Two vastly different Italian Cafes in Gurgaon!
Onesta and AMPM Cafe, both opened newly in Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. Both serve Italian and Continental, but are vastly dissimilar.
Read more about my dining experience at Onesta and at AMPM Cafe. Food and ambiance wise i’d give higher score to the local chain though! 🙂
Oh, and all of these pictures meet the “nofilter” criterion!
Onesta, a popular Italian chain from Bangalore comes to Gurgaon
I came across multiple promo standees of Onesta the moment i stepped into Ambience Mall a couple of weekends back. Their 3 course meal for ~500 is certainly a steal deal! The 3-course menu for just Rs. 500/- is great value for money. This chain is present in all major areas of Bangalore, and is hugely popular. Now they have made a foray into Delhi-NCR with their first outlet in Ambience Mall, Gurgaon. They are located among other restaurants on level 3.
The literal translation of Onesta is “honest, honorable” and at the outset, i was impressed by the staff courtesy.
Onesta, Gurgaon: Overall Feel and Ambience
The interior is themed more like a canteen, with some “Italian” accents. It is basically no frills with posters and simple seating. There are bicycles hung on the wall, which i found rather interesting and quirky!
Onesta, Gurgaon: The Food & Service
Too full for a 3-course menu, i ordered a la carte – one pan pizza and one dessert. The size of the small veggie pizza was just right for 1 person. The taste was good, not very authentic, but tasty nonetheless. Onesta has an assortment of desserts on their counter, and i picked a cheesecake. The taste was fine, though it could have been more fresh.
The staff was very courteous and gave good suggestions on what to order. I’d seen reviews on Zomato before coming to Onesta, so was pretty confident of the treatment! Although the food was not highly rated, the overall ratings have improved.
Now let’s take a look at the other Italian/continental cafe i visited in Gurgaon.
AMPM Cafe & Bar, a hangout place for all ages with cool vibes and sumptuous food!
AM PM, after a successful stint at Galleria Mall in Gurgaon, and in Rajouri Garden, has opened on the 3rd floor of Ambience Mall itself. Armed with a hospitable and rather professional staff, you get a feeling of almost being pampered before being led to the table. Then they serve complimentary potato chips, which are delicious. And they will be gone in minutes! Such was the taste… and no, it didn’t taste like junk food. If you are into rock and popular music, you will LOVE this place.
AMPM Cafe & Bar: Beautiful interiors!
Certainly worth a mention are the radial ceiling with suspended light bulbs and the vibrant colors. Trendy furniture and warm colors. Who doesn’t like that!
AMPM Cafe & Bar: The Music Scene
So this cafe does not share the early morning breakfast timing of the Galleria outlet, but it does have the music scene intact. Even when there is no live performance, you get to hear great classical rock on the sound system.
AMPM Cafe & Bar: The VFM Food. And Delicious too
Did i not say earlier that the food here is delicious? Or i must have. Still, here it again – the food here is sumptuous! And very economically priced. Great value for money, with good quantity. We ordered mezze platter and penne arrabiata. Quite cliche, but taste was good. BTW, they also have Indian dishes like dal makhani, paneer and other “usuals”. That’s a plus over Onesta, which serves Italian only, if you’re looking for some variety.
Value for Money fits the bill here… see it for thyself 🙂
I generally request for a glass of warm water after the meal. They obliged.
Another good news, recently AMPM Cafe also joined as a Zomato GOLD Partner, with 1+1 offer on Food. If you are on Zomato, can use my code SUSMITV. Or write me an email susmita@localfeedback.org and i can send you an invite form the app.
So now you do understand AMPM Cafe would be my personal favorite among the two, yet Onesta has a different feel and serves Italian food at great prices too! Especially the 3-course meal, like if you are really hungry!
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Susmita
Susmita has juggled diverse roles in real estate, project budgeting, valuation and execution on construction sites. Having traveled to more than 20 countries, she has worked across 4 regions in India. When on the go, she likes to run and swim a kilometer or two. At rest, she likes to read. A lot. And if it's legit to say it, Susmita is a 'prolific' cook & foodie too. She is the founder of LocalFeedback.Org.