Brakefree Cafe Brings a Bookstore-Café Concept to Pali Hill, Bandra

Brakefree Cafe, located within a bookstore in Pali Hill, Bandra, is positioning its outlet around books, coffee and all-day dining rather than a conventional standalone café format.

Founded by Sumedha Mahajan, a Forbes-listed author, long-distance runner and former national-level lawn tennis player from Amritsar, Brakefree is built around the idea of giving customers a space to pause, read and dine. Mahajan, who holds Limca World Records in long-distance running, has incorporated her focus on mental and nutritional well-being into the café’s positioning.

The café follows the philosophy of ‘Kaar Seva Bhaav’, which focuses on serving with an intention to serve rather than operating purely around profit. The concept is integrated into the customer experience, including the café’s setting within a bookstore.

“Brakefree was created as a reminder that it is okay to pause. I wanted to build a space where people can step away from the pace of the city, enjoy good food and coffee, pick up a book, and simply be present. For us, it is not just about serving a meal, but about creating a sense of warmth, comfort and connection”, says Sumedha Mahajan, Founder, Brakefree Cafe.

Brakefree offers an all-day menu covering breakfast, sandwiches, salads, bowls, pasta and other café staples. Its breakfast selection includes eggs, toast, pancakes, waffles and bowls, while avocado toast, salads and meal bowls provide lighter meal options. The menu also includes sandwiches, pasta and fries.

The beverage menu includes cappuccinos, flat whites, Spanish lattes and cold brews, along with matcha, teas, smoothies, juices, coolers and boba.

The bookstore-led format gives the café an additional use case beyond food and beverages, allowing customers to combine dining with browsing and reading. For operators, such formats reflect how cafés can use experience and adjacent retail categories to differentiate their positioning in competitive urban markets.

With its location in Pali Hill, Brakefree adds another café format to Bandra’s established food and beverage market, with its bookstore integration serving as the key point of differentiation.