Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Indian
Organic
Juice bar
Ayurvedic

Ayurvedic indian cafe run by a Shivani, an ayurvedic practioner and woman who lives in California and India. The atmosphere is home-like and cozy. Nice bathroom with a western toilet. Open Tue-Sun 7:00am-4:30pm.


35 Reviews

First Review by AmericanPhil

Vegantraveljunkie

Points +2463

Vegan
20 Aug 2026

Must visit especially for all the vegan cakes!

I came here to enjoy brunch and was pleasantly surprised by the cozy, quiet rooftop seating area. The menu had a lot of vegan options clearly labelled , but I really wanted to start the day with coffee and pancakes with maple syrup. The pancakes were fluffy, large and delicious. I was craving filter or pour over coffee as like it smooth/bold, but they could only offer americano with hot water. I didn’t particularly care for it as found it weak.
I extended my brunch visit there and ordered a hearty vegetable soup and pita bread with hummus and salsa. Both dishes were delicious
and filling. So excited about the selection of vegan cakes as hard to find anywhere in India which serves vegan desserts. They offered: chocolate, banana, spice, cardamon, carrot and lemon. I asked for a recommendation and server said spice cake. It came out warm in chunks, warmed apple chunks in cinnamon with vegan whipped cream! Yummy!
The cafe was clean and liked the fact only a few tables. My server was friendly and attentive . When I went to pay, I was asked how I enjoyed the meal and told them that the food was delicious but I hadn’t been keen on the coffee. The woman offered to comp my coffee and told me to come again so they could offer me a better cup of coffee. I appreciated the kind unexpected gesture. I am so happy that I visited this cafe and can see why there are so many complimentary and positive Happy Cow reviews. Highly recommended!

Updated from previous review on 2026-08-20

Pros: vegan cakes and desserts💚, very reasonable prices, clearly marked vegan food options

RunEatWorld

Points +3876

Vegan
23 Dec 2025

Awesome

Loved the cookies and cake! Really happy to see some healthy dishes here - I devoured a plate of steam veg. Idly were great too. Cute little bunny hopping around the place!

Huraiquire

Points +11155

Vegan
23 Dec 2025

Loving and wholesome

Delicious food and decent prices. Made with love! The people were so kind and had beautiful energy here. Vegan options clearly labeled.

Updated from previous review on 2025-12-23

ed.edge

Points +205

Vegan
29 Oct 2025

absolute must visit

the food is wonderful, great price, and clearly marked vegan. the staff is very friendly and knowledgable about vegan. the omelets are actually very filling and the cake is surprisingly moist. no notes.

Pros: atmosphere & staff, price is great, food was lovely

Cons: masala chai was bland

SoniaSoniaSonia

Points +576

Vegan
18 Dec 2024

Quiet oasis

Aum Café is located just off the main wall along the river, and also off the main road with all the busy traffic. Nice little 2nd floor place to enjoy a calm meal and/ or tea. I enjoyed the food. Good to see that there are lots of vegan options, and all the vegetarian food can be made vegan.

Updated from previous review on 2024-12-18

Inspired.by.growth

Points +82

Vegan
26 Sep 2024

Breakfast at AUM Cafe

I had a vegan omelette made of chickpea flower which was really tasty.
They say there fruits and vegetables are washed with purified water.

I think is a good place to eat without being afraid of getting sick😉

CarryOnOnly

Points +579

Vegan
17 Sep 2024

Best vegan chocolate cake

This lovely cafe is near Assi Ghat and has a nice view from upstairs. I had the vegan chocolate cake and it was nice and warm and incredibly delicious. Highly recommend it. Staff very friendly.

SimoneK.Stone

Points +358

Vegan
09 Apr 2024

Very good veg family cafe 🕉️

Very tasty food with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options (juices, shakes, cafe, tea, pizza, pasta, burritos etc)

Updated from previous review on 2024-04-09

Pros: Very tasty, Plenty of vegan options, Nice balcony/atmosphere

rogmos

Points +265

Vegan
31 Mar 2024

Great mix of ayurveda and vegan options

We only stopped in for cake and matcha but still enjoyed the lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and a good look at the extensive menu. Will be an essential stop next time we’re in Varanasi!

Updated from previous review on 2024-03-31

AnandaRivelli

Points +119

Vegan
03 Feb 2024

Safe and good food

We had breakfast here every morning while in Varanasi.
The vegan cakes are delicious!

Quinnem

Points +15

Vegetarian
03 Nov 2023

Lovely spot

Food is all made with purified water, lovely selection of vegan food and dairy free, run by a local family. I had the granola and fruit which was fresh and delicious

lies123

Points +158

Vegetarian
11 Apr 2023

Cozy place with great food

We had tasty Idly and great muesli, all vegan, and the place is on a small rooftop terrace with 5 tables. I highly recommend to go here😄be aware that it is closed on mondays.

VeggieMon

Points +274

Vegetarian
04 Sep 2022

Great vibes. Super good masala chai :-o

Visited Aum Cafe on the recommendation of a couple of friends. Had the kicheri for lunch which was honestly a bit bland but not inedible (should be quite savory). Would suggest ordering something else. Also had a pot of their masala chai - even on a 36-degree day - and it was oh so good. Maybe the best chai I‘ve had in India so far. I asked the chef-owner where I could buy the powder so I can take some home to Europe. You know what she said? She gets it from California. :-)

Anyway, great vibe and lovely people who own/run the place. Simple setting which is semi-al fresco on the upper floor. Ended up chit chatting with other guests and the owners for a good while.

Not much to say about the food but 4 stars for the vibe, locale, and the CHAI!!!

JohnPrior

Points +1291

Vegan
01 Feb 2022

Absolutely the best

This is my fourth trip to India. I’ve eaten in countless places, all different types. Aum is without a doubt my favorite. A beautiful selection of food, all of which is delicious. The vegan masala chai was perfect! The women working here are so kind. I would come every day if I could.

DrSameerdevKesarwan

Points +595

Vegan
04 Jun 2021

Hugging Lady

I ate 🍕 Pizza Here.

Pros: Foreigners Come, Clean Place, Indian Servers

Cons: Slight expensive, Small area, Compact stairs

valepaz

Points +283

Vegan
29 Jan 2020

Nice small cafe

They have many vegan options clearly labeled, the food was very nice and the space was also simple but really cute

chiaracr

Points +334

Vegan
26 Jan 2020

best place to eat in varanasi

I absolutely loveed this cafe! The owner and the women working there are all absolutely lovely!! The shop downstairs is great as well. I had the chocolate and carrot cake, which were both amazing~ that vegan whipped cream is heavenly! The homemade soup is great and all the pasta dishes we had were absolutely delicious!! I love that you can create your own juice for 150rupies. The atmosphere is so relaxing and beautiful as well, probably because of the cozy decoration as well. Also loved the steamed vegies - so simple, yet so great! So many great vegan options! Just the best place you could possibly go to! all the best to you!

Pros: everything

zjh91

Points +36

Vegan
24 Dec 2019

Best cakes in town

Aum is the best cafe in town. Not just for the morning sun-lit upstairs seating area, but because it has a variety of vegan options. Not least, the cake selection. Big slices of vegan cakes, with vegan whip on top. Choc, Carrot, Cardamom, Apple Spice. They’ll do a good coffee too. Madu and the other staff are so sweet and the owner Sengita has such a beautiful aura too. Couldn’t recommend enough.

Pros: Staff, Sunshine, Cakes

Cons: Not all vegan

Becca_07

Points +307

Vegan
24 Nov 2019

Cosy cafe, vegan cake and quick service!

The menu is varied and vegan options clearly labelled - very few Indian dishes on the menu though. The mixed juice was lovely and healthy, with various fruit and veg and mixed seeds on top. The pasta with garlic bread was ok but nothing special. However all their cakes are vegan and come with vegan cream! I had the cardamom cake, which was delicious! Service was also very quick!

Pros: Clearly marked vegan options, Cake!, Quick service

neer

Points +286

Vegan
09 Nov 2019

Great place to eat in Benaras!

Quite close to the Assi ghat, and one of the rare clean places to eat healthy vegan/vegetarian food. Good selection of herbal teas and vegan desserts as well, in addition to delicious food.

Pros: Great selection of food, desserts, and teas., Hygienic and healthy, Helpful staff

AndyCB

Points +2514

Vegan
25 Oct 2019

Lovely people, excellent food!

We came here several times during our visit to Varanasi, including an extended stay on our last day as we ate a slow lunch before heading to the train station.

The cafe, which is on the second floor on a lane leading to Assi Ghat, is an oasis of calm in this very busy city. The people working here are warm and friendly, and vegan-friendly options are clearly marked on the menu.

Their food is delicious and excellent value, too. The kichari breakfast costs only 80 rupees, with a free second serving of your still hungry - I’d not had this dish before, and I really enjoyed it. We also tried the burrito which, which was very tasty.

For us, the cakes, served with vegan cream were a huge favourite. We tried the spiced apple cake and the chocolate cake; amazing! On our last day, we also tried the tomato spaghetti, which was delicious. We took a herbed spaghetti away with us for the train journey.

If you’re in Varanasi, I recommend a visit to Aum!!!

Pros: Clearly marked vegan-friendly options., Lovely people., Great location.

Cons: Not 100% vegan.

Chris W

Points +512

Vegan
22 Oct 2019

Wonderful Place

We love this place - it is our favourite place to eat in Varanasi. It is an attractive small space which is very clean and chilled. The food is excellent and really good value. Vegan options are plentiful and are clearly marked on the menu. I can definitely recommend the Burrito, and we were amazed to see that the vegan cakes come with vegan whipped cream. The spice cake, served warm, was delicious.

Pros: Lots of Vegan Options, Vegan Cakes and Cream, Nice Space and Great Service

Cons: Not all vegan, Only open until 3.30pm

kenvegan

Points +13562

Vegan
14 Jul 2019

Good Pasta

In a city that can feel quite unsanitary, Aum has a very comfortable and cozy feel. It is summer, and quite hot, and they turned on a couple fans so that I would be more comfortable. The staff is very friendly and speak good English. I ordered the pasta with vegetables. Standard tasting but good. I also had a small piece of cake with whipped vegan cream. Delicious. Off to try more veg restaurants here

Pros: Great service, Clean, good food

HollyAnne

Points +326

Vegan
29 Mar 2019

So so good

Delicious food. We had the veggie burger and kicharee, followed by a slice of the cardamon cake and the chocolate cake. Staff were friendly. Nice and chilled out place. The location is totally wrong on Happy Cow, it’s close to Assi ghat. Definitely worth a visit.

Pros: Vegan options labelled, Delicious cakes , Cheap

Cons: No alternative milks for hot drinks

KelíciaSaraiva

Points +110

Vegan
15 Mar 2019

Wrong location on the map here . It's close to Assi Ghat

Very nice and clean place.

Kenzieb

Points +29

Vegetarian
07 Mar 2019

Absolitely delicious!!!

This cafe is run by super lovely people and has a lovely atmosphere to it, in addition to serving some of the best vegan food I’ve had! So many amazing options to choose from and very reasonably priced!

Pros: Delicious food, Amazing variety of foods , Great atmosphere

MeganMcCrindle

Points +193

Vegan
21 Feb 2019

Delicious and affordable

We went to Aum Cafe for lunch. I was a little skeptical as it's in what we consider the Western hippie area and we try to avoid places like that. We were surprised by the good food and nice vibes. Very animal-friendly and food was very fresh. We will go back again before we leave. Please note they are only open for breakfast and lunch. Also, they have lots of vegan options but no non-dairy milks for coffee drinks.

Pros: Delicious kichadee, ginger beer, cardamon cake

Cons: No soya or almond milk




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