Christmas cheer sets in early at Cafe Diem in Coonoor, a cafe where a winding pathway past a garden bursting with colourful blooms opens into stunning views. Here, festive decorations emerge gradually. The Christmas village display comes up, table mats turn red and green, and panels wish visitors a Merry Christmas.
“The idea is to let the spirit build slowly,” says Radhika Shastry, who moved to the hills and started the cafe. “In the Nilgiris, Christmas has its own rhythm. Warm and celebratory. The hills come alive as people arrive from across the country. Many have second homes here. There are gatherings almost every evening, yet the mood remains calm, never chaotic.”
Classic margherita
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi
On a sunny day, I sample dishes from a seven-course festive menu that will go live from Christmas. After a hearty, creamy pumpkin soup, flavoured with coconut milk and crushed pepper corns, I bite into the tangy goodness of sourdough pizza, the classic margherita, and enjoy the gooey, cheesy goodness. The cuisine is largely Mediterranean, European, and with Italian influences. “It was a conscious decision. People eat with all their senses. Conflicting aromas confuse the palate. Consistency allows flavours to shine,” explains Radhika.
Chimichurri mushrooms
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi
Everything is made in-house. Sauces, pizza bases, sun-dried tomatoes, dips, nothing from bottles or packets. Even fries are freshly cut. The result is food that tastes clean, light, and unmistakably fresh. This year’s menu includes smoked feta with beetroot, warm salads for chilly evenings, savoury éclairs filled with feta and herbs, falafel made with moringa leaves, artichoke pizzas, saffron gnocchi, mushroom risotto, and gluten-free desserts made with millets.
The blueberry ravioli packs a pleasant surprise. The crunchy and soft pockets enclosing sweet blueberry interiors is a play on textures and flavours. The mezze platter arrives with a variety of dips from roasted red peppers, artichoke, hummus, labneh, and more, and is served with pita pockets. “Avocados, artichokes, passion fruit, ingredients that are expensive elsewhere are abundant here. Salads, once unpopular with Indian diners, are now among the most-ordered dishes. People want authenticity, not heavy spices masking flavours,” says Radhika, who starts planning the Christmas menu as early as October. “Food trials are an event in themselves. Small groups are invited to taste, critique, and grade dishes. Anything that scores below eight is reworked or removed entirely. Only the best make it to the final menu.” Some favourites like the pumpkin soup, lemon tart, savoury tarts, and pomegranate cheesecake stay on the menu.
Mezze platter has a variety of dips made from roasted red peppers, artichoke, hummus, labneh, and more.
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi
Over plates of chimichurri mushrooms that are zesty and earthy, Radhika recalls her recent high-altitude trek to the Everest Base Camp at 17,598 feet above sea level. “The year before, a visit to Bhutan included the Tiger’s Nest monastery hike, an experience that, at the time, felt like the pinnacle. But one adventure often leads to another.” Christmas, she says, is celebrated with intention.
“Reservations are mandatory. There’s no rush, no crowding. Guests take their time, enjoying six- and seven-course meals,” she explains.
Mezze platter is served with pita pockets
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi
As I wrap up with the Paris-Brest, the classic French pastry featuring a crisp, almond-studded baked ring liberally filled with praline crème, mist begins to settle over the hills, a beautiful sight indeed to round off my meal in the hills.
Paris-Brest, the classic French pastry
| Photo Credit:
K Jeshi
Christmas menu is available from December 25. Priced at ₹1700 plus taxes per adult. For details, call 9663849639/9845001111
Published – December 25, 2025 11:35 pm IST