Travelistan in Golfgreen is Kolkata's first ever travel cafe. What's even more interesting that the ‘chief guest’ at the inauguration of the cafe was Satyen Das, a cycle rickshaw driver from nearby Naktala who has been to Ladakh twice in his rickshaw!
Every nook and corner of this coffee shop will incite some serious wanderlust, starting with the wall outside with a quote by famous American hiker Christopher McCandless (above a poignant picture of the rusted van he was found in): “Happiness is only real when shared”.
Step inside, look up and you will see a colourful world map on the ceiling and running around the rim are figures from Tintin comics ostensibly to get to point X — which is Travelistan. Owners Paromita and Arijit feel there’s no traveller as big as Tintin. Look out for the sprawling intricately detailed ink sketches of Kolkata by renowned artist Rathin Mitra, and the framed photos of landscapes, mountains, birds and wildlife sent by friends and travellers.
In a couple of corners, they have strung up headlights from a Jeep, one of the most favored vehicles for driving through rough terrains. The food is a high point here with everything from sandwiches, grilled and roasted mains, pasta, salads and shakes. We are happy to report that the prices are extremely pocket-friendly (sandwiches from INR 100 and mains from INR 175). Do try their special slushy drinks (called “zuzus”) — perfect for the summer. It was a warm afternoon the day we visited, so we had a Fruit Sangria (INR 120) and a Coriander Zuzu (INR 85). The former was a heat-defying cocktail loaded with fruits and the latter was a tangy, refreshing slushy ice drink that packed a punch.
You can just settle down with a cup of coffee, tea and a book. The tea they serve is authentic, coming from some of the best tea estates in West Bengal like Makaibari, Gopaldhara, Sungma and more.