Bicycles glide past rows of colourful houses, bursts of bougainvillea, quaint cafes and elfin boutique stores, smartly navigating the handfuls of pedestrians in a sleepy town. Still fondly called ‘Pondy’ by old timers. The coastal Indian town of Puducherry has kept a charming cycling culture alive—the joy of pedals. It’s only fitting to welcome ‘Ciclo’—a cafe chain dedicated to passionate cyclists, serving gourmet but healthy food.
Located in the erstwhile French part of Puducherry, the cafe balances heritage with contemporary aesthetics, while subtly weaving the ethos of its cycling philosophy through its vintage sketches, books, and avant-garde lampshades made from bicycle tyres. “Being a cycling enthusiast myself, this was more an extension of my own passion, both for the sport as well as good food that was nourishing but not boring,” says founder Ashish Thadani. It all started years ago, when Ashish and his friend, fed up of their regular morning walks, started cycling instead to break the monotony. Morning spins turned into long weekend cyclothons, and coupled with the quest for gastronomic discoveries, the idea of a cafe that brought together the cycling community was born.
Italian for cycling, Ciclo was launched in the neighbouring Chennai in 2015, in collaboration with India’s pioneers in the bicycle market, TI Cycles. Thadani later branched off on his own to bring Ciclo under the fold of his own brand, Tiam Foods. Not only did Ciclo start as a place where taste meets health, but one which actively promoted an outdoor culture. From organising events and races to sponsoring cycling athletes, they went all out. It is also a place where one can go to purchase a new bike or get their existing one serviced.
As much as Ciclo is about fostering community and connection, it is held together by the strongest of senses—taste. With its primary focus on fresh ingredients and wholesome meals that meet hearty brunches and guilt-free desserts halfway, the menu caters to a wide range of palates. Pick from breakfast bowls laced with the goodness and the taste of fresh avocados, or high-protein meals that come with your choice of grilled meats or tofu. Combine them with the refreshing orange and beetroot summer salads. Their walnut-and-honey spin-off on the regular tomato-and-pesto bruschetta, or the Kerala inspired fish curries and Sri Lankan stews, are not only an explosion of flavours but also nutrition rich.
The true winners though, are the artisanal ice creams. Across the outlests, many come seeking a good meal but receive a bonus education in a sport, merely by looking around at displays such as a penny-farthing model, one of the earliest bicycles to have been created, bicycle parts artwork, books by iconic cyclists, and more. It’s this innovation that meets guilt-free gourmet at the crossroads, which makes Ciclo stand out from the maze of eateries in Puducherry. And if you feel you have had too many desserts, you can always choose a bicycle, ride down the promenade by the beach, or towards the mangrove forests in the hidden alleyways of the town that the French built.