Halo Garden Cafe

Where Evenings Bloom Under Fairy Lights

What started out as a cloud kitchen has moved into a classy, Al-fresco experience, that’s ideal for a candle-lit date night, and thus is expectedly popular among college students. Here’s my account of this outdoors café in the courtyard of an antique tiled roof house.

Nestled in a quiet corner away from Mangalore’s usual chaos, Halo Garden Café greets you with a rustic warmth and twinkling charm. Fairy lights dangle from top, the open-air seating feels refreshingly spacious, and there’s a hint of romance in the air, the kind that makes you want to linger a little longer. The fusion of nature and nostalgia is palpable, as the tiled-roof backdrop of the old house perfectly contrasts with the modern café setting. Whether it’s a breezy evening coffee date or a relaxed catch-up with friends, This Cafe feels like the kind of place that quietly wins you over before the food even arrives.

Here's What I Had

Cajun Style Panini - Rs 210

Cajun style paninis are fiery from the spiced chicken pressed firmly between the grilled surfaces of ciabatta bread. What also helps is the fresh juicy vegetables that soak up the seasoning (paprika, garlic, black pepper & oregano) and intensify the flavour profile. I last had this in bahrain over a decade ago, & this brings back fond memories of a compactly grilled ciabatta sandwich. I’d need me a second one of these, because one simply wasn’t filling enough.

Cajun Fish Goujons - Rs 220

The deep fried fish strips or goujons had the spice mix embedded in the breading. The contrasting textures and complementing flavours of the gooey piping hot fish meat with crisp breading, pair like a dream with the tartare sauce served alongside them. These truly seem worthy of the new orleans french influence as suggested by the name.

Pomegranate, Watermelon, Beetroot & Mint Cold Press Juice - Rs 90

The cold pressed technique uses a hydraulic press with minimal heat generation, to extract juice from the fruit. This preserves maximum fruit enzymes & vitamins, preventing them from heat degradation, & offering a crisp taste as compared to conventionally extracted juice. These here were a delight to gulp down on a hot summers day, & perfect to quench my thirst. Of the pomegranate, watermelon, beetroot & mint, the mint was the most refreshing, albeit the others were genuine too.

Gooey Chocolate Cake - Rs 150

Who doesn’t love a dense, gooey chocolate cake? Not me, especially with how this layered cake is heavy on the choco cream presence. I could partake of this sublime gem, all day long. Nobody gets too much heaven no more? I just got mine.