Since the past few years, Raipur’s culinary scene has received a massive facelift. Numerous new eateries- posh restaurants and quirky cafes have cropped up. There are gifted newcomers who are carving a niche for themselves in Raipur’s fast-changing foodscape. Una Grande – state’s first organic food cafe is one of the hottest restaurants of Raipur as on date. They are serving food that resembles the type of wholesome stuff we’d cook ourselves.

Café Una Grande

The founders Minie Nachrani and Palak Nachrani believe, “Mostly people these days are simultaneously obsessed with dining out and healthy living. We at Café Una focus on locally grown ingredients, minimally processed foods and gluten-free items, all that is practically synonymous with better eating.”

“We help you form a relationship with the food you eat, by being as transparent as possible about the ingredients. We have crafted a guilt free menu inclusive of a variety of salad options and whole- grain-filled bowls packed with nutrient-dense foods like quinoa, brown rice, avocado, shredded cabbage, beets, and leafy greens. Our menu comprises of wraps, bowls, and healthy juices. We have vegan and gluten-free choices—and even unique drinks like orange celery juice. We love experimenting with our food. We have replaced rice with brown rice, couscous, quinoa, multi grain to eliminate gluten. Our signature dish would be Quinoa and Dal based khichdi. Trends have changed and Awareness relating to food has tremendously increased. Our Menus are simple with limited options and we plan to change the menu every month.”

UNA Cafe, Raipur

Reform- Pilates Studio

The other fitness venture along with their café is the Pilates Studio in the same premises. At their Pilates Studio – Reform they provide exclusive training where maximum five members can workout at a time. They focus on strengthening and stabilizing the core- the powerhouse of the body. The founders tell us “We love the fact that we at Reform are hyper-aware of your health. We are proud to say that here we offer an extreme amount of personal training.”

About the founders
The mom and daughter duo are scaling heights with their innovative health and fitness ventures in the city.

Palak Nachrani, after completing her High School from Rajkumar College, studied Architecture in a Premiere Institute of Mumbai and then pursued Masters in Urbanization from an Ivy League University. “The city needs people to come back, and make a change,” she states her reason to return to Raipur. With a fresh perspective she constructed the building at Jal Vihar Colony which houses the Café Una and Reform.

Palak tells us – “It is my mom’s attempt at a healthier lifestyle. We wanted the city to have healthy eating-out options and an evolved workout studio. We knew we could use our knowledge of flavours and ingredients to make calorie-free food that taste good .So, here, we serve everything-from hearty salads and smoothies to zucchini rolls, quinoa khichdi, brown rice biryanis and more”

Palak tells us-“Mum’s always been enthusiastic about working. She started with Prem stores in 1991, and brought a range of brand unheard and unavailable at that time in Raipur. And then she had us, we being young her career took a back seat. After a few years she started a jewellery business and worked from home and now finally our Café and Pilates Studio. She has always emphasized on clean healthy eating and she herself is a fitness freak and a dedicated gastronome. So that’s how it all started. ”

Any restaurant that makes it easier for its customers to commit to a healthy lifestyle is a winner in our eyes! A menu that is light, flavorful, wholesome and yet so yummy!