From Homemade Cakes, Goan Cafes to Pan-Asian Food: Presenting Queer Made!

Born during the lockdown, The Gâteaux co., when Priyamvada, a young 20-year-old with entrepreneurial goals, decided she wanted to bake. The Gâteaux co. will sort you out with everything from a loaf of humble sandwich bread to a pavlova. Baked entirely at home by this Orissa-born girl, what we like is that the menu changes every few weeks, so you’ll be in for a surprise every time you plan to order. Think masala chai cakes, til-gud cookies, and even classic vanilla cupcakes. If you’re looking to order a customised cake for an occasion, Priyamvada does that too - flavours like vanilla sponge with salted caramel and banana.

Don’t we all love the classic Italian combination of pizza and tiramisu? Get exactly that, and more, thanks to Bangalore-based Sauparnika Sajjan’s gourmet bakery - Saupy’s Kitchen. We spied Pecan pies, chocolate ganache tarts, lemon, gin and lavender cupcakes (that are made to order) and rhubarb-strawberry tart, too. We also hear the Dundee cakes are on-point. That’s just about the final product, though. What goes in is equally awesome as they’re a community-conscious business using organic ingredients sourced from local communities. If you are in or around Bangalore, check out their pop-ups.

By name and by nature, Cafe Guftagu is a quiet, no-judgement space for anyone to work and chill at. With a quaint, boho vibe, where judgment is left at the door, and inclusivity is the motto, if you’re around Mira Bhayandar in Mumbai, pop into this cafe. They organise events so you can meet and greet like-minded folks over French fries and masala chai. The trio of founders have also doubled their cafe space to run the ‘Each One Feed One’ initiative, a community kitchen that provides meals to various communities during the lockdown. 

Co-founded by Shalini and Anumitra, who are professional chefs, PhD holders and active members of feminist and queer communities, Edible Archives is a space that serves modern and contemporary Pan-Asian food. The restaurant, set on a quiet bylane of Anjuna, in Goa,  has an open courtyard where you can unwind over an array of delicious dishes. Their Old Paris Beef named for an old restaurant in Kerala that serves spiced, slow-roasted beef, with root-based carbs instead of grains - local elephant yam, sweet potatoes, tapioca, and a salad of homegrown greens is one of their top dishes. They stand out not only for the chill vibes but also because they grow a lot of the indigenous ingredients like teppal (a Szechuan pepper-like spice) themselves thereby promoting sustainability and a no-waste policy. 

From bakers to wholesome cafes, that’s a lot to pick and choose from. We urge you to check them out, support them by purchasing from them or popping into their cafes and show some love!