In conversation with Raghavendra Rao: The Rameshwaram Cafe comes to Mumbai

Earlier this year, I found myself in Bengaluru, doing what every foodie eventually does – queueing up for a meal at The Rameshwaram Cafe. The wait was long, the energy electric, and the payoff entirely worth it. Crisp dosas, unapologetically bold chutneys and meals laden with ghee, and the sense of precision that only comes from repetition and devotion.

So when the brand finally opened at the iconic Eros Building in Mumbai, it was something deliciously ironic about a brand built on speed choosing to slow down in a city famous for its haste. But perhaps that’s the point. In conversation with the co-founder Raghavendra Rao, we talk about the brand’s expansion to the bay and a journey deeply rooted culinary philosophy that refuses to rush even when everything around it does.

The Long-Awaited Mumbai Chapter

LuxeBook: The Rameshwaram Cafe has built a devoted following in the South. What did bringing the brand to a city as dynamic as Mumbai mean for you personally and as a restaurateur? 

Raghavendra Rao: Mumbai has always been our destination, our dream place to be. It has been almost 15 to 20 years that we have been planning to come to Mumbai. So finally, we are here. This is a city that never sleeps, and we also never sleep. We work 24 hours. We start at 5 AM with the morning rush and are there till almost 2 AM. That is how we work. So we were looking for a place like Mumbai. Cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad are exactly where Rameshwaram Cafe wants to be, and they have exactly the kind of clientele that loves South Indian food and we are here for them. 

LuxeBook: Mumbai has long embraced South Indian cuisine through its iconic Udipi restaurants. Where do you see The Rameshwaram Cafe fitting into this deeply rooted food culture? 

Raghavendra Rao: Rameshwaram has its own authenticity. South India is not just Karnataka it has Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Telangana, and Kerala. All these states come together as one South India. We are here to represent the entire South, with the authentic culture of South India. And we are not here to compete with anybody. We have our own story to tell. Rameshwaram Cafe is all about being a temple of food. 

LuxeBook: The Churchgate outlet introduces an entirely new format for the brand. Was this expansion simply about scale, or about reimagining the experience for a new city? 

Raghavendra Rao: We are learning a lot of things here. We specialise in QSR when it comes to South Indian cuisine, but when it comes to Mumbai, people want to sit and eat  and that is the experience we are trying to build here as well. We are adopting that culture. Many people here want to sit and enjoy their meal, and even the weather plays a major role in that. So creating a comfortable, air-conditioned space where people can sit, enjoy their food, and experience our culture  that gives us a separate identity. It is a separate platform for us to showcase the brand, and seeing people enjoy it is what matters most to us. 

LuxeBook: The restaurant balances heritage, design and authenticity with a very contemporary energy. How do you ensure the brand evolves while staying rooted in tradition? 

Raghavendra Rao: This is what we are. Our days start with our culture. We breathe it, we live it. The authenticity is the beauty of Rameshwaram Cafe, and that remains true not just in Mumbai but wherever we go. We want to take our culture everywhere. We want to representIndia globally and show the world what our culture is all about. We are not trying to invent something new. We are trying to connect to our roots, and what our ancestors came up with in terms of the menu  we are trying to pass that on to the next generation. That is what we are.

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