"Dosa is India's gift to the world" or so someone proudly declared on Twitter. He was torn down by trolls but he did have a point. Dosa is pretty damn good stuff. We'd hardly ever get tired of it to be honest. There was a time when we we ate dosa for breakfast at work for 3 months straight because we couldn't get enough of rava masala dosa. Well we did stop eventually but mostly because we had discovered other breakfast options by then.
But a good South Indian breakfast is always a nice option when you really want to keep it light. Dosa is always a safe bet but the options are not limited to just that. Idli, wada, uttaran makes sure you are spoilt for choice. However the ubiquitous existence also means watering down of taste or at least it starts tasting the same.
In comes a humble yet surprisingly impressive eatery cartering authentic, home made South Indian fare. Aptly name Banana Leaf this outlet serves all dishes on plates lined with sheaths of banana leaves. The chutneys and condiments that come with the dishes taste endearingly homely. The service staff consists of the owners itself adding to the domestic charm. If you pop in here for breakfasts someday you might feel like you are over at your uncle's for a meal.



There is not much of an ambiance to talk about if you don't consider the casual, domestic disarray of the place as one. There are 7-8 tables for seating. The utensils used are steel plates and glasses in accordance to the unassuming, unpretentious air.

In spite of the tiny proportions the place boasts of a steady clientele so don't be surprised if they are out of wadas by the time you are here on Sunday at 9 am. We have been to Banana Leaf 3-4 times and have tried the idli, wada, rava masala dosa, set dosa, butter onion uttapams, filter coffee and buttermilk.
The IDLIs were fluffy and soft and warm as they were freshly made. It was served with a white chutney and an other red onion chutney which was bit more spicy. The chutney went perfectly with the idli. The sambhar was warm and had a homely, humble taste which was not unnecessarily spicy as the other market varieties are. We are not big fans of sambhar but we like it here at Banana Leaf.
The WADAs are always a favorite. Crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. The medu wadas here are especially good.



MASALA DOSA is our to go alternative veg breakfast. The dosa is crispy and delicious while the filling of spicy mashed potatoes inside is an added bonus. Goes amazingly with the white chutney.


SET DOSA comes in a set of threes. It's soft and fluffy and makes us happy when we see a stack of dosas to gorge on. It also has a spicy mashed potatoes to go along.



The UTTAPAMs are wholesome and taste delicious.

FILTER COFFEE is right amount of bitterness and milkiness. Though you can always ask them to make it stronger or otherwise as per your preference. Though we have had better filter coffee during our stint in the south, yet this has been one of the better filter coffees in Pune.

The BUTTERMILK has always been Mr. TKDs favorite. It's flavorful, refreshing and quite delicious.


The service is humble and warm. The owners greet you courteously with a smile always. The service can be bit slow or quick as per the crowd. However we have started frequenting this place due to its its reliant quality.

However our last visit in the previous weekends were not as happy as other times. The food didn't impress us as much though we don't know what the reason may be. Perhaps they are hiring new cooks or trying new recipes. But the taste was not as brilliant as the before. There was only one type of white chutney and that too had a dry consistency. The sambhar too failed to impress. We had a set dosa and wadas and the only thing we ended up liking were the wadas and buttermilk.

The one undoing of a great eating joint is its own brilliance which only make its patrons expect better experience each time. We hope banana leaf can only mould itself into a better and better brand of South Indian food.