Secret Ingredient to Spearhead Nationwide Expansion of Pekoe Café

Secret Ingredient to Spearhead Nationwide Expansion of Pekoe Café

By Nishang Narayan

Published on March 11, 2025

Leading Food Consultancy Firm Partners with Dalmia Gold Tea Group to Bring a Unique Tea Experience to Indian Cities

Secret Ingredient, India’s top food consulting firm specializing in restaurant and hospitality solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Dalmia Gold Tea Group to expand Pekoe Café across India. This collaboration aims to bring Pekoe’s distinctive tea-drinking experience to cities nationwide, building on its current success in Patna and Siliguri.

A Unique Tea Concept Expanding Across India

Secret Ingredient will lead the expansion, ensuring brand consistency while adapting to local preferences. Pekoe Café redefines India’s chai tapri culture by blending traditional flavors with a refined and contemporary setting. The café offers a diverse menu of Indian snacks that pair perfectly with its signature teas, all within a quirky, inviting ambiance.

Nikita Dalmia, Co-Founder of Pekoe Café, shared her vision:
"Pekoe is a vibrant celebration of India’s love for chai tapri and street food, reimagined with sophistication. Our mission is to popularize Indian tea culture alongside high-quality teas from the House of Dalmia Gold. We wanted a partner who understands this unique proposition while enhancing our brand value, and Secret Ingredient is the perfect fit to take our concept across India."

The Role of Secret Ingredient in the Expansion

Secret Ingredient’s expertise in restaurant concept development, market analysis, and operational strategy will be instrumental in Pekoe’s nationwide growth. The firm has mapped out a phased rollout over the next year, targeting key cities to ensure success.

Kula Naidu, Director of Secret Ingredient, emphasized their approach:

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"We are excited to bring the Pekoe Café experience to more cities. Our team will work diligently to preserve the brand’s essence while tailoring each location to resonate with local tastes and cultures."

Sid Mathur, Director at Secret Ingredient, added:

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"Pekoe has already won the hearts of tea enthusiasts in Patna and Siliguri. As we expand, we remain committed to delivering an elevated and seamless experience that delights customers across India."

Expansion Strategy & Future Plans

The expansion strategy focuses on:

  • Market Research & Location Selection – Identifying prime locations with high footfall
  • Interior Design & Ambience – Maintaining the quirky and inviting Pekoe brand aesthetic
  • Menu Development – Adapting offerings to local flavors while preserving Pekoe’s signature selections
  • Staff Training Programs – Ensuring high service standards across all new outlets

Pekoe Café: A Tea Lover’s Haven

Founded by Dalmia Gold Tea, Pekoe Café offers an affordable yet high-quality tea and snacking experience. Operating from 9 AM to 10 PM daily, it serves a wide range of tea varieties alongside signature dishes such as:

  • Kullhad Pizza
  • Authentic Mumbai Vada Pav
  • Darjeeling Momos
  • “Gud Wali Chai” – a favorite among patrons

For more details, visit: https://pekoebydg.in/

About Secret Ingredient

Secret Ingredient is a leading consulting firm for the restaurant and hospitality industry, specializing in concept creation, strategy, and operational excellence. Notable projects include The Khyber at Gulmarg, Kaansa at Crowne Plaza Gurgaon, Lyrah at Trident Gurgaon, and Koyo Koyo at Hyatt Centric Chandigarh. The firm has also advised brands like Swiggy, Anardana, and Olive Group.

For more details, visit: https://secretingredient.co.in/

About Dalmia Gold Tea Group

Dalmia Gold Tea Group is a renowned tea brand, especially popular in Bihar and Jharkhand for over 25 years. Its venture into the café industry with Pekoe showcases its dedication to innovation and quality in the Indian tea market.

For more details, visit: https://dalmiagold.com/


SOCIAL Oktobeerfest 2025: Bigger Buckets, Bolder Bites, and Brew Bingo Fun!

SOCIAL Oktobeerfest 2025: Bigger Buckets, Bolder Bites, and Brew Bingo Fun!

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on October 1, 2025

SOCIAL, India’s favorite neighborhood café-bar, is back with its much-awaited Oktobeerfest 2025, running from 6th to 19th October. This year’s edition promises bigger buckets, bolder bites, and playful new experiences designed to bring people together over food, beer, and festive cheer.

Buckets, Platters & Pairings

Beer takes the spotlight with bucket deals offering up to 20% savings on 3, 6, and 9 pints, perfect for sharing with friends. Making a comeback is SOCIAL’s popular Sausage Platter, the perfect companion to chilled brews. Guests can also indulge in exclusive bucket-and-platter pairings crafted to spark camaraderie and turn group hangouts into memorable beer-filled feasts.

SOCIAL’s Brew Bingo

Adding a quirky SOCIAL twist, each table will feature Brew Bingo, a beer-inspired challenge card with fun prompts like “chugged a pint in one go,” “spilled beer on yourself and kept drinking,” or “paired beer with dessert.” Guests can tick off their challenges as they go, creating laughter-filled moments to remember.

Festive Vibes All Around

All SOCIAL outlets nationwide will transform with buntings, quirky décor, and festive energy. True to SOCIAL’s spirit of being a second home for communities, the festival combines good beer, hearty food, and togetherness.

Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer, Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, shared, “Oktobeerfest at SOCIAL has become a custom our communities look forward to every year. It’s our way of raising a toast to togetherness with buckets to share, a hearty platter to dig into, and playful experiences that bring people closer. Every year, we add a new SOCIAL twist to the global Oktobeerfest tradition, making it uniquely ours and something our guests can truly call their own.”

With bigger buckets, flavorful pairings, and engaging activities, Oktobeerfest 2025 is set to turn October into a month-long celebration of flavor, fun, and friendship, reaffirming SOCIAL’s place as the go-to neighborhood destination for unforgettable gatherings.


Santé Spa Cuisine Opens Third Pune Outlet at Law College Road

Santé Spa Cuisine Opens Third Pune Outlet at Law College Road

By Hariharan U

Published on October 1, 2025

Santé Spa Cuisine, the award-winning health and wellness dining brand, has strengthened its presence in Pune with the opening of its third outlet at Law College Road. Known for its commitment to fresh, preservative-free, and plant-based cooking, the brand continues to champion mindful dining with dishes that balance taste, nutrition, and sustainability.

The new outlet, set in the backyard of a century-old home surrounded by greenery, features both indoor and outdoor seating for up to 120 guests. With cane, bamboo, copper, and recycled accents, the space reflects Santé’s eco-conscious philosophy while encouraging guests to relax and connect with nature.

Santé’s menu remains true to its wellness-driven ethos. Guests can choose from vegetarian, vegan, Jain, and gluten-free options including millet bowls packed with superfoods, Levantine-inspired protein-rich dishes, gluten-free multigrain pizzas, high-fibre casseroles, and indulgent yet healthy desserts made with jaggery, date sugar, and erythritol. Cold-pressed juices, detox beverages, and carefully paired wines and sangrias complement the food experience.

Founder Sonal Barmecha shared her vision at the launch, “Our aim is to provide a space where people can sit peacefully and nourish both body and mind. With the Law College Road outlet, we are creating more than a dining space, we are building a community that values health, sustainability, and mindful living.”

She added, “The vibrant greenery and open spaces beautifully complement our ethos of simplicity and nourishment. We hope this space inspires people to adopt healthier lifestyles and to enjoy life’s simple pleasures, while also caring for the planet.”

With outlets already at Koregaon Park and Baner in Pune, along with three locations in Mumbai, Santé Spa Cuisine is rapidly expanding its reach in the health food space. Soon to be available on Swiggy and Zomato, the brand is making nutritious and sustainable dining more accessible to urban diners.

Santé’s seasonal menus, like the current Monsoon Menu featuring Himalayan Thukpa soup with momos, keep the experience fresh, relevant, and comforting.

About Santé Spa Cuisine

Founded by Sonal Barmecha and led by Chef Shailendra Kekade, Santé Spa Cuisine has been redefining India’s health dining landscape for over a decade. With a philosophy of ‘less-is-more,’ the brand focuses on plant-based, preservative-free meals rooted in sustainability. Its outlets across Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Ahmedabad reflect a vision of mindful eating that nurtures both the body and the environment.


The Den Bengaluru Launches Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays

The Den Bengaluru Launches Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays

By Hariharan U

Published on October 1, 2025

 The Den, Bengaluru, a 5-star luxury property known for its innovative dining experiences, has launched “Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays”, a weekend culinary festival celebrating the best of India’s flavours.

Every Friday evening from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, The Den transforms into a gourmet destination where succulent kebabs inspired by cities across India meet five distinct variations of biryanis, prepared with traditional methods and authentic spices. Guests can also opt for an unlimited beverage package to complement the lavish buffet.

This experience goes beyond dining—designed to bring people together, it encourages families and friends to enjoy food, flavours, and celebrations under one roof. The restaurant’s elegant setting and warm ambience enhance the festive vibe, making it a perfect start to the weekend.

Details:

  • What: Kebabs & Biryanis

  • When: Every Friday

  • Where: The Creek at The Den, Bengaluru

  • Time: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM

With “Kebabs & Biryanis Fridays,” The Den Bengaluru promises a feast that blends tradition, indulgence, and togetherness, a true celebration of India’s rich culinary heritage.

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