Our ongoing obsession with smoothies, toasts and breakfast bowls has often swayed us away from more exotic AM offerings, but one look at this modern Indian breakfast spread from Pondicheri Cafe in NYC has us thinking twice. Kat Odell went to check out their superfood menu – complete with fermented lentil pancakes and so many power-packed spices we’re not sure we can ever look at breakfast the same way again…

What I ate: Pondicheri’s (gluten-free) beet uttapam Indian breakfast: a tray containing a beet-stained fermented-rice and lentil pancake, with coconut sesame masala and a fried egg; alongside coconut salad, potato cake, turmeric soup and cilantro chutney.

Why I ate it: Because breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day, and I am always looking for non-American ways to mix it up. Houston, Texas export Pondicheri’s menu is rife with exotic embellishments like a saffron raita, carrot paratha and cardamom pancakes — a super fun and flavorful way to mix up your usual a.m. refuel.

Why You need it: Traditional Indian cuisine reinvented with an almost California-esque spin. Dishes here are often gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian without even trying, making Pondicheri an ideal spot for pretty much any group of friends, especially those with restricted diets.