Socially yours

interiors

This week You! features a recently opened cafe in Karachi which is designed on modern lines and has something special to offer...

Karachi is known for its diversity especially when it comes to eateries. From dhabas to hip restaurants, the city features a number of assorted places to cater to people having different tastes. Some go to high-end restaurants mainly because of the ambiance and decor and some go to budget friendly cafes to savour their taste buds. In any case the main focus is either food or decor but there is something special about newly opened Pi Social Cafe. Not only does  it have an attractive interior and delectable food, but it also offers a place where people can hang out and be engaged in different social activities.

While talking about the theme of the restaurant, Fahd Nassr, one of the owners of the cafe, explains, “My partner Shaan Naqvi and I always wanted something to do with the word ‘social’ but somehow what we were trying to do was not only social, but also giving back to the community. The idea behind Pi Social is to promote concept-based social interaction, something that has not yet been introduced. We believe that the energy and zeal of Karachiites is unbeatable; however, this energy is not being channelized properly. We want to fill that void. Give something new to the society, something that they can look forward to. There are so many restaurants in Karachi that provide a good dining experience. We want to be better than that.”

 “The word Pi is associated with infinity, tech, geek, intellectual and our concept of board games and co-working somehow aligns with it. The other irony with the word Pi is that our mentor’s nickname is Pi who has made us what we are today and this is just the way to express our gratitude towards him,” he adds.

It is interesting to note that the whole space is revamped and re-designed to give it a little flamboyant, yet classy touch with three different spaces under one roof. “It was previously another restaurant. The place was aligned with providing more of a formal fine-dining experience. What we have done is changed it into a more interactive and people-friendly space,” informs Fahd.

Pi Social is a concept based social cafe. It is divided into three areas; each catering to a different concept. ‘The Board Game Lounge’ has a library of more than 100 board games. The main patio is called ‘Veranda’ which is an open-air space providing customers an ambience and a fine-dining experience. And the ‘Co-Working Space’ promises to promote a co-working environment. It is mainly aimed for startups looking for appropriate places to conduct their meetings/seminars/workshops in an official setting or having a daily/weekly or monthly work space.

Unlike adorning walls typically with paintings, the cafe houses customized mural drawings. Designed on modern lines, special attention has been given to furnishing and colour scheme. One can see generous use of teal and wood in furnishing. The wooden roof in ‘The Board Game Lounge’ gives the area a unique characteristic. The colour palette consists of yellow and purple, however, purple seems to dominate the place - giving a fresh feel to the overall ambiance. One finds a fun and young vibrancy in the Board Game Lounge ( 55 seats) and Veranda (80 seats) being more upscale with green scenic setting. “We have mostly designed our own furniture whereas some pieces are picked up from Dimensions, Interwood and Habitt. Our famous Edison lights are imported from China,” tells Fahd.

The cafe offers casual as well as fine dining. “There is comfort food for the munchies in The Board Game Lounge along with an elaborate menu for the Veranda featuring our signature dishes,” shares Fahd. “We have a team comprising an experienced head chef with 2 assistant chefs and 2 helpers - making the main kitchen team along with a quality assurance manager. Our staff strength is of 27 people,” he adds.

As far as their future plans are concerned Fahd says, “We really want to expand to other major cities for everyone to experience our concepts!”