Winter is coming and what better way to spend a chilly evening than enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the several cafes in the city. If you're a coffee connoisseur and looking for specialty brews made the perfect way, then you need to head out to these cafes in Kolkata.
Your Joe Made Right: 10 Kinds of Coffee You Must Try In Kolkata
Pour Over At 8th Day
They legit brought pour over coffee to the city. This all-American cafe (run by expats Grant and Kelly) were the first to initiate specialty coffee to Kolkata, and their hand-drip pour over was the thing that kept us going back to the cafe for more. A well-balanced black filter coffee, the hand-drip or pour over is a fave among most coffee snobs, ideal to give you a good kick of energy. With the aroma of freshly roasted and ground coffee beans filling the cafe, 8th Day's pour over (with a side of their shortbread cookie or bagel) is a must try.
Cold Brew & Tonic At The Lighthouse Cafe
Since it opened its doors, The Lighthouse Cafe has been wowing us with its specialty brews and handpicked slow food. We've been bowled over by its Chemex pour over and its Kyoto-style cold brew. But the one thing that got us completely hooked is the house special cold brew and tonic made with Blue Tokai cofee beans. A blend of tonic water and a full bodied cold brew this one almost develops a light beer-like flavour. Best of all, you can chug glasses of it and still not suffer from a case of coffee-induced heartburn because the Kyoto-style drip cuts down on the acidity. Next time you hit the cafe for some remote work, sip on this brew and enjoy a productive day.
Cortado At Zee's
To begin with, it's the only cafe that serves a cortado in the city! And tbh, it's not surprising because Zareen of Zee's have learnt her coffee making tricks from one of the elite culinary schools in the world, Le Cordon Bleu. Her espressos, lattes and mochas are definitely must haves, but her cortado is something special. A Spanish coffee made with equal portions of espresso and milk, this is kind of similar to the Italian macchiato, except it uses steamed milk instead of a frothy one. The milk acts to cut down on the coffee acidity so you can keep sipping on cups of it to tide you through all the deadlines.
Luwack At The Cafe Store
This one can gross you out, but it's also one of the world's most coveted and most expensive coffees! The Cafe Store is the only cafe that is serving it in Kolkata. To set precedence, the luwack is a civet-like animal, and the coffee is made out of the processed coffee beans that it passes out as poop. Popularly known as 'poop coffee', this Balinese cuppa is a rare delicacy that is popular world over. Next time, get over your inhibitions and try a cuppa that's taken the world by storm.
Americano At Sienna
A no fuss coffee meant to get you sorted for a kickass workday, the Americano is almost everyone's go-to coffee. A dark full-bodied coffee loved by every coffee snob, this one is brewed and blended with hot water for a powerful punch. Working at Sienna (one of our fave work spots) is a regular thing and their Americano is the best thing we like to sip on. And Sienna has both the Blue Tokai and Halli Berri varieties available.
Vietnamese Coffee At Artsy
The cold Vietnamese coffee has been the flavour of the town all this summer. A heavily sweetened cold coffee, this one blends filter coffee with condensed milk and ice. As easy as that sounds, it' can be quite tough to crack because the proportions are what matter. Artsy's Blue Tokai beans and fresh batches of filter make for a great tall glass of refreshing Vietnamese coffee that's perfect to beat the heat.
Caramel Macchiato At Starbucks
Call it hipster or fru fru or whatever, but remember this one has got the world hooked on to it! A signature drink that's available at all the Starbucks outlets across the world, the Caramel Macchiato is one of the reasons people throng this store every morning, noon and evening! It blends in the sweet and the bitter in perfect harmony. Have it hot or iced, the lingering caramel flavour does amazing things to the robust macchiato and certainly pumps us up with good feels and super energy.
Filter Coffee At India Coffee House
The new gen fancy specialty coffees may be what everyone is hitting up these days but nothing can come close to the good old filter coffee. There are several outlets that serve this classic, but the one we best enjoy can be found at the India Coffee House (the one near Central Metro Station). Sourced from the hills of South India, the filter coffee here is strong and robust, good to keep you going for a hectic day. And with the no-frills old Kolkata cafe buzzing with office workers and aromatic coffee, this experience can hardly ever be had elsewhere.
Korean Mixed Coffee At King's Bakery
This one gets passed up by most because of its location (inside Rajarhat), and also somewhat because of its name. The first Korean bakery in Kolkata, King's Bakery has won our hearts with its delicious soboro, mocha buns and mini chouxes. But the best way to enjoy any of these is with a good brewed cuppa, and Seok Jung (the bakery owner) has his barista tricks on point to serve you a fab one. The best one to try is of course the Korean mixed coffee that uses coffee beans sourced from Korea. A strong brewed milk coffee this one compliments the sweet treats real well.
Cascara At Roastery Coffee House
Roastery Coffee House has a menu with over 15-page dedicated entirely to it! It's the only place (we're told!) that serves Cascara served both hot and cold. Go for the Cold Brew Cascara - sun dried husk of coffee cherry brewed in cold water for 24 hours or the Hot Brew that's brewed in hot water for just three minutes! You won't regret it.