Gurugram is the hub of nightlife so it’s hardly surprising to see people queuing up outside nightclubs or pubs late at night. But a recent post made on X because it showed a large crowd of people hanging out late at night outside – wait for it, a dosa joint! That’s right, an X user shared a pic online which showed people waiting anxiously for South Indian meals and not for chic cocktails or appetisers.
“This crowd, late night, is not at the entry of a pub, it’s the Carnatic cafe in Gurgaon. It serves fluffy Rameshwaram cafe style Dosas, laden with ghee, and other stuff. But the fandom is going crazy,” wrote an X user, alongside the photo of people queued up outside the Carnatic Cafe, which is located next to the Google Building, in Avenue 32.
The user also broke down the reason behind the cafe’s widespread popularity. “North India traditionally was served Masala Dosas the Tamil Nadu style, it was always something you had on special days, I remember taking friends to have Dosas on my Birthday. Wafer thin Paper dosas with non-sweet Sambhar and Coconut chutney. Suddenly the market has opened for dosas from Bangalore,” the X user said.
One of the best-selling items on Carnatic Cafe’s menu is their Mysore masala dosa which is a crispy, wafer-think dosa which is mildly spicy and served with coconut chutney. The cafe also serves some unique delicacies which are hard to source in Gurugram, such as Mandakki Dosa, Bombat Dosa, Angai Dosa, Benne Khali Dosa Manina Maga Dosa and the Malleswaram 18th Cross Dosa which is a gluten-free variant that’s fluffy and crispy and is named after the popular Bengaluru street.
Since Carnatic cafe stays open till 11 pm and sometimes past that it gets quite a few late-night walk-ins. Foodies chimed in with their thoughts on the Gurgaon cafe and shared what they love the most about it. “One of the best places to enjoy a hearty meal in Gurgaon without burning a hole in your pocket,” wrote a follower. “My favourite is Appams, Neer Dosa, Upma, Utthapam and Kesari baath,” wrote another.
“The accessibility of these South Indian delicacies in a bustling city like Gurgaon has made them more mainstream, appealing to a wider audience. The late-night crowds at Carnatic Cafe demonstrate the growing demand for these specialities, which were once considered niche or reserved for special occasions,” wrote another X user.