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Pleasanton, CA

Building an authentic Indian chai and coffee cafe experience through regional sourcing and a mobile events program.

• Regional brewing focus: The menu centers on geographically distinct Indian chai and coffee styles, including Kashmiri pink noon chai, Bengal lembu cha, Hyderabad sulemani chai, and southern filter coffee.
• Plantation direct sourcing: Tea and coffee are sourced directly from farms across India and prepared using traditional methods to preserve origin character.
• Permanent cafe and mobile program: A fixed location at Bernal Plaza in Pleasanton and a traveling Kafe on Wheels help deliver the concept across local community venues and events.
• Caffeine and cafe food pairing: Indian cafe items such as pakora waffles, paneer buns, and rasmalai cake are offered alongside chai and coffee.
• Founder-led hospitality: Preeti Behl applies experience and regional knowledge from childhood across India to guide service practices and operational consistency.

Wicked Kettle Kafe seeks to establish an authentic regional chai and coffee presence in the Bay Area by presenting Indian brewing traditions that preserve their regional character. The program highlights distinct cups shaped by geography, including Kashmiri pink noon chai, Bengal lembu cha, Hyderabad sulemani chai, and southern filter coffee, alongside Indian teas and cafe-style items. Direct sourcing connects each beverage to plantations across India, while preparation uses traditional techniques so the tasting experience reflects practices at origin. Founder Preeti Behl draws on a childhood spent moving across India as an army family, turning that map of brews into an approach that feels familiar to the Indian diaspora and welcoming to others.

Funds support building and expanding the core service offering through a permanent cafe at Bernal Plaza in Pleasanton and continued mobile operations via Kafe on Wheels across Alameda County. The mobile format tests menu items and customer response at wineries, festivals, and community events, informing the cafe buildout. The permanent location emphasizes consistent beverage preparation and day-to-day cafe operations, enabling a full menu to be served without extended ramp-up. These channels work together to create a local gathering spot centered on chai and coffee authenticity, using hospitality practices that treat visitors as guests and stay responsive to feedback.

Company Info

Wicked Kettle Kafe operates a regional Indian chai and coffee cafe in Pleasanton and a mobile Kafe on Wheels that serves authentic drinks and Indian cafe fare.

Wicked Kettle Kafe serves authentic regional Indian chai and coffee in the Bay Area, with preparations based on traditional brewing methods and ingredients sourced directly from plantations across India. The business runs a permanent cafe at Bernal Plaza in Pleasanton and a mobile Kafe on Wheels that brings the menu to wineries, festivals, and community events across Alameda County.

The cafe pairs regional drinks such as masala chai, kullad chai, filter coffee, and Darjeeling teas with Indian-inspired cafe items including pakora waffles, paneer buns, and rasmalai cake. Service is designed around hospitality and familiarity, using traditional serving formats to keep regional flavors central in a modern, welcoming setting for both the Indian diaspora and local guests.