Dombivli gets a new cafe teeming with board games

Patrons learn the rules of a game at the cafe

The downside of spending every day in the city is that one occasionally misses out on something interesting in the quiet, extended suburbs. The buzz of a new board game haunt in our neighbourhood of Dombivli surprised, and delighted us in equal measure. We decided to pay it a visit over the weekend to check out this new hangout.

Bright and cosy, the Mind Games cafe is located in a mall right opposite KV Pendharkar College. Surrounded by massive signboards for a fast food chain, it's easy to miss the cafe on your first outing. But the milling college crowd around the entrance of the mall is happy to guide us.

A variety of games are lined up on the shelves for gamers to pick from

The cafe is a recent addition to the square, having opened in November 2022. At an affordable hourly rate of Rs 80 on the weekdays and Rs 100 on the weekends, it is perfect for collegians looking for a place to spend their bunking hours at. The kitchen, albeit small, serves handy, bite-sized treats and non-alcoholic beverages. The menu is filled with finger foods from garlic breads to burgers, making for easy gaming sessions. We opted for a tangy Mexican pizza (Rs 240) and iced tea (Rs 70) to go with our game of Monopoly.

Tokens from a strategy game

Started by former Borivali resident Pratik Sohani, the cafe is a lockdown brainchild. Hailing from a family of board gaming enthusiasts, he found the neighbourhood perfect for its vibe and affordability. In the lockdown, the Sohanis moved into the suburb to get away from the city crowds. While the initial idea was to sell their house in the neighbourhood, they noticed a potential, and decided to stay back.

"We liked the vibe of the neighbourhood. We scouted a few locations before finding this space in November," the 33-year-old shares. Currently, the cafe offers 150 games from Catan and Pandemic to Game of Thrones, Wingspan and Shasn. If you are a newbie, Sohani is more than happy to suggest games to try according to skill. A post-graduate in sports management, he also keeps his eye on regulars to introduce them to new games.

The board game, Planet

The space comfortably seats close to 30 members and also has a mezzanine floor. Located away from the bustling road, the cafe does feel like a quiet, minimalistic oasis from the noise. With gaming references on the frames mounted on their walls, it certainly has the right atmosphere. Patrons can choose to play their games on the floor seating, on the mezzanine floor, or take them back to the tables.

While the location alludes that the customer-base would largely be 20-year-olds, Sohani remarks, "We have noticed more families and corporate employees coming in to the cafe on weekends." The college crowd though has given the space the added advantage of free word-of-mouth advertising on the circuit.

Pratik Sohani

Though the space is limited, Sohani hopes to host board game tournaments in the near future. "The neighbourhood is young, and youngsters are now familiar with these games," he says. As we step out from the cafe, the buzzing college crowd is a reminder of the change in the offing. To tweak the Bob Dylan classic: The suburbs; they are a changin'.

Time: 11 am to 11 pm (daily)
At: Unit 10, 1st Floor, GNP Arcadia, opposite Pendharkar College, Dombivli East.
Call: 9653667298
Log on to: Mind Games Cafe on Instagram
Cost: Rs 80 per hour (weekdays); Rs 100 per hour (weekends)