While most of us know {at least one place for sure!} where to go for great filter coffee in the city, we decided to get down to the source and talk to regulars who need it to live – every single day.
We spoke to five hardcore filter coffee addicts who tell us where they source their filter coffee powder from.
Swati Mehta, an advertising professional, is a half Tamilian. Her mother, a true blue Tamilian, swears by coffee powder from Mysore Concerns. She’s been visiting it for years now and buys it in bulk every month. What she loves about it is that it’s freshly ground in front of her, so the taste is spectacular.
She says that the best way to judge a good coffee powder is if there’s a powdery aftertaste, once you’ve had a few sips.
Rama Ramanan, a media professional and Thane resident, also visits this little store for all her coffee needs. She’s particular about where she gets it from because, according to her, a lot depends on how the coffee beans are roasted – from selecting to grinding the seeds; everything is done in-house at Mysore Concerns. She feels that the degree of roasting makes all the difference in making the coffee flavour strong, heady and flavoursome.
According to her, Mysore Concerns seems to have got the formula right.
Price: INR 170 for half a kilo
Aditya Harikrishnan, a Communications Officer, swears by this brand whose sole purpose is to strengthen coffee farming practices that conserve biodiversity. Their coffee powder is shade-grown, free of chemical pesticides, has biodegradable packaging, is 100% traceable, and also helps in reforestation.
There are a number of flavours you can choose from – The Vanderloo {100% Arabica}, the ficus {blend of Arabica & Robusta}, the whistling schoolboy {Arabica & Robusta with 20% chicory} and so on. You could also sign up for a subscription – six parcels for INR 1,800, 12 parcels for INR 3,600, 24 parcels for INR 6,720 and even a sampler parcel for INR 750.
He also mentions that it’s just off Chembur station, 100 meters to your left. Or, you can buy them online.
Price: INR 120 – INR 650
Ajeet Mahale, a journalist by profession, visits Philips Coffee House for his daily pick-me-up. He mentions that they have outlets outside Wadala station, Grand Road station and PM Road {near the erstwhile Strand Bookstore}.
Run by the Malayalam Manorama, one of the first Philips coffee stores had opened in Matunga. You get both beans and powder and you can pick what works out best for you.
They give you freshly ground coffee along with flavour enhancers like peaberry and highlander. What Ajeet loves is that the place smells delicious, and by standing there for a few minutes, you feel awake.
Price: INR 618 {pure coffee}, INR 580 {peaberry} and INR 618 {highlander}