Diu is a small island off the south coast of Saurashtra in Gujarat. Formerly, a Portuguese colony (until 1960), it is now part of India.
Shri Ramvijay Refreshment on Bunder Road serves snacks, ice creams and drinks, and is the only place in the city of Diu where espresso coffee can be obtained. The owner bought his Italian espresso-making machine at great expense several years ago. It is a device resembling the Lavazza (LB2312) model for producing single cups of coffee, which was already on the market in 2009. We drank acceptable cups of coffee made with pre-packed coffee capsules placed in this machine. It was the best coffee we had drunk since leaving Bombay, but each tiny cup cost several times as much as the cups of tea available all over Diu and Gujarat. Mr Ramvijay told us that the demand for his coffee was greatest amongst visitors to Diu of Indian origin, who lived in Mozambique and other parts of East Africa.
There are photographs of three previous generations of the Ramvijay family on the café’s rear wall. The present owner Mr Ramvijay explained that his shop was opened in 1933 and has been in business continuously since then. In 1933, it was known as ‘Casa De Refrescos, Ramvijay’. It was started by Shri Mathurbhai Devjibhai Arya, who was born in 1881 in the village of Fudam on Diu Island and established a still functioning soda water factory. Mr Ramvijay told us that he is the major supplier of bottled soda water in Diu. The café is also well-known for its ice cream sodas.
Find out much more about Diu and its neighbour Gujarat, by CLICKING:
GUJARAT, DAMAN, and DIU 