43 Postcards
Pondicheri is a vibrant Indian eatery in Upper Kirby, serving a creative twist on Mumbai street food, complemented by a chic bakery upstairs.
"Pondicheri puts a modern Indian spin on brunch staples with dishes like the “everything but the kitchen sink” Railway omelet, pumpkin chai oats, and French toast with Nutella and cardamom. As a bonus, the Upper Kirby gem offers its breakfast menu daily, from 9 a.m. and the restaurant’s Bake Lab, located directly upstairs, also has its own selection of pastries and snacks to consider." - Brittany Britto Garley
"Save some room for something sweet after a meal at Pondicheri. The restaurant’s dedicated bake shop is located just upstairs and is stocked with syrup-soaked gulab jamun doughnuts, mithai, and almond-topped madeleines, along with the completely irresistible chai-spiced pie. The vibrant and colorful space serves as a pleasant backdrop for winding down with dessert and a cup of chai or coffee." - Brittany Britto Garley
"There’s only one place in town to get a saag wild mushroom dwaffle (dosa plus waffle) for brunch, and it’s at Pondi Bake Lab. The second-floor bakery and cafe above its namesake Pondicheri in Upper Kirby serves a kaleidoscope of colorful food. Think breakfast wraps, or frankies with cilantro chutney, masala-spice-spiked eggs, and warm brioche toaster sandwiches with gooey cheese. Order everything, including a mountain of pastries and cakes laced with hibiscus and saffron, at the counter. Then join the River Oaks athleisure moms sipping green juice on the balcony. " - gianni greene, chelsea thomas
"For those who like breakfast with a side of cilantro chutney and a green juice, hit up Pondi Bake Lab above Pondicheri in Upper Kirby. The modern Indian counter-service spot not only has a bright color palette, but also colorful and surprising food like masala-spiked scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms with savory waffles, and a pastry case full of turmeric cakes and chili cookies. Join the other athleisure clad diners here for a post-yoga refuel, or just because." - chelsea thomas, gianni greene
"Pondi Bake Lab feels like a chic industrial treehouse perfumed with saffron and hibiscus. The wraparound pastry case is filled with opulent mango-golden cakes topped with a flower petal crown, brioche buns with dark chocolate centers, and savory-sweet cookies packed with pistachios and chili. Everything here has the potential to induce a might-as-well-order-everything fugue state, a practice we wholeheartedly endorse." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas, julie takahashi
