When a baker opens a cafe, expectations soar up more than anything – take the Cravin’ Pantry for example! Founded by Mumbai-based baker Anandita Parekh, this fairly new cafe in South Bombay’s Fort area is frequented by many of the city’s influential figures. From Bollywood celebs making their way for a quick morning bagel to locals visiting it for their evening cup of mocha, this cafe would fare well on a cafe hype-o-meter, if it ever existed for Mumbai’s cafes. But is it just all hype and no taste? Team unstumbled is here to test the waters (or should we say coffee?) and here’s our honest, unfiltered review of The Cravin’ Pantry!
The Cravin’ Pantry: Beginnings And Transformation
It was in the Covid-19 pandemic that Anandita was struck with an idea of opening a home-based bakery. Work began on it, but what began as a bakery slowly turned into a cafe that served health-conscious food.
With healthy yet delicious bites as its priority, Anandita’s dream transformed into a beautiful, quaint cafe tucked away in the bylanes of Fort. Today, it is one of the most prominent cafes in the area – see the crowd on a weekend (or even weekdays) and you’d understand!
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At the center of the cafe’s philosophy lies Anandita’s passion for making clean-eating a daily ritual than an overpriced luxury. The cafe provides uncountable vegan, guilt-free, and health-conscious options that are not just beneficial for your health but also super delicious.
From wonderful coffee to sandwiches, salads, and quick bites, each bite of the food here has been crafted with the intention of giving minimum guilt and maximum taste! So, when we heard of the hype, it was obvious that we had to try out the food and drinks and let our readers know whether The Cravin’ Pantry is truly worth it!
The Cravin’ Pantry: Food And Drinks Review
Spanish Latte
It was simply delicious! Now that’s how one should begin their day and trust us, we could down like a few more cups of this delicious coffee! A Spanish Latte is usually made with two kinds of milk – hot steamed milk as well as condensed milk. While you’d expect the coffee to be slightly sweet due to the condensed milk, the Spanish Latte here was just rightly balanced.
Cost: INR 300 (hot); INR 320 (iced)
Rating: 8/10
Orange Zest Mocha
The Orange Zest Mocha too was a solid hit – we certainly weren’t expecting both coffees to be absolute bangers! This one was a sweet and subtle combination of chocolate, coffee, and orange zest, all combined in a wholesome cup. Just the right coffee you need when it’s raining outside!
Cost: INR 380 (hot); INR 400 (iced)
Rating: 8/10
The Ultimate Bagel Sando
With the coffees setting the bar high, we digged into the food with high expectations and ordered The Ultimate Bagel Sando. First bite and…let’s just say that we couldn’t feel our teeth! The bagel was hard and chewy – definitely worth a try if you’re developing a jawline! The only saving grace was the bagel filling – with flavors of cream cheese, peri peri seasoning, and charred cauliflower, the filling was absolutely delightful!
Cost: INR 625
Rating: 6/10
Cravin’ Crunchwrap
After developing a little jawline, it was time to order one more item off the menu, this time the Cravin’ Crunchwrap. The taste was inconsistent and reminded us of the pav bhaji experience you can get at the Chowpatty for a fraction of the price here! The crunchwrap felt soggy for most parts but what annoyed us was the floury, undercooked dough and a crisp potato skin that really made the experience so not-worth-it!
Cost: INR 630
Rating: 4/10
Ambiance And Vibe Check
The ambiance of the cafe is well-suited for a cafe serving healthy bites and delicious coffee. The aesthetics are clean, minimal, and the use of muted colors makes you pause and relax. While the cafe runs on self-service, the staff is quite helpful and prompt, so plus points for that! The bathroom is spick and span, points for that! And while we’re being generous about it, the decor or the vibe of the cafe is just like any other cafe you’d find in South Bombay!
Final Thoughts: Dine Or Dish?
Was it really worth it? For the coffee and the laidback vibe – a 100 per cent yes! But the food was not up to the mark to be quite honest. While the concepts landed, it is in the execution that needs to have a finish, so we’re hopeful they’ll improve on that front.
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We paid about INR 2,200 for two coffees and two items off the food menu. While it is not that expensive for an average cafe in South Bombay, it is certainly more expensive than many similar places in and around Mumbai. If you’re in South Bombay for a quick coffee fix, we’d recommend this place, but if you’re looking to give your coffee some company with bagels and wraps and other food, we’d say skip this one!
Address: Ground floor, Bansi Lal Building, 15-A, Homi Modi St, opposite Bombay House, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001
Timings: 9 AM to 10 PM (weekdays); 8 AM to 10 PM (weekends)
