become familiar faces — and fan favourites — on the café’s feed.
Clockwise from left: Maheshkumar Sahani (Mahadev), Vijay Deepak Das, Shamim Aktar Shaik, Aamna Hasmatali, Piushi Ajwani, Amit Paswan, Dheeraj Thorak all pose at the steps of Steps cafe. Pic/Satej Shinde
When Paswan came to Mumbai from Bihar, the café was still under construction, and he took up a role in housekeeping. “I used to watch the baristas make coffee and got hooked — I wanted to learn every brew,” says Amit. “One of them noticed, spoke to the sir [owner Ravi Kanal], and started training me. When he left, I took over.” Now a full-time barista, Paswan is a self-confessed coffee nerd: “V60, French press, Aeropress — I only drink black coffee. No milk for me.”
Mahadev, who also hails from Bihar, began in housekeeping too but quickly transitioned to the kitchen with encouragement from the café’s chef. When he left, I took charge,” he says. Since then, Mahadev has been adding his own twist to the menu — like upgrading the truffle mushroom sandwich with smoked chicken.
Amit’s favourite Reel? “The one where our manager and Piushi said if we hit a certain number of views, the manager would have to be the barista for a day,” he grins. “People flooded the comments with ‘Justice for Amit’, so we had to make a follow-up Reel showing the manager behind the coffee counter,” laughs Ajwani.
Behind the scenes: “There was this one reel where we all danced on Piya Tu Ab Toh Aaja and had to learn the choreography, and Mahadev had to start the Reel very dramatically. He was very nervous, and we had to do many takes. Guests had started coming to the café, but they had to wait outside, cause we were filming right at the door. By the end of it, even the guests became an active part of the audience. Every time we would cut, they would start cheering for us.”
“I realised organic content outperformed influencer Reels by a mile,” says Ajwani. “What began as a college internship turned into something much bigger. I get to be part of their journey, and that’s the best part. We’ve truly become a family.”
Social media is however a numbers game. Do these reels boost engagement? Ajwani says, “Our last Reel has about 1.67 lakh views, a big number compared to our other reels. It has thousands of shares. Making something relatable always adds to the shareability of a reel. It’s all about greater engagement. And that translates to more followers overtime.”
‘It’s a hard job, but this brings them together’
At Masa Bakery, the buttery croissants are legendary—but these days, so are the laughs on Instagram. Founder Anushka Malkani never set out to be a content creator, but one reel changed everything. “It started with a video comparing how people think café owners act versus the reality of us dragging ourselves into work,” she laughs. “It clicked because it was real — and it gave people a peek behind the curtain of what it takes to run a bakery.”
Anuskha Malkani along with her kitchen staff, Anoushka Malpani and Omkar Padave, baking some croissants
Malkani’s approach is about balance. Her feed blends polished product shots with candid team moments. “My brand has a clean, refined identity, so I don’t want to lean too far into comedy,” she explains. “But I also want people to see the hustle, the chaos, the fun—it’s all part of the Masa story.” And at Masa, the whole team is part of that story. “From the beginning, I’ve included my kitchen and café staff in everything. I couldn’t do this without them, so they’re always part of our content too,” she says.
So what performs best? “Honestly, people love the people,” says Malkani. “Our staff Reels almost always do well. But our croissants are stunning to shoot, so it’s a healthy mix. It’s never just one thing.”
Some of her favourite memories? “We’re always dancing in the kitchen. It’s tough work, making the same breads and pastries every day, so music and fun bring us together.”
One highlight was when musician Akshath’s music video Nadaaniyan was filmed at Masa. “It showed our space and team in such a charming, Bollywood-style way—professional but playful, which is exactly who we are.”
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