Nitesh Jain for [1] Seva Cafe

It’s a café that runs on good intentions.

A place where you can expect to find selfless service on the menu every day.

[2] Seva Café, Ahmedabad’s very buzzworthy eatery, doesn’t charge patrons anything and relies on the big-heartedness of volunteer cooks and wait-staff to get by. At Seva (the word itself means “service”), diners are asked to pay whatever they want. One hundred percent of profits go directly toward funding social service projects.

“Feeding the stomach is simple. But how do we feed our souls?” [3] ask Seva’s owners, who prefer to stay out of the limelight. “We celebrate service: food for the spirit.” They find inspiration in the traditional Indian value of honoring guests ([4] Atithi Devo Bhava).

A sign hanging on the door [5] reads: “At Seva Café, we offer greater nourishment than food alone. Here, not only will you find yourself in a unique, service-inspired environment … you will find yourself at home,”

The [6] café, located on Ahmedabad’s busy [7] C.G. Road, has [8] helped put disadvantaged children through school. It has settled the medical bills of the needy and has [9] allowed young girls to become self-sufficient. Watch the promo video here:

Can’t make it to Gujarat? You’re in luck: Seva has recently [10] opened a branch in Long Beach, California.