How far can a food craving take you?
For most of us, it’s a quick scroll through a food delivery app or scouring through the fridge hoping for delicious food to magically summon on its own. But for Bengaluru-based entrepreneurs (and new parents) Akhil Iyer and Shriya Narayan, it turned into a full-blown, butter-loaded business idea. One simple dosa craving and boom – Benne was born in 2024!
Flash forward to today, and Mumbaikars can’t get enough of those viral golden-crisp dosas dripping with benne (that’s butter, for the uninitiated). And the chutneys? Oh, they slap (in the best way possible).
Naturally, when the team unstumbled heard the sizzle, we followed the aroma straight to the source. What followed next was a candid, insightful conversation about how Benne originated, what inspired them, and their new responsibilities as parents of not one, but two children (one being Benne itself). Filter your coffee and hop on with us to delve deeper into the story of the cafe that’s giving South Indian comfort food a fresh, benne-fying twist!
A ‘Bengaluru To Mumbai’ Journey Of Dosa Cravings
Sure, Mumbai had plenty of South Indian eateries in almost every corner of the city, but the couple craved for an authentic taste of their hometown of Bengaluru. The dosas in Mumbai were just not IT – they weren’t the kind you’d find in Bengaluru. And it is this craving for authentic, homely Bangalorean dosa that made the duo come up with a place that was an ode to their roots. Mumbai always felt home for the both of them so it was natural to open the first outlet of Benne in the City of Dreams.
After a subsequent amount of research and trial-and-error, Benne took shape in Bandra’s bylanes. No, it was not planning to end up as just one of those gazillion cafes in this hip neighborhood. It had other more ambitious (and far more delicious) plans up its sleeve!
Benne Food: The Talk Of The Town, Literally
The food at Benne is irresistible, no doubt, and why wouldn’t it be? Authenticity is at the core of all that they make. No fusions, no silly experiments with making food ‘quirkier’. From Benne Masala Dosa to Ghee Podi Idli and even Iced Filter Coffee, each dish is made with love and kept as genuine as possible.
On the menu, you have limited but delicious offerings – Plain Dosa, Masala Dosa, Podi Dosa, Idli, Vada, and Ghee Podi Idli and a few others. To wash it all down, you have an amazing selection of hot and cold beverages. We’re talking about filter coffee (hot, iced, AND vegan!), as well as refreshing glasses of Horlicks and Bournvita – both hot and iced! The limited yet soul-satisfying selection of food truly makes ordering less of a hassle and more of a fun experience!
What makes Benne’s heritage Bengaluru dosa unique is the way it is prepared. Dosas in most Mumbai eateries are a version of the Tamil-style dosa – they’re crisp and thin. On the other hand, authentic Bengaluru-style dosa is crisp on the outside and thicker and softer on the inside. The batter preparation method also differs slightly from that of Tamil-style dosa. Or ‘Dosha’. Or ‘Do-say’ as Akhil pronounces it.
When asked what they would personally recommend, Akhil was keen on suggesting “Benne Masala Dosa, Mangalore Buns, and Thatte Idli” with a joyful smile. Shriya’s nod of approval was enough to convey that the two couldn’t recommend these items enough.
When Bollywood Met Benne
It wasn’t long before the sizzle of Bengaluru’s heritage benne dosa reached B-town folks, and everyone from Ishaan Khatter to Virat Kohli couldn’t get enough of it.
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One particular incident that stuck with the founders was when Bollywood royalty Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh visited the cafe with their parents, just a few days before the launch.
The excitement on the founders’ faces was palpable, as they recalled how it was only after the Bollywood bunch thoroughly enjoyed the food that they let out a sigh of relief. What was even more unnerving for them was seeing the reaction of Padukone and her mother who’ve always been hardcore Bangaloreans. A gentle smile on their faces and words of praise from Padukone’s mother – that was all the ‘Bengaluru’ approval the duo needed, especially when it was just about to serve the people of Mumbai!
Bengaluru Eateries And Darshinis That Inspire Benne
Self-ordering kiosks, fun nicknames replacing order numbers, and a mostly standing arrangement are some of the features of this cafe that make it different from others.
The latter feature is reminiscent of the darshinis in Bengaluru and other cities in South India. These are not your typical sit-down restaurants, darshinis are meant for grabbing a bite on the go and mostly frequented by locals.
When asked about what iconic eateries and darshinis inspired the formation of Benne, the duo gave out quite a few names: “Bengaluru Cafe, Vidyarthi Bhavan, CTR, Namaste Cafe, Rameshwaram Cafe, Umesh’s, there are just so many”. We marked all these on our bucket list as quickly as we could – well, for ‘research purposes’ only!
Serving Dosa With A Side Of Sustainable Practices
Benne takes pride not only in serving authenticity but also adding a dash of sustainable practices while they do so. They use plates made of areca nut leaves whereas their takeaway boxes are made of biodegradable bagasse, a fibrous residue of sugarcane stalks.
Reusable glass bottles? Welcomed with open arms. Plastic bottles and cups? Shown the door.
Plus, they also utilize special stations where you can get clean drinking water. Even the tissues that you’ll wipe your hands with are made from sustainable products here! Sustainable practices are not preached, they’re actually practiced at Benne.
Juggling Roles: Parents-Founders-Parents
Heartfelt wishes are pouring in abundantly for the couple; they recently gave birth to their baby boy. But that also means juggling between two responsibilities – taking care of a newborn and maintaining the cafe business.
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Their newfound parenthood isn’t actually new, Benne can be called their first child together. It is their combined efforts, months and years of planning, and thoughtful approach that is taking Benne to newer heights every day.
For Shriya, however, the role of a new parent is more challenging – even as we interviewed them, she was struggling between her role as a mother and the founder. Admirable as it is, she says it is “quite tough” for her but the couple is taking each day as a new learning experience and embracing the present with open arms.
Final Few Moments
As we neared the end of the interview, we dug deeper into what comfort food means for the both of them. While Shriya was quick to answer with “idlis”, Akhil answered with “mangalore buns and a glass of filter coffee”. For them, neither life before Benne nor after it is more appealing – for them living in the present is what matters the most.
What began as a solution to a mere craving has become one of Mumbai’s hottest culinary hotspots today. With two outlets (Bandra and Juhu) already serving eager customers, it will be exciting to see where the next outlet pops up. Any guesses?
