Benne Bombay Turns Blackout Into Beacon Of Community Spirit With Candlelight Dosa Dinner & Indoor Puddles

Mumbai’s monsoon drama spilled into the heart of Bandra last week when Benne, a tiny but beloved café in Bandra, lost power after three relentless days of rain. Yet even in the gloom, the café managed to turn chaos into a moment of warmth and share their heartfelt carousel on Instagram.

Benne In Bombay Shares A Heartfelt Monsoon Moment

 

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It was an Instagram moment too beautiful to ignore: dim candlelight illuminating coffee cups and faces, creating a mood that felt frustrating yet warm. 

The third slide reveals something sweeter still: next-door rival Quattro Coffee quietly extended Benne Bombay access to one of their plugs, just enough to fire up the espresso machine and keep the brews flowing. It was a reminder that camaraderie can outshine competition when the lights go out.

By the fourth image, the power’s flicker was fixed, but Mumbai’s wrath lingered! Water had seeped into the cafe. Staff waded through, wielding wipers to clear puddles. Their caption read, “Thanks to our team. Running out of power, not ideas.” 

Then came the final frame, which showed a child perched on the café staircase, with her feet splashing in a shallow puddle. The caption read: “When life gives you puddles, make it a water-park.” 

Also Read: 5 Cafés In Bandra That Offer Delicious English Breakfast

Who Is Benne?

Benne Bombay (“benne” means butter in Kannada) is the brainchild of Bengaluru natives Akhil Iyer and Shriya Narayan. Clinching a spot on Bandra’s bustling 16th Road, this compact café channels the quick-service “darshini” model from Bengaluru. 

The menu is minimal, with plain benne dosa, masala benne dosa, podi dosa variations, idlis, vadas, and filter coffee. Every ingredient appeals to tradition, with varieties such as IR8 rice, poha, fenugreek, chana dal in the batter, sustainable areca-leaf plates and even vegan options for the eco-conscious crowd.

Celebrity footfalls are common: Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Dia Mirza, Shraddha Kapoor, and others have all posed with smiles over dosa plates. That was the origin of queues spilling onto the street, transforming Benne into a Bandra landmark where food and upstreet vibes entangle. 

Also Read: 5 Cafes In Bandra Where You Can Spot Your Favourite Bollywood Celebrities

This episode was more than a glitch in the monsoon or a social media moment. It was a micro-ordination of warmth with flickering candles, shared plugs, staff brushing floors, a child’s impromptu paddle, and a café that didn’t lose its spark, even when the lights did. 

Cover Image Courtesy: benne.bombay/Instagram