I love small restaurants with character. Ones with feeling. And a back story attached. Most of these places are run by families and have been in the business for generations. They are the ones that serve hearty food, in a cozy setting without pinching your pocket. One such tiny place we dined at the other day during our escapade into Fort’s by-lanes was The Teapot Cafe.

Situates in a leafy lane, The Teapot Cafe is a tiny, blink-and-miss place. The sign board with a teapot dangling is what led us in. You feel like you’ve entered into someone’s living room when you step inside. Old tiles, couches, mismatched chairs, curios and teapots! Tons and tons of teapots wherever you look. The smiling, bubbly Delna Palia who owns and runs the cafe, apart from pursuing a budding law career told us about her fascination for teapots and how she loves collecting them and receiving them as gifts. So when her father gave her an old office space to convert into a cafe, she could think of no better theme or name for it! The cafe has such a vintage, Parsi home feel to it, except that it wasn’t as clean or spotless.

The menu covers snacky dishes such as burgers, subs, sandwiches and meals such as pasta, salads, and a few Parsi dishes which excited me. The all-day, egg breakfast menu caught my eye, and I’ll definitely try that the next time around. For some reason because the cafe is called Teapot, I expected them to serve loads of tea, but I was disappointed. 

We waited for our Cheesy Carbonara and Tomato Arabiatta penne pastas (each Rs. 150/-) while we sipped on iced teas. The pastas were definitely not on the authentic side, but more like comfort pasta you’d find at someone’s home. A creamy sauce with veggies and well done pasta topped with cheese – similar to old school pasta we were first introduced to before fine dine options entered the city. We coupled this with a portion of garlic bread (Rs. 70/-) which was yum, but a bit burnt around the edges.

Don’t forget to try the Rum Chocolate Mousse (Rs. 80/-) while you’re here. This is a really good mousse, it gets the taste and consistency just right. And then there’s the addition of rum swirling around that gives it that kick! We licked our spoons and the bowl clean.

Teapot Cafe is a quaint place serving simple snacks and comfort food. It is absolutely value for money with our meal for two priced at Rs. 550/- with two iced teas. It’s a place I’d come by again to grab a quick bite when I’m in the neighborhood. The free WiFi is an added perk. But what I really admired was the wait staff was all female – women from lesser privileged homes looking to earn for their families. Very commendable thought, indeed. 

The cafe may not be as well maintained as your commercial spaces, and the hygiene is definitely something that needs to be worked on, but that adds to the overall vibe and charm of the place. The Cafe reminded my friend of her time in New York, and how she’d spend hours at home-run cafes and restaurants there. The Teapot Cafe definitely has character and a personality, even if it’s one of an old Parsi aunty. Take a sip out of this Teapot!

Contact: 
The Teapot Cafe, 
15 A, Bansilal Mansion, Opposite Bombay House,
Homi Modi Street, Fort, Mumbai.
Phone: 022 22654030.
(Open Monday to Saturday, 9am- 6pm)
Facebook page  – The Teapot Cafe