Cafes come and cafes go, but the need for a space to unwind goes on forever.
In 2018, at the cusp of the booming cafe scene in Chennai, a new cafe found its way to a celebrity’s Instagram story. The story goes as all stories do. A rise and fall in customers. Some became regulars, some kept coming in to spot celebrities and some genuinely fell in love with the dynamite prawns being served. Summer House Eatery, the brightly lit space, was shut earlier this year, leaving behind a familiar question: in a city where cafés have become as transient as trends, what fills the void they leave behind?
The answer comes in the shape of DUCA, a cafe that promises to be that space where you can grab a delicious bite to eat, work, relax, and even bring along your furry friends.
Vietnamese coffee
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Special Arrangement
“When we took over Summer House, we wanted to change everything from interiors and menu to the ambience. In the heart of Alwarpet, you won’t find many quiet places where you can truly unwind, so we were determined to make it a space like that,” says Yoganandan Guruswamy, owner, DUCA.
Currently, the 2,500 sq ft space includes an outdoor space, complete with coolers and misting machines to keep you cool in Chennai’s year long summers. There is also a dedicated space for a fully functional wood fired pizza oven. While the menu has undergone changes, what sets it apart are the Indian touches that have been added to a global menu.
“We lived in the US for over 10 years and have travelled around Europe extensively, so we were keen on bringing a European style of cafe to Alwarpet,” says Yoganandan, adding that the head chef worked in Scottland and brings his global expertise to the menu.
Mirapakaya bajji
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Special Arrangement
The result is a menu that travels through the map of the world, and makes multiple stops in India in places like Maharashtra, Chettinad, Lucknow and more. We are compelled to begin with a strong cup of Vietnamese coffee brewed over condensed milk at the table. The coffee drips down at leisure, setting the tone for the evening. One of the signature offerings at DUCA is the mirapakaya bajji, a classic Andhra street food of snacky chillies, stuffed with peanuts, tamarind and served with onions and a squeeze of lemon. It packs a punch and is not for the faint-hearted. The Chettinad lamb chops are tender and spiced to the standards of its namesake. An ode to Summer House, the dynamite prawns remain on the menu, tasting just as they always did — tender, saucy and fresh.
The bread for sandwiches, burgers and toasties at the cafe is made from scratch, and it shows. The Nashville chicken burger and its vegetarian counterpart gobi tikki burger are served on the softest burger buns that remind you of a traditional bakery you would visit as a child. Served with kettle cooked chips with salt and pepper, its a simple pleasure served just as we remember.
Gobi tikki burger
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While it might look like the sourdough pizza, made fresh to order in the sparkly new wood fired oven, is the main event, the house signatures like Malaysian roti canai, battered fish and chips and the roasted chicken deserve your attention more. The lamb mince in the scotch egg felt a little undercooked and gamey, so ask for a well done mince to get it right. It is served in a butterry tomato sauce with grilled veggies. The quesabirria ramen bowl was spicy and indulgent, with the ability to make you sweat more than a sultry summer day. A squeeze of lemon helps.
Interiors of Duca
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Special Arrangement
Even after an indulgent meal, make space for the opera cake. Layered with almond sponge, coffee buttercream, dark chocolate and espresso, it is balanced in sweetness and flavour. Because, while cafés come and go, there will always be room for one more place to linger, and one more dessert to try.
DUCA is at 12, Ramachandra Avenue, Seethammal Colony, 1st Main Road, Alwarpet. A meal for two costs ₹1,200. For reservations call 9962017299.
Published – July 16, 2026 09:11 am IST
