Restaurant India News: KEFI Enters Mumbai with All-Day Café in Versova

KEFI has launched in Versova, Andheri, entering Mumbai’s neighbourhood café segment with an all-day dining format positioned as a third-space model between home and work. The outlet is designed to operate across multiple dayparts, addressing demand for breakfast service, quick beverage stops, informal meetings, and casual dine-in occasions. The concept is built around in-house recipe development and a layout structured to support longer dwell time and repeat visits from the local catchment.

The brand name is derived from the Greek word kefi, which refers to joy, passion, and living in the moment, and this philosophy is positioned as the basis of the brand’s customer experience framework. 

Monica Kapoor, Co-Founder and Creative Director, said, “KEFI is about creating joy through food, space, and shared moments , a place people naturally return to.” Aatif Khan, Co-Founder and Director of Business Strategy, added, “For me, KEFI is about building a brand that lasts , one that grows thoughtfully, scales responsibly, and retains its soul at every stage.”

The menu follows a modern café format with global influences, structured to support all-day consumption patterns. Key offerings include Khan’s Keema Pao, KEFI Grilled Steak, Chef’s Shakshuka, Desi Chicken Curry, and Dark Desire Cake. The culinary direction is led by Monica Kapoor, with a focus on standardising familiar menu items for consistent execution while retaining comfort-led positioning. From an operational standpoint, the menu mix is designed to balance high-frequency items with higher ticket mains and desserts to support average order value across different dayparts.

The beverage program combines traditional café beverages with newer formats, including Retro Classic Cold Coffee, Bloody Matcha, Flirty Rose Iced Tea, Sweet Kiss, and Golden Glow Smoothie. This mix is positioned to address both impulse beverage purchases and extended dine-in occasions, supporting the outlet’s all-day trading model.

The interiors have been co-developed by the founders and focus on open layouts, neutral colour palettes, and the use of natural light to support a functional café environment. The design strategy aligns with current neighbourhood café formats that prioritise flexible seating for solo visitors, small groups, and work-related usage. KEFI’s launch reflects continued growth in Versova’s café and casual dining market, driven by residential density and demand for local, repeat-visit formats.