Let's talk about cafes. Bangalore has the potential to be a cafephiles' pilgrimage. Great pubs and innumerous aesthetic cafes, that's what this city has to offer apart from mind-boggling traffic and brilliant sambhar.
A book, a soul soothing coffee cuppa with/without a comforting company is all you need on any given day and time in this metropolitan.
My relationship with cafe hopping and aesthetic coffee shots began in college. I did not turn it into a blog but my Google photos surely has more breakfast/coffee pictures than my dog's.
Every corner has a quaint cafe just waiting to be explored. Which is what makes it harder to decide the beginning of that caffeine spree. And that is why I am writing this article at 3 in the morning. To help you make that list. Also because I am abnormally nostalgic for this hour, thinking about my usual Glen's signature coffee and red velvet cup cakes. Sigh. A match made in heaven (or by Bangalore afternoons in collaboration with eternal gloomy weather).
This might not be a Himachal Pradesh mountain rooftop cafe's list to attract backpackers and hipsters. But anyone who has headed to Lavelle road right after that nerve-wracking interview on a dry day, will resonate to what I'm scribbling.
Or anyone who has spent quite afternoons at Koshys, reading old books brought from Bloosom's book store, looking at all the grey haired men, ordering their usual from decades, sipping on overrated and watery coffee but yet smiling involuntarily, soaking in the vintage vibes, will understand.
Or someone who woke up very early in the morning, On a Sunday! Just to indulge in pancakes and coffee for breakfast at the hole in the wall, with that friend who kept you up till midnight on a sleepover.
Or someone who needed some space in solitude and ditched their beer plans with friends for a quite evening at Green thoery, listening to their great collection of music with brilliant coffee and not up to the mark food.
Or someone who worked out of a cafe, attending business calls or drafting emails, with beautifully crafted coffees & cakes, at Third waves.
Or someone who headed straight to Blue tokai after leaving their co-working space. For an extra strong shot of espresso to forget a horrible work day.
Or someone who spent the whole evening at Cafe Azzure, with their go-to gang, overlooking that magical sunset and metro trains passing by with people glued to each other. Enjoying every bite of the cheesiest cheese balls and overloaded pizzas, with freakshakes that look devilish.
Or someone Artsy who spent the afternoons, sitting in every corner of DYU Art cafe, with a friend who could not quite understand why you would walk around both the floors, confused about how to experience everything this place offers, in just a couple hours. From trying to read books and sketching, to waiting for that annoying couple to get up and get going from that window seat table, to trying the best to understand art displayed in the gallery and walls, and taking a million photos of the decor, corners and aesthetic food. Also occasionally heading out to sit on those two corner seatings, to look at those lush trees and waiting for the cafe to light up those colourful lamps.
Or someone who travelled far, just to explore Champaca. A sweet little cafe in the interiors of Vasanth nagar. Dripping of pinterest vibes, with a cosy corner to read a plethora of books available. Indulge in fancy vegan food and a humble cup of coffee. Writing or sketching, looking at the greenery inside and outside the cafe. Keeping quite because the silence of this place was overpowering and you didn't want to disrupt the calm.
Or someone who ever wondered why the dosas and cutlets of The Indian coffee house were better than the coffee itself. Clicked that cliche mirror portrait and couldn't stop smiling at the friendliest waiters.
Or someone who spent the evening over ordering rounds of hot chocolate with marshmallows at Karra, after watching the sun set by Ulsoor lake.
Or someone who did not order coffee, instead had platters of burgers, at Smalley's. Or overate at Truffles, after waiting for hours in the Queue.
Or someone who made Glen's bakehouse, their second home. Like I and my friends did. Visited Glen's on Graduation night, ditching that Bob's bar grad party. Bunked college to walk to Glen's, on an afternoon, so you get the whole place to yourself and can talk about how you can't get through 2nd year of college. Visited Glen's on good and bad days. Sat on the same table, same spot, same time, everytime. Talked for hours on end, on every topic under the roof of universe. Ordered their fixed and usual. Stuck to that thin crust pizza after trying out everything else on the menu. Been loyal to those red velvet cup cakes but never forgetting the mouth melting blueberry cheesecake. Remembered Willy Wonka after that first sip of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream. Was the last group to leave the cafe, with staff bidding you good night. Spending many mornings, afternoons and evenings, feeling like home.
There are countless others, with stories enough to fill up books. I could write the whereabouts and what's of them here. On what to order and where to go. But you can head to Zomato for that.
Here's to many more comfy afternoons at a cafe, sitting with a friend over a cup of coffee, with a book by the side which you hardly manage to read in the moment and exploring nooks and coners of Bangalore, in search of little cafes, that make you feel at home.
Comment below and let me know what has been your Glen's in this city :)
