I walked into an aesthetically pleasing Pune cafe called Perk Up Paradise that smelled faintly of roasted coffee beans, butter and something sugary melting somewhere behind the counter. A girl near the window was breaking apart garlic bread while editing photos on her laptop. A family of 4 at another table were laughing so hard their iced coffee nearly tipped over. People were spread across tables with laptops, desserts and long conversations that clearly started hours ago. Nobody looked in a hurry to leave. Honestly, that already felt like a good sign. We stepped in thinking we’d order “a few things”. That plan disappeared fast.
Somewhere between the truffle fries, overloaded bagels and tiramisu, the table turned into complete chaos, a good type, though.
At Perk Up Paradise Cafe, Dishes Barely Survived The Table
The first thing that landed on the table was the Truffle Fries. And within seconds, everyone suddenly forgot basic sharing manners.
Crispy edges, a soft centre and the proper amount of parmesan. Also, thankfully, they didn’t drown the fries in truffle oil the way some cafés do when they want to prove a point.
This was easily the winner of the starters.
Then came the Chicken Caesar Salad, which honestly surprised me because café salads usually feel like punishment food pretending to be healthy. But this one kept things simple with creamy dressing, fresh lettuce, grilled chicken and no weird, unnecessary additions trying to look gourmet.
The Pizza With Perfect Cheese Pull
The Four Cheese Pizza became the accidental favourite of the night. Every slice had that stretchy cheese-pull situation people secretly want from comfort food. Rich without becoming too salty. But the crust underneath could’ve been cooked a little longer because the base felt slightly softer than expected.
That said, not a single slice survived. So clearly nobody minded enough.
The Creamy Mushroom Rice Bowl went in a completely different direction. Lighter than expected, actually. The garlic-heavy creamy sauce coated the rice nicely without making the dish overly rich or heavy halfway through. It’s the kind of bowl you order thinking you’ll eat “a little”, then suddenly realise it’s empty.
The Katsu Curry had good flavour too. Warm, comforting and balanced properly. But it needed more gravy. The rice soaked everything up too quickly, so the last few bites felt slightly dry. One extra ladle of curry, and this dish probably becomes one of the strongest things on the menu.
Then Came The Buffalo Drip Bagel & Things Got Messy
The Fried Chicken Burger stayed very classic, diner-style. Crispy chicken, coleslaw, and a soft bun. Just straightforward comfort food.
The Mexican Fajita Wrap brought proper flavour, though. Smoky, slightly spicy and well-seasoned. But the wrap itself could’ve used more toasting because it softened quite fast.
But honestly, the Buffalo Drip Bagel stole attention the second it arrived. And yes, it was genuinely dripping.
It was my first time having a bagel. It grabbed my attention with its glossy glaze situation happening on top, while the filling came packed with spicy, tender chicken that somehow balanced messy and addictive at the same time. You will absolutely need tissues to clear the mess, but let me tell you it’s totally worth it.
Also Read: CT Review: I Walked Into Bandra’s 80s-Style Retro Diner, Staqx; Gorged On Messy Sandwiches & More!
The Desserts Completely Took Over The Table
At some point, everyone claimed they were “too full” for dessert.
Then the tiramisu arrived, and suddenly nobody remembered saying that.
This one genuinely deserves hype. Strong espresso flavour without tasting bitter and sweetness stayed balanced properly. Also, the texture stayed light instead of becoming overly dense like fridge-stored tiramisus sometimes do.
It came with vanilla ice cream on the side, which was nice, but honestly just a catalyst because the dessert already carried itself perfectly fine.
The Mango Cheesecake also held its own pretty well. Creamy, rich and full of actual mango flavour instead of artificial syrupy sweetness. The fresh fruit topping on top changed the whole thing.
We absolutely planned on stopping there with it, but the owner of the restaurant insisted we try their Choco Lava cake and we didn’t need another word to get convinced. Were we already full to the brim? Yes! Did we still devour the last ounce of the dessert? Also yes!
For many people, dessert will probably end up becoming the reason they return here.
Coffee People Will Probably Leave Happy, Given The Variety And Quality
The drinks menu held up surprisingly well, too.
The mocktail called One-Night Stand Big Tote Bag deserves points for the name alone. But luckily, it tasted good too. Citrusy, refreshing and slightly dangerous because it’s easy to finish too quickly.
Coffee-wise, the Cinnamon Mocha felt balanced and comforting without overdoing the spice. The Iced Mocha was probably the strongest drink overall because the bitterness of the coffee cut through the sweetness of the chocolate perfectly.
Only the Orange Brew felt slightly incomplete. The orange flavour worked, but it needed a stronger espresso kick underneath to balance the citrus properly.
At Perk Up Paradise Cafe, the food stays comforting, desserts genuinely deliver, and the atmosphere makes people linger longer than planned.
Which, honestly, says enough. So make sure to drop by if you are strolling in the Baner area of Pune next time.
Cover Image Courtesy: Kamlesh Garde