What did people do before cafes existed? Well, they hung out around street corners, chai tapris, sat under the shade of a banyan tree, gathered on their house roofs, or just sat in chaupals (which mostly happened under the shade of banyan trees).
Homo sapiens love to meet up with their tribe members every now and then for a snack, a beverage, some stimulants, and stories. It helps us bond, helps us process our emotions and feelings, is good for our memories and minds, and helps us grow socially wiser.
Whoever said a little gossip is a bad thing obviously didn’t have too many friends!
Time passed, people migrated to cities for work and education, and big homes morphed into apartments and smaller houses…not really an adequate setting for impromptu addas or chaupals. Every generation finds its own version of the adda; only the setting changes. So we started looking out for such places, and boom, cafe culture stepped into India, first with institutions like the Indian Coffee Houses. I must have visited some 20 Indian Coffee Houses across the country – from Kolkata to CP, Shimla to Bhedaghat, and Gwalior. So many! Always loved them.
In the last 15–20 years, many other cute cafes have popped up that you absolutely cannot ignore. Be it the Cha Bar of Delhi, Caffè Pascucci of Mysore, or Grandmama’s in Bombay.
Last year, I discovered 100 Feet Road in Bangalore and really loved the vibe – one that is equally enchanting to Gen Z, millennials, and that rare type of millennial who harbours a Gen Z spirit. And if you also belong to the story-craving, beverage-seeking Homo sapiens tribe like so many of us, you might enjoy these 8 cafes in and around Indiranagar that provide the perfect setting for a cool hangout with friends!
1. Paper and Pie, 100 Feet Road
Address: 842/A, 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar 1st Stage, Bengaluru – 560038
Approx. cost for two: ₹1,000–1,200
A really cool menu and some excellent continental desserts, with two floors dedicated to seating – open as well as air-conditioned. You could sit here for hours, indulge in a nostalgia trip with your friends, or simply spend time by yourself over a cup of coffee.
2. Flax Cafe
Address: Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Approx. cost for two: ₹800–1,000
A smaller menu, a really cool vibe, and such soothing wall graffiti. There are always a bunch of quiet people sitting here, sipping their coffee and enjoying snacks. Almost all of their avocado preparations are awesome.
3. Shambu’s Cafe
Address: 12th Main Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Approx. cost for two: ₹400–600
On one of my random walks, I chanced upon this cute little place that makes the best cheese toast and lemon-basil tea. The seating is not great here – you would mostly need to stand – but this makes for a great pit stop on a long walk.
4. Lavonne, LICK
Address: HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Approx. cost for two: ₹700–1,000
Ice creams, sorbets, and shakes. Superb seating, both open and indoor. It started raining as soon as I found my seat, and the next two hours were bliss. It can get noisy sometimes, though.
5. Paint the Town
Address: Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Approx. cost for two: ₹1,000–1,500 (excluding painting activities)
This cafe serves chocolate wine. And really good bruschetta and pasta! But that’s not all. You could pick up a canvas or a pouch and paint it here. That is what I loved most.
6. Chelvies Coffee
Address: Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Approx. cost for two: ₹500–700
Open till late – even after midnight – this cafe has cool books, games, and a guitar. The preparations were fairly simple, but the place has a cosy vibe that makes you want to linger.
7. True Brew Cafe
Address: HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru
Approx. cost for two: ₹800–1,200
Every time I have visited this tiny place, I have seen a really cool crowd and such lovely lighting. Their food is excellent. One can easily spend three to four hours here.
8. Rameshwaram Cafe
Address: 100 Feet Road, Indiranagar, Bengaluru – 560038
Approx. cost for two: ₹400–600
This is my favourite place for breakfast and brunch. So, you can’t really sit here or spend a great deal of time. You have to place your order, collect your food, and find a spot quickly. You stand around with your friends and dig into the ghee-laden food. The food, however, is outstanding. And after all that ghee, you and your friends can always take a long walk afterwards.
I have always loved Bangalore, from the time I did my post-graduation here. Incidentally, I have not travelled to any other Indian city (Delhi NCR remains an exception because I live in the area) as much as I have travelled to Bangalore in the last two decades. Almost every year. Sometimes multiple times in a year even if only for a day.
If I were to choose a city to make a life in, outside of Delhi NCR, it would have to be Bangalore.
This place, with its narrow roads, bougainvillea, coconut trees, insane proximity to hill stations and weekend getaways, and its crazy vibe, has always attracted me. The auto rides, the constant pitter-patter of rain, and sometimes the sheer madness of Namma Bengaluru; I love all of it.
Life on weekends- Home 