"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
14 Sep 2023
Imagine enjoying a sumptuous meal inside a vintage rail coach while the wheels of history roll beneath your feet. It's a dining experience like no other, and it's becoming a reality in several Indian cities.
In Mumbai, a unique 'Restaurant on Wheels' made its debut in 2021, adding a delightful twist to the city's culinary scene.
Dubbed 'Boggie Woggie,' this innovative restaurant was the first of its kind in Mumbai. The Central Railway ingeniously transformed a discarded railway coach into a gastronomic haven, situated at the iconic Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT).
Nestled in the Heritage Gully near Platform-18, Boggie Woggie offers an eclectic menu, featuring North Indian, South Indian, continental, and Chinese cuisines. As you savor your meal, you'll be surrounded by rail artifacts, including locomotives, an old printing press, and cranes, creating a unique dining ambiance.
However, Mumbai isn't the only city hopping on board the rail coach restaurant trend. The South Central Railway (SCR) has joined the party, setting up a 'Rail Coach Restaurant' at the Necklace Road railway station in Hyderabad. This venture promises a novel dining experience, making it the second such coach restaurant in Telangana after the "Restaurant on Wheels" at Kacheguda railway station.
The first rail coach restaurant was introduced in Asansol. Many more such restaurants are offering unique dining experiences in places like Jabalpur, Nashik, Vizianagaram and Varanasi.
These rail coach restaurants offer a unique blend of history and culinary delight, where diners can savor a meal while surrounded by the nostalgia of railway heritage. With plans for similar ventures in Rourkela and Bengaluru on the horizon, it's evident that this trend is fast becoming a delightful part of India's culinary landscape. So, if you're ever in Mumbai or Hyderabad, be sure to hop aboard these dining carriages for a truly memorable mealtime journey. All aboard!