Standing proudly on the leafy stretch of Southern Avenue, Bunaphile Roasters has introduced a thoughtful new dining concept that feels both personal and inventive. Titled Bunaphile R Heshel, this intimate, sit-down culinary experience is the brainchild of owner Sonika Dey, who brings her deeply rooted Bengali home-cooking traditions into her cafe space with a refreshing, global lens.
The idea, charmingly enough, stems from a simple, heartfelt request. Sonika’s son once asked if her comforting mangshor jhol could be served at the cafe so he could pair it with his favourite Nutella milkshake. That unexpected combination sparked a larger vision, one where nostalgia meets novelty, and where familiar Bengali flavours are gently reimagined with contemporary twists.
Bunaphile R Heshel is designed as a reservation-only dining experience, with menus that will evolve every six months, promising a revival of lost Bengali recipes alongside playful, global reinterpretations. On its opening evening, Sonika welcomed a close circle of the city’s food enthusiasts, offering them a first taste of this evolving concept. t2 had a seat at the table, and here’s what we liked.
Doi Pudinar Mel Bondhon is the perfect welcome drink which is a refreshing mix of yoghurt and mint.
Shile-bata Murgi Diye Bun Pauruti is simply a croissant sandwich with a creamy, hand-pounded chicken filling. The veg variation of the dish has Kumro Chokka Diye Bun Pauruti, where the chicken is replaced by pumpkin.
Kuchi-kora Mangsher Bati is a crisp tart shell filled with flavourful mutton keema.
Palak Saag Cream Cheese Dumplings are lucious cream cheese dumplings on a bed of creamy spinach puree. The non-veg version of this dish is Chingri Dumplings on a bed of creamy Malai Curry gravy.
For the mains, the vegetarian option has a comforting plate of Daaler Bora Diye Bhaja Bhaat — golden lentil fritters served with chilli wok-tossed rice. Other mains options in veg are Enchor Kosha Aar Gola Bhaat, and Pui Saak Aar Chhanar Mel Bondhon.
Crab Ala Kanaklata is a mouth-watering crab baked in a cheesy preparation flovoured with gondhoraj lime.
Pork Kosha Aar Shukno Lonka Bhaat is where slow-cooked pork is served with steamed rice cooked with dry chillies to give that extra kick of flavour. The non-veg main course also has Pui Bhetkir Khunsuti — a bhetki dish with Malabar spinach greens.
Basque Cheesecake with Caramelised Khoi Rokhra is Bunaphile’s signature basque cheescake served with caremelised puffed rice with a slather of Nutella. Another dessert option on the menu is Romanchok Rosogollar Payesh.
“Bunaphile R Heshel is deeply personal to me. It comes from memories of home, of slow-cooking, and of sharing meals with family. When my son asked for my mangshor jhol at the cafe, it made me realise how food connects our worlds. With this concept, I wanted to bring that warmth into a more intimate, curated setting, while also allowing room to experiment. The idea is to honour Bengali flavours but not be bound by them — to let them evolve, travel, and surprise. It’s about storytelling through food, where every dish feels familiar yet offers something new,” said Sonika Dey, owner of Bunaphile Roasters.
(L-R) Sreenanda Shankar, Aishwarya Biswas Khan, Abhijit Chanda, Mudit Jadon, Navonil Das (Nil), and Pinky Kenworthy at Bunaphile R Heshel’s first sit-down dinner. “Bunaphile R Heshel beautifully balances nostalgia with a fresh, global perspective,” said Nil. “The flavours are comfortingly familiar, but the experience is anything but ordinary,” added Pinky. On her first visit to Bunaphile, Sreenanda said: “The flavours are nostalgic, but the presentation and pairing make it a completely new experience.”What: Bunaphile R Heshel
Where: Bunaphile Roasters, Southern Avenue
Pocket pinch: ₹1,299-plus (non-veg) per head, and ₹1,199-plus (veg) per head
For bookings: +91 9051488548
!function (f, b, e, v, n, t, s) {
if (f.fbq) return; n = f.fbq = function () {
n.callMethod ?
n.callMethod.apply(n, arguments) : n.queue.push(arguments)
};
if (!f._fbq) f._fbq = n; n.push = n; n.loaded = !0; n.version = ‘2.0’;
n.queue = []; t = b.createElement(e); t.async = !0;
t.src = v; s = b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t, s)
}(window, document, ‘script’,
‘https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js’);
fbq(‘init’, ‘877586283401283’);
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
Dining and Cooking