Rooted in Wellness: Akshi Khandelwal is Changing the Way You Eat with her Ayurveda-Inspired Cafe
In times when we are flooded with caffeine-charged chains and fusion menus, Café Swasthya in Gurugram is doing something different: it is serving health. Opened in January 2025 by entrepreneur Akshi Khandelwal, Café Swasthya is where India’s ancient wellness wisdom meets the modern-day café experience. From herbal teas and dosha-balancing meals to guilt-free lattes and cookies that heal as they delight, Café Swasthya isn’t just a place to eat, it’s a place to reconnect with food that is good for your body. But this café wasn’t a sudden decision or overnight idea. A personal health crisis, years of research, and a decade-long journey through Ayurveda led Akshi to this very point.
From Pain to Purpose: Akshi’s Personal Wake-Up Call
Long before Café Swasthya opened its doors, Akshi was already deep in the world of Ayurveda. In 2013, driven by a passion for preventive wellness, she laid the foundation for Butterfly Ayurveda, a brand dedicated to making Ayurvedic remedies relevant and accessible for today’s lifestyle.
But the real turning point came when Akshi faced severe digestive issues, ironically triggered by visits to regular cafes. That daily coffee, the quick sugary bite, the stress-eating, her body rejected it all. That’s when she turned to Ayurveda to heal herself, and came out the other side with clarity: there was a gaping hole in the wellness food space. Nobody was truly integrating Ayurvedic wisdom into everyday food and drink. That’s when the vision for Café Swasthya took root.
Wellness-Driven Innovation, With a Side of Masala Oats
Café Swasthya stands out not by trying to be trendy, but by being intentional. Every element, from the menu to the jute-matted seating, is designed around Ayurvedic principles. At the café even food recommendations are shared with the visitors after they are encouraged to go through a quick Prakriti Quiz on their table to know their dosha. The quick quiz will help you understand your unique Vata-Pitta-Kapha makeup and find food options on the menu that match your constitution.
And the best part? It’s not all brown rice and bland broth. Swasthya’s food tastes as good as it feels – think ghee-roasted ragi cookies, herb-infused lattes, and hearty millet bowls. Plus, there are no synthetic additives, no shortcuts. Everything is cooked fresh, using traditional fats like coconut oil or ghee, and sweetened naturally with jaggery, khand, or shakkar. It’s all about eating clean without sacrificing your cravings.
Building from Scratch (Literally): The Challenges & the Wins
The road to opening Swasthya wasn’t paved in simple terms, Akshi faced her biggest hurdle not in the recipe development, but in people. Finding and training a team that not only understood Ayurveda but could communicate it to visitors with care was no small feat. Each staff member was trained in the Panchamahabhuta (five elements) and the Tridosha system. The learning didn’t stop at theory—they went through trials, tasted recipes, discussed every spice's intention, and practiced explaining it all with patience to guests.
The transformation was tangible. The staff grew more aligned with the café’s vision—and their own lives improved through the process. Since its launch, Café Swasthya has served over 900 customers and created 9 new jobs, while maintaining strong hygiene and quality standards.
Akshi’s dedication and growthhasn’t gone unnoticed. Leading food and wellness platforms like Economic Times Hospitality, Kitchen Herald, and Business of Food have spotlighted the café, hailing it as a much-needed intersection between culture, science, and hospitality. Most recently, Akshi even won the Women Listed’s “Celebrating Excellence Awards”, held on 1st March, 2025, at New Delhi.
Looking Ahead: Expansion on the Horizon
Now that the café has proof of concept, Akshi’s vision is getting bolder. In FY 2025-26, she plans to make Café Swasthya profitable, list it on platforms like Zomato and Swiggy, and explore setting up outlets in high-footfall areas. The goal? Scale without selling out. “I don’t want to grow just to grow,” Akshi says. “I want to grow well, just like Ayurveda teaches us.”
Café Swasthya isn’t just a business, it’s a culmination of Akshi’s journey. From battling health issues to leading a 13-member team and launching a unique café concept in a crowded market, she’s created a space where health isn’t a trend—it’s a lifestyle.
In Sanskrit, Swasthya means being rooted in oneself. And that’s exactly what Café Swasthya offers: not just food for the body, but nourishment for the soul.
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