Breve is not just the name of the coffee shop I’m about to review. It’s the name of an actual caffeinated beverage. Brother to the latte but with a 1:1 milk to espresso ratio and typically a smaller volume – served in a tumbler. I did not know about the Breve’s existence until I went to this excellent little Bandra coffee shop that is named after the milky concoction.
I was still new to India, still getting to grips with the madness of Mumbai. But in Bandra I found a peaceful neighbourhood, deeply enriched by a fruitful amount of vegetation and coffee shops. Bandra is without doubt the most comfortable and charming neighbourhood in Mumbai. It is also the most expensive.
Breve proudly refers to itself as Bombay’s first Cycling Cafe. Not only does it have a designated space for passing cyclists to store their bikes, but it also plays host to an organised cycling community. Just hit up the Breve website and you’ll have the chance to put down your email and be invited to join the group.
The Service at Breve:
The waiters at Breve are wonderfully friendly. They’ll greet you warmly and make you feel right at home. Depending on what you order, you might have to wait a while for your food – my Nutella on toast seemed to take forever (to be fair – it was homemade Nutella) but they had no problem with me changing my order to scrambled eggs about 15 minutes after placing it. So fair play to Breve.
Ambiance & Comfort at Breve:
Breve is extremely comfortable. I give it 9/10 for comfort. With large leather seats, big tables – each one equipped with its own plug socket – Breve is a marvellous place for lunching and relaxing between cycles, or simply just for a peaceful and relaxing lunch. If you have online work to do the plug sockets make it perfect for that too. And I’m sure they’ll be a life-saver to any cyclist whose phone is running low on battery. The reason I won’t give Breve 10/10 for comfort is because there simply isn’t enough seating indoors. Most of the space is outside, and on a day that is next-level hot, the indoor seating is going to get full very quickly, and if that happens then Breve will cease to be a viable option for those who are looking to escape the heat. I should add here that they do have fans outside, however that won’t always be enough.
The Food at Breve:
The scrambled eggs are delightfully buttery. I like that they let you butter your own toast but the toast itself was a little… errr… small? They should really offer you more toast without charging you for extra. Breve’s scrambled eggs and toast comes in at 220 rupees (£2.20).
The Avocado and egg breakfast wrap at Breve is extremely tasty! This comes in at only 330 rupees (£3.30). Not bad.
Breve’s avocado and poached eggs are also utterly splendid. BUT, they were served with much less avocado than the picture on the menu makes out. And in my humble opinion: that’s unfair. If you’re going to show a picture, show what the customer is getting. Otherwise, you’re winding us up.
With such pleasurable breakfast experiences, I decided to go back to Breve for a lunch and tried-out their Ratatouille Pasta which looked a fascinating dish. Unfortunately, the Ratatouille pasta was extremely disappointing. The beautiful garnish could not make up for the tiny portion nor the underwhelming taste. Coming in at 490 rupees, the Ratatouille pasta isn’t killer expensive, so if you’re really in the mood for pasta it might be worth a shot. I don’t recommend it however. Breve excels with some amazing breakfasts, and I’m sure their burgers are also decent, but I would not go back for the pasta.
The Roundup on Breve:
Breve is not overly cheap. But being buried in the heart of Bandra – the most expensive district of India’s most expensive city – the prices here are pretty reasonable and if you find yourself in Bombay needing a break from the “hot stuff”, or you’re cycling through Bandra, you absolutely must check out Breve. If not for its variety of tasty breakfasts or healthy lunch options, then for their delicious Breves! Strong and creamy… a quality right on par with what you’d expect from its sophisticated, peaceful and pleasant feel.
Breve is open all through the day from 7am to 11.30pm and can be found at the following address:
Shop No. 12, Pearl Haven Apartments, Chapel Road, St Sebastian Colony, Mount Mary, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra, 400050 India.
Check out their website and their Instagram page to take a look at their wider menu which includes burrito bowls & wraps, salads, fresh juices and iced teas & coffees.
