The story
Sorrows checked at the door.
Down a leafy stretch of Taylors Road in Kilpauk, a half-century-old bungalow has been brought back to life as a garden café. The idea is written into the name itself — hand it all over at the main entrance. To make that easy, the team hung a pair of 100-year-old church doors sourced from Puducherry at the threshold.
Past those doors, the old garden has been reimagined around a lotus koi pond — a water element said to bring calm the moment you arrive, and a good place to chat while your table is readied. Seating spills around the pond, up a breezy balcony and into smaller rooms upstairs: over 5,000 sq ft of palms, orchids and that bright, cheery smell of freshly brewed coffee.
- Signature ‘Entrance Blend’ coffee, roasted in Auroville
- Fusion plates — khow suey, naanzas, artisan pizza, gnocchi
- Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free paths through the menu
- Kid-friendly, Wi-Fi available, valet & parking on site
“Nirvana. Tranquility. Calmness — you drop off your sorrows, stresses and difficulties right at the main entrance.”— The house philosophy, @theentrancecafechennai
Signature experience
Coffee by the pond, plate by plate.
Start in the courtyard with an espresso cut dark and fruity from the Entrance Blend. Wander through to the wood-panelled rooms upstairs. Stay for a khow suey ritual, half-caught between palms and pond, and finish the day with something caramelised from the bakery counter.
Call to reserveThrough the doors
A look around
Tap any photo to view it full size.
How to reach
Find the doors.
Hidden in plain sight on Taylors Road, Kilpauk — look for the church doors and a pond full of fish that never leaves.
Address
4, 63, Taylors Road, Kilpauk, Chennai 600010
Hours
Open all days · 8:30 am – 10:30 pm
Breakfast menu from open till 11 am
Reservations
| Day | Kitchen & coffee bar |
|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 8:30 am – 10:30 pm |
| Friday | 8:30 am – 10:30 pm |
| Saturday | 8:30 am – 10:30 pm |
| Sunday | 8:30 am – 10:30 pm |
Reserve a table
A quick call does it.
Tables over the pond and balcony seats go first on weekends. Call the house and they’ll hold one for you — or send a quick WhatsApp and they’ll confirm back.
4, 63, Taylors Road, Kilpauk, Chennai 600010
Every day, 8:30 am – 10:30 pm (last orders 10 pm)
Good to know
Frequently asked
Do I need a reservation?
Weekday mornings you can usually walk in. For weekend brunch, and for the courtyard tables around the koi pond, reserve — a quick call on +91 93603 66123 will hold your table.
How much for two?
Expect about ₹1,400–1,800 for a full meal for two, depending on how deep you go into the mains and the bakery counter.
What is the food like?
Global café staples with a fusion twist — khow suey, tandoori chicken naanzas, pumpkin gnocchi, pickled prawn tortellini, artisan pizzas — plus vegan and gluten-free paths through the menu. Regulars keep coming back for the pizzas, the khow suey and the desserts.
Is the koi pond really at the entrance?
Yes — the courtyard pond with lotus and koi sits right inside the 100-year-old Puducherry church doors. It’s a deliberate water element for calm, and a pleasant spot to wait for your table.
Parking and getting there?
The cafe is on Taylors Road in Kilpauk with standard parking and valet on site, a short ride from Nungambakkam and Kilpauk metro.
Are laptops and long hours welcome?
Mornings are the friendlier window for laptops — Wi-Fi is available and quieter rooms upstairs make good meeting corners. At peak dinner hours the house seats through reservations first.