Ciclo Cafe: Blending pedals with plates on a boutique hospitality journey, ET HospitalityWorld

Time of India

19-05-2025

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ETHospitalityWorld
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What started as a niche experiment in cycling culture back in 2015 has quietly grown into a unique hybrid hospitality venture. Chennai-based Ciclo Cafe , founded by Ashish Thadani , marries the worlds of leisure dining and cycling, and is now gearing up for a fresh chapter—one that includes boutique stays and a deeper dive into experiential hospitality 'We were passionate about food, and we were passionate about cycling. Ciclo Cafe was the result of bringing both those passions together under one roof,' said Thadani, the director of the company.Ciclo Cafe first opened in Chennai in March 2015 as a joint venture between Thadani's company and TI Cycles , one of India's largest bicycle manufacturers. Inspired by European bicycle cafes—like those by premium Italian cycle brand Bianchi—the idea was simple: build a space where cycling culture could thrive alongside good food.Although Ciclo Cafe expanded its base quickly to other cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Gurugram quickly, 'with the realignment' in TI Cycle family and the decision to withdraw from retail business led to the breakup of the JV partnership in 2018. Thadani then shifted his focus to Chennai and started consolidating the cafe business there.'At that time, cycling as a sport or hobby was still very nascent in India,' recalls Thadani. Despite the JV supporting professional cycling, hosting the country's top riders and racing in national-level competitions, the sport's ecosystem remained fragile because of multiple reasons including the high equipment costs, limited sponsorship, and poor exposure for aspiring athletes, he said.'It's a chicken and egg story. Unless they participate, they don't get sponsors. But unless they have sponsors, they can't participate,' Thadani reflects.Sharing the journey after the break up of the JV, he said, 'Cycling was a hobby for me and F&B was my strength. So I decided to continue with the concept on my own and promote cycling in our own small way'.The focus shifted to consolidation and standardisation. By 2019, Ciclo set up a central kitchen and bakery in Chennai—an essential step to ensuring consistency across locations. Today, the brand operates four outlets in Chennai and recently opened its first cafe outside the city in Puducherry The Puducherry outlet, nestled in the heart of the city's White Town, adds a fresh dimension to the Ciclo experience—accommodation.'We've run hotels and serviced apartments before, so rooms weren't new to us. In Puducherry, the property had space for a few rooms, and it made perfect sense for travelers who wanted to experience the town, the food, and cycling—all in one,' said Thadani.Guests staying at the Puducherry cafe can borrow bikes to explore the scenic French quarters—a nod to the cafe's original inspiration. The brand now sees a potential hospitality play in other leisure destinations as well.'If we get similar opportunities in other cities we are glad to replicate the model,' he said.Ciclo Cafe is not a quick-service restaurant. Instead, it positions itself as a leisure dining destination. From chandeliers made of spokes to bicycle-themed tables and lights, the aesthetic stays true to its theme.Considering the cycles are quite precious to them, all the Ciclo cafes allow cycles to be parked safely inside the cafe.Talking about the food offerings, Thadani said that they had a special menu for nutrition-conscious cyclists including high-protein, low-carb meals, protein shakes, and hydration options available post-ride.'Being part of the cycling community myself, I know what riders need,' Thadani added.Despite its growth, Ciclo Cafe remained entirely self-funded. Thadani said the team had deliberately stayed away from outside investment or aggressive franchising.'We're old school. Food is a very hands-on business. Until we find like-minded partners who share our passion for food and service, we prefer to own and operate our outlets,' he affirmed.That said, the team was open to collaborations with cycling brands—both Indian and international—as long as there was a clear F&B-retail alignment. With a scalable backend in Chennai and successful pilots like Puducherry. Thadani was optimistic about growing into tier-2 and tier-3 cities.With the kind of infrastructure he had set up in Chennai, Thadani believed that he could easily expand with at least eight to ten outlets in cities in the same radius as Puducherry.As a hobby, Thadani believed that there were very few activities like cycling which foster social interactions, cohesion and community-driven lifestyle.'If we can get even a small percentage of people to lead a more active lifestyle through what we do, that's mission accomplished,' Thadani concluded.