This new Colaba café is all about comfort food and community

The cafe houses the first retail space for Mag St Bread Co. Pics/Bipin Kokate

On a wet, grey afternoon, after crawling through Mumbai's slower-than-usual traffic, when we step into Mag St Cafe in Colaba, the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked bread makes for the perfect welcome. The city, thankfully, fades away behind the shiny glass doors that lead us first to the drool-worthy display of Mag St Bread Co's croissants, cinnamon rolls, brownies and Danishes. Before long, we gladly find ourselves in a kid-in-a-candy-shop situation.

Interiors of the space

The all-day café - opening today - by restaurateurs Gauri Devidayal and Jay Yousuf wears a breezier vibe than its predecessors, Miss T and Mei 13. The owners scuttle around adding final touches to the 80-seater two-storeyed space - their anxious excitement palpable. Fingers-crossed; third time's the charm. Of course, the pandemic set the ball rolling for the café, they tell us. Mei 13, the last restaurant, was open for barely 10 days before COVID-19 struck. "Instead of endlessly waiting for the chefs, who were stuck overseas, we decided to work locally," Devidayal shares about the café which also houses their bakery, Mag St Bread Co's first retail outlet.

Eggplant Parmesan

The idea is to offer a casual space, centred on comfort food, consciousness towards the planet, and a sense of community. "The comfort is all about the food, beverages and space. But we also want people to engage with the space in a way that's not just about dining," says Devidayal, a Colaba girl at heart. True to word, they already have a calendar of events planned, including a guided walk around the neighbourhood, book launches, arts-based engagements, and more. "The third pillar is consciousness. No, we're not claiming to be 100 per cent sustainable, but we're aware of the impact we have on the environment," she notes. As the first - bold - step, they will not provide disposable take-away cups for beverages. Instead, the focus is to prompt people to carry their own tumbler. Devidayal is nervous about the pushback. "But I think that sometimes, to make a little change, you have to take a slightly tough stand."

Jalapeño and pepperoni calzone

The expansive menu offers everything from breakfast favourites and cuppas, to Asian flavours, Mag St Toppings' pizzas and global treats. We start off with a fried calamari (Rs 485) that's par for the course, and the crunchy and dense corn curd (Rs 325) balls that we can't get enough of. A refreshing avocado salad (Rs 585) arrives next, elevated by a sweet-ish dressing with bits of pomegranate and pomelo. We wash these down with a heady, matcha-laced It's My tai (Rs 575); The Happy Mahayana (Rs 575), however, fails to live up to its name.

Rare b''f tenderloin and soba

The slurpy-good rare b''f tenderloin and soba (Rs 595), served chilled, is a delicate balance of flavours and textures, and definitely one of the reasons to make a trip from the suburbs. The other reason is a super-indulgent, cheesy jalapeño and pepperoni calzone (Rs 500), though the pretty eggplant Parmesan (Rs 650) also hits the spot. As we end our visit with a decadent little choco lava cake (Rs 375), we notice curious passer-by dropping in, lured by the delicious display of bakes. And so we pick a Korean cream cheese bun (Rs 175) that we pack home for a garlic-ey, creamy midnight binge. Like we said, comfort on a plate.

Korean cream cheese bun

Reminiscent of the kids' special mats at Bombay Blue, the café offers activity-filled table mats

Gauri Devidayal and Jay Yousuf

Time Bakery from 7 am; breakfast from 8 am to 10.30 am; all-day menu from 11 am to 10 pm
At 4 Mandlik Road, Colaba.
Call 22801144