Introduction
My employer took us to lunch yesterday. I had a Cappuccino before I started with the starters (get it?) and an espresso shot after lunch. Having two cups of coffee in a day, a few hours apart, has an impact on your sleep. Since I’m unable to sleep right now, I decided to write about all the cafes I’ve been to in Kolkata, so far.
This is the second essay of my (hopefully ongoing) cafe review series. Of course, this essay is modeled after my Review of every cafe I’ve been to in Vienna, so far.
I should state that the reviews are mostly subjective, and you should explore these cafes independently. You should buy me a coffee if this essay helps you in some way. Thank you!
Please speak to us in Bengali. We like to hear you speak in Bengali. – one Starbucks barista.
Methodology
I’ve been to 16 cafes so far, or at least 16 distinct cafes where I remembered to take photos and back up to Google Photos. I’m sure I’ve been to other cafes too, but I won’t count those since I forgot to take photos. There are a few that I go to often, and some that I went to only once. I got a list of the cafe I’ve been to by going through photos of coffee.
For each cafe, I describe my general experience: what I liked, what I did not like, and what I did there depending on how much I could recall. And then finally provide a cafe score based on that.
As a deviation from the essay on cafes in Vienna, I’ve listed the cafes in order (according to the cafe score) this time – from the best to the “okay types.”
The cafe score (CS) is a weighted average of three parameters: vibe $(v)$, aesthetic $(a)$, and price $(p)$.
The cafe score (CS) is calculated using the following formula:
\[CS = w_v * v + w_a * a + w_p * p * (-1)\]Where,
vibe $(v)$ ranges from $1-10$, with $1$ being the worst, and $10$ being the best.
aesthetic $(a)$ ranges from $1-10$, with $1$ being the worst, and $10$ being the best.
price $(p)$ ranges from $1-10$, with $1$ being the least expensive, and $10$ being the most expensive, relatively. Everything is expensive here.
$w_v = 50\%$: vibe is very important.
$w_a = 20\%$: aesthetic is important, but if the vibes match, it’s secondary.
$w_p = 30\%$: I’m price-sensitive.
The $-1$ term is a penalty term. The more the price, more the penalty and the lesser the rating.
I shall assign a final cafe score for brevity and not disclose $v, a, p$ individually. That is left as a speculation exercise to the reader. (Yes, I have the Google sheet where I made the calculations).
Cafes
Here is my verdict for each cafe I’ve been to (so far). As I said earlier, I’ve sorted them from the best to the “okay types.”
Get a cup of coffee and have fun reading.
Potboiler, Salt Lake
Cafe Score: 5.2
I love this place. I won’t trouble you with the story on how I discovered this place but I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been here. I went here with my friends, ex-friends, and of course alone.
I walked from my house to the cafe (a walk of about 25,000 steps) on my 25th birthday. The food here is pretty good, and the coffee is excellent. You should try their Vietnamese coffee. The Uncle Chips they serve with pudina chutney is otherworldly. However, if you are looking for coffee beans, you’d be better off buying them from other cafes.
The only thing that bothers me now and then is their “we allow pets” policy. No, don’t get me wrong – I have nothing against pets. But to put it simply, I did not have a great experience with dogs, historically, so when I see pet dogs larger than me, I freak out a little bit, although most pet owners are responsible.
Other than walking to this place on my birthday, the other memorable incident was when this one gentleman asked me if I’m from South Korea and immediately apologized when I told him in Bengali that I’m Indian lol.
Craft Coffee Experience Centre, Salt Lake
Cafe Score: 4.9
If you follow me on Instagram (follow now if you don’t already!), you must have seen my stories of the zucchini fritters. I love those. I read quite a bit during my visits here.
They even remember my order now (zucchini fritters with a flat white, and a tiramisu sometimes). The seating area outside is pretty nice too, although I almost always preferred sitting indoors because passive smoking does not sit well with me.
The vibe here is great for thinking about things happening around me. I’ve also seen a lot of people on what seemed like a date, not that went on a date here myself. Someone once waited with a flower bouquet and the person they were expecting did not show up (I think) – what a cruel world. There was also that sinking feeling that it could happen to anyone 1. Writing that line reminded me of one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite books of all time, Humankind.
“… accept and account for the fact that you’ll occasionally be cheated. That’s a small price to pay for the luxury of a lifetime of trusting other people.” – Rutger Bregman in Humankind: A Hopeful History. Read the book note here.
If you decide to order the zucchini fritters someday, remind them not to put the extra peri peri mix or it’ll be too spicy. Funny story – the first time I asked them to make the fritters less spicy they said it was not possible. A gentleman patiently explained to me the preparation process.
In that same monologue, he also mentioned that they sprinkle the peri peri mix after frying the zucchini (which is already dipped in a spicy batter). I asked him why they can’t simply not sprinkle the spice mix at the end. After some thought he said they can make it less spicy.
Craft Coffee Experience Centre, Ballygunge
Cafe Score: 4.6
I found this cafe while walking around a friend’s place, on the day of the India vs South Africa Cricket WC’23 match. I just love the neighborhood, although it can be a bit noisy on some days. The cafe is on the first floor, but like the one in Salt Lake, their coffee is excellent too.
I was in a hurry the two times I went here, so I don’t recall much – and I did not do much thinking either. The cafe is quite far from where I live or I might have gone there frequently to read a book or watch the mango leaves sway.
Artsy - Coffee & Culture
Cafe Score: 4.1
My flatmate sent me a reel about this cafe one evening, and we went there the next evening. It did not disappoint. The owner (an old lady) was lovely to us, and the coffee tasted excellent. It’s quite close to the Victoria Memorial. So, if you go there to learn about the colonial history someday, you should drop by the cafe.
The area is quite good for walking around in the afternoon, if it’s not scorching hot. The cafe itself is located in some non-descript street, but its bright walls are beautiful. In terms of aesthetics it’s one of the best ones I’ve seen, perhaps next only to the Flurry’s outlet on Park Street.
This cafe is also very far from where I live, so I’ve been there only a few times. But if I open a cafe someday, I think it’ll have elements from Artsy (or at least be inspired by it).
Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Southern Avenue
Cafe Score: 3.8
I fell in love with this place the first time I went here. I ordered a breakfast platter at 3 PM and it was something out of this world. The eggs were supremely good, and the mushrooms had just the right level of spice. The best experience in any Blue Tokai outlet, according to me, is the water they give you in one of those blue cups. It feels like it’d quench your thirst when you drink the water.
Anyway, the entire locality, with its narrow, one-way streets, is quite the treat to walk around. Of course, it’s an entirely different issue when you try to take a cab because for some reason people in that locality seem to think they own the roads (which they might, to be honest) and park their fancy cars on the road, leaving little room for other cabs to move around.
If you happen to be around, you should definitely visit this cafe.
Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Salt Lake
Cafe Score: 3.6
The experience here was similar to any other Blue Tokai outlet. However, this one is closer to where I live, so it’s more convenient in that sense. They have a section with a huge stack of books, and they also display various roasts of coffee, and other merch prominently which I liked.
The cafe itself is quite small, probably frequented by corporate employees because there are quite a few offices nearby. It’s beside a lake which dries up during winter and overflows during the rainy season. If you think really hard, the lake looks a bit like Rann of Kutch in winter. Without all the salt, of course.
The washroom situation is a bit sad though. You need to walk out of the cafe, and there is no guarantee that it will be clean most times. So, something to keep in mind if you decide to visit.
Bunosilo Estate Coffee Roasters, Ballygunge
Cafe Score: 2.9
This cafe is about 50 meters from Craft Coffee Experience Center, Ballygunge. It is on the same street, in fact. I went here a few times – it was great. The noise level was optimum for reading, they also have mirrors (I mean who doesn’t like a few mirrors).
The coffee is excellent, but I should point out that the food was mid at best. However, the hot bread they served on the side was excellent. The best thing is probably the fact that they don’t have any other outlets. There’s something charming about cafes which are standalone – someone’s pet project probably, like on the ground floor of an old house etc, which would otherwise be used for car parking or renting out to strangers. I hope you get what I’m trying to say.
When I’m really old, I mean when I’m super old, I’d love to go back home and start a cafe. It’ll have a reading section with my favorite books that I’d have hoarded during my lifetime and a section selling handcrafted textiles. If all goes well, I might keep a few cats as well. A cafe and a pineapple plantation. If it all goes according to this plan, I’d consider my life worthwhile. We shall see!
For residents of Kolkata only: Assuming you are on Maa flyover (which you will most likely be), exit at Park Circus, take a left, and keep driving towards Quest Mall. Take a left after Quest Mall, and keep walking on what looks like a deserted street. Stop when you find a dead end. The cafe should be on your left.
Flurry’s, Park Street
Cafe Score: 2.8
A historic place on a historic street. The cafe is located next to a traffic stop which never stops for more than 3 seconds for pedestrians. I wish to someday understand the thought process of whoever programmed the lights at this traffic intersection. How does someone expect someone else to do anything in 3 odd seconds, let alone cross a street?
The vibe inside the cafe is immaculate though. The bakery section is stuffed with pretty food items whose names I can’t recall. I love their Affogato! Apart from coffee, the food is okayish. However, the ceiling and the chandeliers are something else.
Yeah so, if you ever go here you must take a photo of the ceiling, have some good coffee and skip the food part. That is assuming you don’t get run over by cars – because someone decided a few seconds is enough to walk across one of the busiest streets in the entire Eastern India lol!
Roastery Coffee House, Kolkata
Cafe Score: 2.5
If you ask a Kolkata native about cafe recommendations, this is probably the place that comes up most often. I went here one evening with my flatmate and was lucky enough to find a place to seat. It is beautiful! Especially in the evening. It’s not one of those situations where you can say, “Oh, dekhne wale pe hai.” (It depends) It is objectively pretty in the evening.
The coffee was fine, and the food was meh for the most part. It is almost always crowded so you can expect it to be noisy if you go there someday. Also, when I went there someone in the adjacent table had their dog with them. It was quite unsettling for me.
The washroom had fancy soaps, though. It was quite nice. Honestly, I’m not a huge food enthusiast, so it was fine for me. A cup of good coffee and an aesthetic surrounding are enough to satisfy your hunger sometimes. Or so I tell myself.
Sienna
Cafe Score: 2.5
This place closely resembles the cafe vibe I described earlier (the one I’m going to open someday) – standalone, has some kind of a store, and great food. However, everything was priced a bit higher than other places and the coffee itself was meh, frankly.
The rice and fish dish I had was something out of this world. It was dark, we were seated outside, but I felt like I could taste each grain of rice and the fish. It was so good!
This locality is also quite pretty – there are street arts, some cut out yellow taxi, and overall peaceful. I’ve been there only once mainly because it takes me ages to travel.
If you are in Kolkata you should go here for the food. You can walk to a nearby cafe and have good coffee from there instead.
$8^{th}$ Day Cafe & Bakery, Salt Lake
Cafe Score: 2.4
The first time we went here, my flatmate and I received a giant cookie as a token of apology. The coffee was excellent but the food was quite meh. We ordered Baba ghanoush, fully expecting to taste smoked eggplant. Instead they gave something that had a texture similar to baby food (think Cerelac). So, I kept cribbing about that.2
The second time we went here, the food was still meh but the Affogato was lovely and their choice of music was amazing. I distinctly remember a lady (whom we did not know), my flatmate, and I going, “for youuuuuu!…” 3 at the same time when they played Yellow by Coldplay. It’s one of the loveliest human experiences.
To think about it, the weather was much nicer during the second visit. So, if you ever decide to go here, go when the weather is lovely and you might just have a nice time.
Cafe Coffee Day, Behala
Cafe Score: 2.1
CCD played an integral part during my undergraduate days. I’m sure you can relate well to feeling numb, and lost at some point during your UG. For me, it took the form of overloading coursework and research projects, with some personal projects on the side.
I cannot comment on the usefulness of this approach however. I would attend the day’s classes, go back to my room to sleep and wake up around 11 PM and have a king-sized Latte at CCD and work through the night and repeat that cycle daily.
This particular CCD holds some significance too. That’s because it’s one of the cafés I went to when I came to Kolkata a few years back — now I actually live here! It’s crazy how life works. So I went here one day just to relive that moment. It was calmer this time, with a few new structures around but it’s still quite distinct. The layout of the cafe, the tables and chairs and the sofa did not change one bit.
I also walked around after having some coffee, mango juice, and banana chips. If you go to a CCD, you must try their banana chips. The fish market, vegetable hawkers, and the entire area was chaotic but great for walking around. Honestly, the amount of sensory overload was something else.
Indian Coffee House
Cafe Score: 1.9
A senior from my undergrad college took me here. The place is pretty historic, but in its current form the building looks nondescript and in decline. I don’t know how long the structure will hold up. Wires, electrical switches, a very tall ceiling and college canteen-looking arrangement of tables and chairs. That’s the vibe.
The coffee tasted like instant coffee but the food was nice. I don’t remember what I ate, only that it was nice. This is the sort of place you visit once because you are interested in its history, or just because one afternoon you feel like taking photos of old crumbling structures.
Apart from that, the surrounding also looks very old — full of bookshops and old buildings. But walking around the place can be quite a treat. It’s lively, at the same the devoid of life. I mean the bookshops and the other small shops have people going in and out of them, but the other buildings looked mostly empty. It could be because I went there on a weekend, but that was my impression.
Unless a friend takes me there someday, I would probably not go back on my own. Some things are better on Instagram, and there is nothing wrong with that I suppose.
Starbucks, Park Street
Cafe Score: 1.9
I went here during New Year’s Eve, after going to the Indian Coffee House. Frankly, I did not need to go in, but Park Street was super crowded. And understandably so. People were waiting for a new year after all. I needed to use the washroom and Starbucks washrooms are generally a safe bet. So I went in. Then I thought I’ll drink some Cappuccino and walk with the crowd — literally hundreds or thousands of people. I knew none but there was something about that experience that made me feel quite lively.
Someone once said, “Unbothered. In my lane. Moisturized. Thriving!” I really felt that. There was a long queue everywhere that evening. Since the street was lively, and crowded I decided walking around would be a better use of my time than sitting at Starbucks to have coffee at 10 PM. So, I collected my takeaway coffee, some Starbucks stars, and headed out to the street.
Starbucks, Newtown
Cafe Score: 1.9
Of all the cafes I’ve been to in Kolkata thus far, this is probably the place where I did the largest bit of thinking. The staff here speak to me in Bengali, and know my name. They even know my order!
It’s a great spot (when it’s empty) for reflecting on things – education in Tripura, the healthcare system, the Reang tribe’s progress, on identity, and the list goes on. I don’t overthink or anything. Watching cars pass by from afar, and thinking about some of these things bring in massive sadness at times but also excitement during other times.
You realize that you can’t do anything about a lot of things, but then you also read about things and realize that a lot of things have been getting better too.
$8^{th}$ Day Cafe & Bakery, Jatin Bagchi Road
Cafe Score: 0.2
I went here one evening right as they were shutting shop. The coffee was as bland as it could be. And they seemed more interested in counting the coins and bookkeeping than brewing coffee.
Honestly, I get that. I’m to blame for the wrong timing. However, they did not charge me any lesser for a cup of coffee, and it was very noisy.
Hence, I put this place at the bottom of my list. I don’t think I’m going back to this place because it is very far away from where I live. You shouldn’t go either. But, okay you do you. It’s a free country. 4
Summary
Thank you for reading till this point. I don’t know what is worse – me going to 16 cafes, taking photos (and writing about them) or you reading a 4000-word-random-train-of-thought on a Saturday afternoon. Surely, your life must be more happening than mine.
However, since you are here – thank you! You can support me by buying me a coffee. I hope you liked the review. Leave a comment, send an email or just react.
If you are new here, please check out other essays.
Notes
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Sorry about that. Please go on dates. Life is too short not to be going on dates. ↩
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I did not tell the staff anything to their face, obviously. My flatmate and I were just talking, and they noticed that we haven’t eaten anything. So, we got a giant cookie. ↩
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If you know, you know. ↩
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Read the disclaimer! ↩
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