Delhi’s first ayurveda café promises healthy diet

‘Soma: The Ayurvedic Kitchen’, located at the Maharishi Ayurveda Hospital, is the first Ayurvedic café in Delhi.

Situated in the North West Delhi neighbourhood of Shalimar Bagh, the hospital is a centre for treatment that works on the principle of holistic Vedic approach for mind and body, offering a comprehensive range of treatments and therapies that combine the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with modern medical studies. 

People from over 100 countries visit the hospital to receive high-standard ayurvedic treatment amid greenery. 

Not a surprise then that this café, with its ayurvedic-style food and simple interiors, is a paradise for health-conscious people as the food is prepared while keeping in mind the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of the people. 

The food avoids the use of maida, and uses healthier alternatives like ragi, beetroot, pulses, among other things. The dishes are packed with proteins and vitamins. From vegetables — sourced from their own farm — to the sauces, like tahini, mustard, and others, everything is prepared in-house.

The 14-dish menu includes drinks, starters, teas, soups and much more. They have also kept in mind the three doshas of Ayurveda — Kapha Dosh, Vata Dosh and Pitta Dosh. 

Their ‘Ragi Vada Pao’ is a delight for all the street-food lovers. Ragi, celebrated in Ayurveda for its cooling nature and abundant nutrients like calcium and iron, teams up well with digestible Moong Dal atta (green gram flour). The duo not only tantalise taste-buds but also support holistic well-being, offering a balance of essential nutrients and promoting digestive harmony. 

Their best-seller ‘Beetroot Bliss Dumplings’ is a divine blend of wheat, beetroot, and a medley of ricotta, cottage cheese, and spinach. The key ingredient, beetroot, revered for its detoxifying process in Ayurveda, infuses these dumplings with cleansing properties. Spinach, cherished for its iron-rich profile and digestive support in Ayurvedic traditions, complements the detoxifying nature of beetroot. 

For all the tea lovers, ‘Classic Masala Chai’ is a must-have. It consists of a blend of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom besides other nourishing ingredients. Ginger aids digestion and provides warmth, while cinnamon and cloves bring their balancing essence. 

Cardamom adds a touch of comfort — the perfect choice for when you seek a flawless chai moment.  

Their ‘Signature Herbal Tea’ will definitely calm the whirling mind. It is a harmonious fusion meticulously crafted to embody the essence of Maharishi Ayurveda as it caters to the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha energies. The teas are served with a side of handcrafted millet cookies.

The ‘Spinach and Cheese Ravioli’, an Italian dish is not to be missed. Handcrafted from artisanal wheat ravioli pasta, these delicate pockets cradle a harmonious blend of parmesan, cottage, and ricotta cheese, enriched by the vitalising touch of spinach — an ayurvedic gem revered for its iron and digestive benefits. Paired with a luscious marinara sauce, it is a delight for your taste-buds as well as a nourishment for the body and the soul.  

The menu also includes delicious and healthy items like pav and sprouts veggie bhaji, herbal tea, juices, avocado toast, hummus and pita, and so much more. Moreover, the food is free of preservatives. 

Altogether, this kitchen delights one’s senses and nourishes one’s soul.