Independence Brewing Company, Balewadi, Pune

Restaurant Name: Independence Brewing Company, Balewadi, Pune
Phone: +919552656000, +919156492337
Address: Shop 14 And 15, Survey 19, Park Grandeur Building, Balewadi, Pune, Maharashtra 411015 India
Time: 11:00 AM – 01:00 AM
Meals for two: Rs. 1,000
Cuisines: Beverages, American, Continental, Pizza, Fast Food, Salad, Desserts
Facilities: Home Delivery, Takeaway Available, Full Bar Available, Outdoor Seating, Table booking recommended, Gastro Pub, Indoor Seating, Desserts and Bakes

Independence Brewing Company (IBC), is one of the first and best microbreweries in Pune. Apart from the sprawling beer garden in Kalyani Nagar, it has another outlet at Balewadi. This week, on a rainy afternoon, I visited the Balewadi outlet to try their range of craft beers and the newly launched food menu.

Independence Brewing Company, Balewadi, Pune: Decor

Located in the Park Grandeur building opposite Balewadi High Street, this newly renovated space has been designed beautifully. The alfresco section at the entrance is simple and classic. The indoor section is quite swanky with pastel colored walls, chic hanging lights, leather upholstered sofas and vibrant green and yellow chairs. The seating is comfortable and an eclectic mix of high chairs, accent chairs, wooden chairs and loungy sofas. A wooden staircase leads to a mezzanine floor which has classic leather chairs. The ambience is contemporary and modern and the vibe is hip and energetic.

Independence Brewing Company, Balewadi, Pune: Food

Apart from the regular international brews, their innovative addition of hops and local ingredients like strawberries, Indrayani rice, Devgad mangoes make their craft beers stand out. Their strawberry cider is a personal favourite, particularly on a sultry, humid day. The oryza lager, a unique beer made with locally grown Indrayani rice, is refreshing and fragrant. The classic Belgian wit, a creamy and refreshing witbier with hints of orange zest and vanilla, is always a great choice. IBC recently updated their food menu, which includes a wide variety of salads, all-day breakfast dishes and small plates. With our beers, we needed something fried, crispy and slightly spicy. The onion rings, dusted with a spice mix and served with a spicy may dip, were a perfect choice. The bacon carbonara croquettes were equally good. We also ordered the Goan chorizo, spiced Goan sausages cooked with onions, and baby potatoes and served with crusty bread. The chorizo was delightfully oily and spicy and was the perfect accompaniment with cold beers. One of the best dishes we tried from the menu was black bean hummus. A smooth hummus made from black beans, decorated beautifully, doused with olive oil and served with warm pita bread. For mains, we made sure we focused our attention on the all-day breakfast section. Cilbir, the Turkish poached egg dish, was absolutely delicious. The poached eggs were cooked perfectly with a runny yolk, the yoghurt sauce was full of garlic and the chilli butter topping was intense and flavourful. It was served with sourdough toast. We also tried the flatbreads, which are Napolitan style, 8 inches pizzas with a variety of toppings. The classic Margherita was excellent, but my personal favourite was spinach and mushroom. It is always great to see a well-thought-out dessert menu and IBC definitely has one. The baklava cheesecake is what we started with. This unique cheesecake is topped with flaky baklava, what’s not to like? The Belgian chocolate and hazelnut mousse came next and was equally good.

Plus & Minus:

During my visit, the first thing I noticed was the helpful, friendly and ever-smiling staff. The service was impeccable and our drinks and food servers helped us pick the right dishes. The new and upgraded menu is impressive and definitely elevates the experience. With beer involved and with a completely global menu, I am sure some people will dearly miss the desi dishes on the menu.