We spotted a nugget-sized, hard-to-miss coffee shop in Anjuna and it instantly reminded us of those roadside hangout spots that dot the narrow lanes across Europe. Graffiti on the walls, flowers spilling out of hanging baskets, non-nonsense coffee shop furniture and passionate bakers (say hulo to Anant and Karishma) in the middle of it all… There are many reasons to love Babka.
If you’ve spent enough time in Goa, you’ll know that it’s not easy to find a good, strong cup of coffee in the state and if you’re anything like us, you seek coffee shops that brew it right and never leave. This is what happened with us at Babka.
Our little affogato and cold coffee hit the right chord on a hot summer evening and we celebrated our find with a cheesy, melt-in-the-mouth mushroom quiche and a slice of Nutella babka. The joy of discovering our favourite speciality coffee brand, Third Wave Coffee Roasters, along with the goodness of a fluffy, chocolatey bread is hard to put into words. The patisserie meets coffee shop is open every day with the promise of an all-day breakfast (pancakes, coming for ya next!), sandwiches, smoothie bowls, babka (a European bread that’s hand rolled with cinnamon or chocolate), desserts and freshly-baked bread loaves. Currently, they’ve got whole wheat and French brioche on the shelves.
The delicacy with which everything is made and laid out at the counter should tell any discerning foodie that the food here is made with a whole lot of heart and passion. While Karishma handles the dessert section, Anant has mastered the art of brewing the best Third Wave coffee. Together, they make everything from scratch and the proof of that is in the pudding.
Combined with a familiar coffee taste, the comfort of wifi, charging ports and an effective AC, this is the spot that can take you in and make you feel right at home. This cubbyhole full of warmth is perfect for when you’ve had a rough day or can’t explain the sudden craving for a cheesecake. Oh, don’t get us wrong. This is also that friendly neighbourhood cafe where you pop in, meet the bakers and pick up your granola and coffee on the go.
