Walking into Buff feels like stepping into someone’s very good mood. The space is dressed in blues, whites, yellows and reds, and there is a slightly cheeky mascot on the wall and the display menu, and the whole place has the energy of a group chat that actually has good links. On the interiors, Architect Hussain from HA designs says, "Buff was something rather a moment of reflection for us and rather exciting and playful, and it was not also conventional project for us, but Bbuff's identity had also influenced us while we worked on the project, which portrays welcoming, fun and easygoing vibe."
Owner Muzammil Haque describes the vision simply, “We wanted Buff to feel like that one place you can turn to, no matter what kind of day you’re having. Whether it’s a long day, a small win, a setback or even just being hungry in the middle of a deadline, Buff is meant to be there for you.”
We started, as instructed, with the Soboro. If there is one thing you must know about this place before you visit, it is this: the Soboro is the reason to come. A soft bun, baked in-house every morning, with milk cream pooled at the bottom, butter and condensed milk layered through with browned sugar glazed on top. It is the poor man’s tres leches and the rich man’s kova bun simultaneously, and it is bound to vanish from your table really fast. “Our Soboro is our hero product,” Muzammil says, “and it really represents what Buff is all about.”
Next came the Chicken tikka UFO bun, which is exactly what it sounds like and better than you are imagining. Mellow spices, succulent chicken, cheese, ketchup and onions, clamped together at the edges so nothing escapes, with sesame seeds dotted only in the centre of the bun in a detail that is quietly adorable. Then the Spider pie, a chicken roll built like a Swiss roll, so that every single bite carries the same ratio of filling to bun. It is an engineering decision masquerading as a snack, and it works.
We tried their much-talked-about Bobolini, opting for the hazelnut version. Warm, lightly crisp on the outside and pillowy within, filled with a smooth, nutty cream that’s rich without being heavy. We finished on the Strawberry and mango qashtuta, an Egyptian milk cake dessert with a sponge cake with whipped cream, mango and strawberry coulis, and fruit chunks, light and airy until you hit the top, which is intensely sweet to balance it all out. And we washed it all down with a Cookies and cream bubble tea.
Inspired largely by Egyptian cuisine, the outlet is planning to expand with branches in Anna Nagar and Perungudi soon, and priced in a bracket where even college kids can eat well without burning a hole in their wallets, which, in Alwarpet in 2025, feels pretty rare. “It’s a conscious decision,” Muzammil says, “so people can drop in often without overthinking it.”
Meal for two: Rs 500 AI. From 3 pm – 2 am. At Buff, Alwarpet.
Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya
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