Caffeine shots and animated conversations in a cozy corner of a cafe seems irresistible to a majority of young Indians today. But was the scene always so? Historically, chai tapris were seen at the corner of every other busy street; where a few friends or even total strangers bonded and chatted over chai. Delving into history, one finds that the Britishers brought the café to India. The British left, but the cafe culture held its roots in India. The aftermath of Covid-19 saw the café getting a new lease of life. Earlier perceived as a standoffish eatery, now it is an adaptable, welcoming space that doubles up as a working and meeting place! Besides delicious cookies and brownies, the free WiFi offered by all these cafés gives them extra brownie points.

India is traditionally a chai place. Most of us love our tea – our day can’t begin well without a steaming hot cuppa. Plus of course, the mandatory afternoon teatime. Still, today when we plan a meeting with friends, the venue usually picked up is one of the most popular cafés in the city. In any city, big or small, there are more cafés and bistros than their poorer cousin – the erstwhile nukkad ki chai tapri.

The modern-day café culture began in Bangalore in 1996 – with the widely popular chain of Café Coffee Day. Now seeming less elitist, more accessible and affordable, the café became the go-to place for the average Indian. In the 2000s and 2010s cafés were still reserved for special occasions and dates. The 2020s and post-pandemic scene along with the work-from home mandate ushered in a wave of change for cafés. The cozy, air-conditioned spaces with free Wi-Fi became throbbing hubs of activity – despite rigid norms of social distancing. And though many F&B businesses could not sustain the losses borne due to the lockdown, curiously enough cafés mushroomed all over the country – in every small and big city!

Checking out some fine examples across India, we started with Bangalore, where the café culture actually began. Take a look at a minimalistic, white and contemporary joint by Studio Whitescape. Then we trace our way up north, stop for a kombucha at a café designed by The Crossboundaries at Vadodara and proceed to a café with a rustic vibe by Dhruva Sarveshwar Lal & Associates at Chandigarh! 

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