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Be it millets, plant-based goodies or farm-to-table goodness, these cafes are delivering creative, nourishing, and consciously curated dishes
From Raigarh’s Millet Café to Mumbai’s Project Hum and Yogisattva, and Delhi’s Millets Experience Centre, Indian cafés are putting super grains back on the plate with delicious, wholesome, and sustainable food options.
The ‘Millet Man of India’, Khadar Vali, recently made a surprising statement about millets at a seminar in Kozhikode at the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), a research and development institute under the Government of Kerala. In his address, he stated that one bowl of rice or wheat is equivalent to one bowl of sugar, whereas millet-based diets could prevent or cure up to 80% of diseases. He also pointed out that there are over 240 varieties of millets that most of us remain unaware of.
Across the world, sedentary lifestyles and increasing obesity due to excessive caloric intake have sparked discussions around nutrition, clean eating, and natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Expanding this conversation are three proudly Indian cafés that specialise in nutrient-dense, preservative-free, and additive-free foods designed to support holistic well-being.
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Millets Café, Raigarh
The Millets Café in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, is a path-breaking initiative by Shri Bhim Singh, the former Collector of Raigarh, in collaboration with the development design organisation, Transform Rural India (TRI). Since its inception in May 2022, the café has not only raised awareness of the nutritional benefits of this ‘hero grain’ but has also boosted its consumption. The menu is diverse, delicious, and fresh—brimming with the goodness of millets and ragi. Established as part of the “Bajra Mission” to mainstream millets as the superfood of choice, the café is now bustling with visitors who relish dishes like millet cheela, crisp dosas, succulent momos, pizzas, Manchurian offerings, and kodo biryani—a healthy, gluten-free dish made with kodo millet, spices, vegetables, and herbs. The bottom line? Millets here are not only earning rave reviews but also reaping considerable profits, proving that healthy food choices need not be uninteresting.
Project Hum, Mumbai
Recently featured in Forbes, Project Hum not only promotes clean eating but also builds direct connections between diners and farmers. Founded by Raghav Simha, Jatin Talreja, and Pragun Bajaj—batchmates from the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad—this one-of-a-kind farm-to-table restaurant was launched in September 2022 in Bandra, Mumbai. The trio’s goal was to source local produce from farmer producer organisations and design a menu aligned with harvesting cycles. They also celebrate the ‘Farmer of the Month’ at the restaurant, introducing diners to farmers who often remain unsung and unappreciated. With dishes like Sabab (a falafel with sweet potato fries, pickles, fattoush, hot sauce, and sundried tomato hummus) and Cowboy Tofu (brown rice, pineapple salsa, sour cream, and refried beans), Project Hum is not only supporting a community of farmers but also cultivating a clientele that loves delicious, nutritious food.
Yogisattva Plant-Based Café, Mumbai
Yogisattva is the brainchild of actor-turned-vegan chef Raveena Taurani and offers a 100% plant-based, organic, gluten-free, and zero-waste menu. The idea for the café came from a life-changing spinal injury that led Raveena to explore plant-based food and a holistic lifestyle. This sparked a passion for vegan cooking, an advanced diploma course in plant-based cuisine, and a small home-run delivery kitchen. In 2021, Yogisattva Café was launched in Bandra and today is a go-to destination for anyone seeking healthy breads, breakfast bowls, salads, wraps, and raw vegan cheesecakes, among other delicacies. The restaurant also practices sustainability by repurposing all wet and dry waste—even leftover coffee granules are used to fertilise plants. Nearly 80% of the ingredients are sourced directly from farmers in Maharashtra. Additionally, the Yogisattva Culinary Academy offers workshops and cooking classes to promote plant-based eating.
Millets Experience Centre (Shree Anna), New Delhi
In 2023, NAFED, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), established the Millets Experience Centre in New Delhi to raise awareness about millets and encourage their adoption among the public. It features a live kitchen serving a wide variety of millet-based dishes such as millet dosa, pasta, khichdi, uttapam, pizza, and sattu lemonade, blending traditional and international flavours. Alongside the dining experience, visitors can also shop from a curated range of ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook millet products developed by homegrown startups, supporting both consumer health and local entrepreneurship.
About the Author
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl…Read More
Swati Chaturvedi, a seasoned media and journalism aficionado with over 10 years of expertise, is not just a storyteller; she’s a weaver of wit and wisdom in the digital landscape. As a key figure in News18 Engl… Read More
September 05, 2025, 11:55 IST
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