Haven’t we all dreamt of opening a cutesy, Pinterest-worthy café where people drop by for delicious cupcakes and cookies? Natasha and Farheen, co-founders of Not Far, one of Bandra’s newest dessert spots, have turned that very dream into reality. After building a baking business together, the duo took the next big step and opened a quaint cupcake-and-cookie haven in Pali Village.
With its striking red-and-pink façade, Not Far is hard to miss, but it’s the tempting spread of sweet treats on its shelves that will have you coming back for more. In a candid (and indulgent) conversation with the co-founders, we trace the journey of Not Far, from the initial idea and the story behind its name to the challenges of building their dream business. And, of course, we wrap things up with a round of ‘Who’s More Likely To’ to find out what happens when the business partners put each other in the hot seat!
Keep reading our full conversation.
In Conversation With Natasha And Farheen, Co-Founders Of Not Far, Bandra
unstumbled: What Was The Initial Idea Behind Opening Not Far?
Natasha & Farheen: We had a cookie business before which was a cloud kitchen. We wanted a physical store because we wanted to give fresh cookies, but that was not possible through a cloud kitchen. Then we found a gap in the market for cupcakes. No one was doing good cupcakes with delicious flavors. We started doing R&D for that, and that’s how the whole concept came into being.
It’s not just a dessert story. It’s a cookie-cupcake-and-coffee concept. So we wouldn’t want to put ourselves out as a massy dessert brand. Instead, we are a niche store who does cookies and cupcakes best.
unstumbled: Why Did You Choose Not Far As The Name? What Is The Reason Behind It?
Natasha & Farheen: Not far is, quite simply, inspired by our initials – N from Natasha and F for Farheen. While not everybody knows this, it’s great that people can interpret the name as a place that is ‘not far’. It could mean that the place is not far, or that good desserts are not far away. For us, it’s about our names, and it’s also about a shared dream.
You had a cloud kitchen business for desserts. Why did you continue with the same business and not switch – perhaps by introducing savory items or completely pivot to a new kind of business?
If we have to be honest, we didn’t want to do a cafe concept. There are almost 100 other cafes that are doing the same thing. We didn’t want to be a massy name which is all style and no substance. Our philosophy was simple – serve quality cookies and cupcakes. It’s for indulgent food lovers and we really love how Not Far has shaped up.
unstumbled: Mumbai’s Cafe Scene Is Really Competitive Right Now And Is Particularly Concentrated, Even Saturated, In Bandra. What Is Your Opinion On The Growing Number Of Cafes In Bandra?
Natasha & Farheen: First things first, we appreciate that there are a lot of cafes in Bandra coming up. What makes them stay is the product and the brand positioning that they do. There are a lot of cafes who’ve come up yet not many know about them. And we feel this is because each place has to have some story driving it.
Opening a cafe is great, but to sustain it, your production should be spot on. Your branding should be spot on and you should be at the top of the customer’s mind for the products you’re selling.
After several Instagram pages, including unstumbled’s own page, visited Not Far, the quaint little cookie-cupcake-coffee place no longer holds the ‘hidden gem’ crown. But Natasha and Farheen are indeed happy about it. “If that hidden gem is bringing people in and they’re staying back and coming back for more, that’s fine. It’s not a bad feeling for us at all!”, they laugh it off as we move on to the next question.
unstumbled: What Is Missing In Mumbai’s Bakery Scene That You Want To Fill The Gap With With Not Far?
Natasha & Farheen: We think good quality ingredients and consistency, because a lot of times businesses try to cut corners. Secondly, not many businesses might have much knowledge about ingredients and quality. So that, we feel, is missing in Mumbai.
Additionally, not many cafes and bakeries seem to do freshly baked stuff anymore. It’s on the shelf and we’re not saying it’s stale, but nothing can top the feeling of a fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie or cupcake that’s waiting for you to be picked up from the shelf.
unstumbled: Not Far Met A Lot Of Resistance From The Pali Village During Its Construction. How Was The Process? how Did You Deal With The Resistance?
Natasha & Farheen: (Pali) Villagers and locals are very particular about their area, and they have all the right to be concerned. In just 6 months or in just a year, a lot of cafes have grown here. So, of course, it’s not unnatural to see some kind of resistance from their end.
When we used to visit the site, they’d ask us a lot of questions about why the place is being dug up, what is being built, etc. But now that we’ve built something, it’s calmer, it’s looking nicer in their area, we feel they’re all happy with us. We feel it’s a two-way process of co-operation and we do our part with keeping the space noise-free and clean.
Also Read: Mr. Misu: Mumbai’s First Tiramisu Bar; City’s Current Dessert Obsession!
unstumbled: What Other Challenges Did You Face Initially In The First Few Months Of Opening?
Natasha & Farheen: The most prevalent issue was the staff issue. Product-wise, it was difficult to maintain consistency. Setting up all the operations, getting stuff done, getting the story right, hopping in between the cafe and the kitchen, and so many initial challenges. We’d often divide the tasks between the two of us for better and smoother operations. Luckily, we think it’s a bit better with all the processes now.
unstumbled: People Are Becoming More And More Conscious About Their Sugar Intake. With These Evolving Preferences, How Do You Manage To Attract New Customers?
Natasha & Farheen: Yes there are plenty of people controlling their sugar intake but we all crave for something sweet sometimes, don’t we? We are not positioning ourselves as a healthy brand, because, honestly, we are an indulgent brand. We literally give gloves to guests to eat the cookie with their hands because it’s that – we take indulgence to a whole new level.
unstumbled: People Are Also Looking For Innovative Products That They Can Showcase On Instagram And Social Media. So When You Designed The Menu, How Did You Go About It?
Natasha & Farheen: We were actually looking at making it more tasty and indulgent, and then all of it just made sense. Our Botox Cupcakes, for example, was not our idea – a customer recommended it.
Also Read: Chef’s Corner: Sigadi Ghee Roast Prawns By Chef Sudhir Pai
unstumbled: What Has Been The Biggest Learning Curve So Far For The Both Of You?
Natasha & Farheen: You have to be present in your business. You can’t just build something and put all the responsibility on the employees to handle it. We come here every day, we work for 15 hours a day and contrary to popular opinion, being co-founders is not a glamorous job. Maintaining consistency and quality can get tough but you must pull through it.
But as both a friends duo and co-founders, it gets better for us. We just understand each other. So if there’s a problem, we both adapt to it. We know how to solve it. Yes, there can be a few moments where we might disagree but it’s never on a personal level.
unstumbled: What Is One Common Misconception That Most People Have Out Cutting Off Cafe Or A Bakery?
Natasha & Farheen: That it’s a cutesy, fun, and fancy business. The reality is quite the opposite.
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unstumbled: The F&B Space Is Dominated By People Who Are Fairly Experienced. Is There Any Sort Of Competition Or Even Prejudice That You’ve Heard Of?
Natasha & Farheen: We do have our moments where we think we are not enough or that we are not the most experienced in the room. But that’s how you learn, is what we’ve realized. Doesn’t matter whether you start early in your 20s or in your 50s. Life has its way of teaching you through experiences, and in our space, every day is a new lesson learnt. A lot of customers have told us they’ve come in with their best friends and they tell us how they find our work inspiring. That keeps us motivated.
Who’s More Likely To? Natasha Or Farheen?
Ask for coffee before beginning work for the day? : Farheen
Come up with a completely new dessert idea at 2 AM? : Natasha
Have a bigger sweet tooth? : Natasha
Reject a popular food trend? : Natasha
Spend hours doom scrolling or hop on to the next food trend? : Farheen
Hand out a complementary dessert? : Farheen
Take 1000 photos of the food before eating? : Natasha
Obsess over tiny details? : : Natasha
What We Loved At Not Far
While enjoying this candid game, we also sampled a few of their popular orders at Not Far.
We tried the famous ‘botox’ cupcake, named the Miss Misu. Delightfully soft on the outside and topped with a ‘botox’ injection with a sweet indulgent cream, the dessert is definitely one of the most photogenic desserts we’ve come across. As you ‘inject’ the cupcake and bite into it, prepare yourself for a decadent, oozing cupcake experience!
We also tried the famous Choco Overdose Cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. We got the cookie slightly reheated in the oven to get the ice cream melting over it. And the result? A decadent, melt-in-your-mouth experience in each bite. The crunch of the cookie complements the silkiness of the ice cream and the vanilla cuts right through the extra dose of chocolate. We’re definitely coming back for this one!
And to wash it all down, we tried the Oat Milk Brown Butter Coffee. The name might sound like a lot’s happening, but trust us, it all works out well. First sip in and you get a rich taste of the caramelized brown butter. The slight saltiness in the coffee makes it an indulgent choice over your usual sweeter coffees.
Also Read: “We Serve More Than Benne Dosa”: Founder Pallavi Shetty On The Honest Philosophy Behind Namah
Not Far: Important Details
Address: Ground Floor, Isabella House, Shop No. B-01, Plot No. 78, Dr Ambedkar Rd, Behind Janta Bar, Pali Village, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050
Timings: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
