Mogappair’s Latest Offering Is A Quirky Neighbourhood Cafe Called The Madras Diner

“Mogappair is one of the most densely populated parts of Chennai,” Manoj Hemadri explained when we asked why he opened his new restaurant in the area. Just beyond Anna Nagar is Mogappair, a bustling part of the city that most people don’t visit because it might be considered too far away for them. But thanks to The Madras Diner opening there, there might be more people arriving to see what the area has to offer.

Manoj and his brother started Wake Cup India Foods Pvt. Ltd in Chennai two years ago when they returned to India after studying all over the world to become doctors. They came to Chennai and opened a cafe at Ampa Skywalk called Bean Factory, a coffee shop that has been in the city for almost two years now. The brothers wanted to do more, expand and move to other parts of the city. But instead of opening another outlet of the Bean Factory, they opted to open a cafe in a different part of the city, catering to a broader audience.

And thus The Madras Diner was born.

The idea came about that they wanted to open a neighbourhood cafe with a modern concept, but also maintain the Madras ‘mass’ feel and the combination has been successful. They have tables comfortably spaced out all over the restaurant, including an outdoor area. Plus, they have a selfie booth that you can enjoy with your friends and a snooker table to while away the time between course.

While the cafe is growing slowly and bringing in people from Mogappair as well as further out, they have plans to provide so much more. On the ground floor of the building, they plan to open a multi-cuisine restaurant that will serve more than just cafe food. The cafe is about burgers, sandwiches and other continental fare, while the restaurant will be about more popular foods in the city.

The restaurant opened on August 22 of this year, which also happens to be Madras Day, and since then they’ve played host to birthday parties and have had a lot of customers coming in every day. So we stopped by the restaurant after seeing pictures online to find out just what makes The Madras Diner a great place to enjoy a fantastic meal.

It was a rainy day in Chennai and yet, starting our afternoon off with a Watermelon Spritzer and a Virgin Mojito was just what the doctor ordered. Cool and refreshing and filled to the brim.

We then had the Crispy Cheese Croquettes which is basically deep fried cheese and definitely something that everyone needs to eat at least once in their lives. A croquette is a food roll that is filled with mashed potatoes and whatever else you desire.

When at a cafe, one must always enjoy a delicious burger and we were recommended the Jerk Spice Chicken Burger which was a solid burger with a great helping of fries on the side. The patty was marinated well in a spicy mixture and then sandwiched between cheese and a soft bun, making it a great all-around meal.

And then we had a BBQ Chicken With Mozzarella Pizza, because every time you visit a cafe, eating a pizza is absolutely important. It’s the perfect size for one person, loaded with cheese and big chunks of meat!

Of course, to finish the meal, we had a Double Chocolate Cake with ice cream. Because that’s exactly what the doctor ordered. Soft and layered with chocolate and nuts, the cake was a balance of everything and a perfect way to end the afternoon.

The Madras Diner is located at Mogappair West, Nolambur Main Road, A98, HIG Phase I, Chennai. To make a reservation or enquire about other bookings, call them at 044 65753737