We land in Pondy on a Monday after a long weekend, expecting to find the town empty of tourists. But, couples whizz by on mopeds and groups stroll lazily through the streets, debating where to have breakfast. The weather gods have been kind: the skies are cloudy, and the holiday extension feels only natural.
On Suffren Street, early diners are already trooping in for coffee and warm croissants at Cherrypond, Puducherry’s newest garden café and bar. Thejas Krishna, managing partner, greets a guest walking in with his family. “He was here with his family yesterday as well,” he says.
There is a sense of unhurried, cosy familiarity in the French Quarter, where Cherrypond is tucked away. A tiny alcove near the coffee bar that faces the road sees regulars dropping by for their coffee pickups. In the past few weeks, Thejas, new to Pondy himself, says he has begun to get acquainted with both locals and tourists. People ask him for recommendations, and some locals even know of his house-hunting woes. “We have already organised a pink-themed brunch for a ladies’ club here,” he adds.
Cherrypond is housed in a heritage property, easily over 100 years old, which was once home to the erstwhile Café Des Arts. “Goan architect Raya Shankhwalker began working on the restoration and design of the café last October and was particular about both the aesthetics and functionality of the space,” says Thejas. The pops of yellow from the past are now replaced with blush-pink walls, green foliage around the courtyard, and three stunning murals by artists from the 108 Collective run by S.S. Karthik.
The Go Bananas craft cocktail
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Special Arrangement
As we sip on Go Bananas, a cocktail with banana scotch, cocoa bitters, and Pondy seawater, topped with a nendran banana chip coated in chocolate, Manoj Padmanabhan, who worked on the food and beverage menu, explains that the idea was to give diners the comfort of eating and drinking something that elevates their holiday experience.
“The craft cocktail menu, which is spirit-forward and flavour-heavy, was created with Pondy’s vibe and emotions in mind. We bring in French influences, nostalgia, and even bits of Goa, given the café’s aesthetic,” he says. Their house special cocktail, Cherrypond, is a sweet, refreshing mix of clarified cherry liqueur (made in-house), gin, and bitters, topped with a bright pink macaron.
Our pick from the cocktail menu, which also features Tambool, a betel leaf cocktail, and a French Quarter–inspired cognac mix , is the FIGure of Cheese. This petite cocktail captures the contrasting sweet and savoury flavours of a charcuterie board: a golden blend of rum, fig, and honey topped with a dollop of cheese foam. All the garnishes on their craft cocktails are inventive and edible.
The cocktail bar at Cherrypond
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Special Arrangement
Pondy’s many aesthetic cafés are popular for their breakfast and brunch menus, and Cherrypond is no exception. We try the intriguingly named Benne Dosa Benedict,a perfectly poached egg served on a buttery, crisp benne dosa, the best of both worlds if you want your protein fix with South Indian comfort carbs. There are also smoothie bowls, eggs, and a selection of breads sourced from Pondy’s artisanal bakers.
From the lunch and dinner menu, we start with chilli pepper soup: a roasted red pepper coulis poured over crunchy kimchi. We also sample the garlic tempura, soft, milk-poached garlic cloves encased in a light, crispy batter, served with garlic aioli. It is the perfect pick if you can’t get enough of garlic. Another highlight is the Pond Manchurian: cutlets of broccoli, water chestnut, and greens tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Seafood, of course, is a must in Pondy. We luck out with grilled, tandoori giant prawns, succulent, smoky, and perfectly charred.
Nasi Goreng at Cherrypond
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Special Arrangement
While the crispy chicken Kiev could have done with more seasoning, we proceed to happily eschew the flatbreads and pastas for hearty comfort bowls of gongura mutton with mango dal, rice and papad. These hot, wholesome meals are perfect for a slow holiday lunch, best paired with a cocktail on the side.
Cherrypond also offers a range of coffees (beans sourced from across the country, including Subko) and, of course, matcha. After a rather raw first cup of matcha, I am served a perfectly balanced, not-too-sweet matcha latte with a foam heart, the ideal companion to a buttery croissant best enjoyed in Cherrypond’s open courtyard with a book in hand and a strategically placed pedestal fan. As the afternoon goes, the space slowly starts to fill up with people on laptops, tucked into quiet corners for meetings.
For tourists and weekend visitors, Thejas is keen on offering an elevated dining experience with thoughtful service. “The exciting thing about running a café is how much we can tweak things — menu or otherwise,” he says. A regular visitor slips on his earphones for a Zoom call, and the jazz music playing overhead is automatically lowered. In this quaint corner of the French Quarter, there is a cosy corner, a croissant, and a cocktail for everyone.
Cherrypond Garden Cafe and Bar is at 10, Suffren Street, White Town, Puducherry. A meal for two costs ₹ 2,400 with alcohol.
Published – August 29, 2025 10:50 am IST
