Bangalore's very own Bean there, doing that, and how

Brewed in most South Indian homes to the strains of the suprabhatham, filter coffee, popularly known as “kaapi” in its trademark tumbler, has come a long way. With its humble beginnings on the estates of Coorg and Chikmagalur, coffee defined the South Indian psyche, predominantly that of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Such is the hold of this brew that a coffee purist would be at a loss if he didn’t start his day with a freshly brewed cuppa.

Earlier, coffee was coffee. Uncomplicated, yet profound. All one had to do was to ask for the brew--plain and simple. No toppings, no ice-cream scoops, no latte: plain strong South Indian Coffee. And shops like India Coffee House and Koshy’s did just that. For generations, these joints served filter coffee to the town’s intelligentsia. Till today, India Coffee House and Koshy’s have managed to retain their old-world charm, thanks to their steady draw of loyal clientele and a reasonably younger crowd that seems to frequent these places.

Fast forward a couple of decades and this revered bean has evolved into a completely new avatar, as is evident by the coffee chains that have sprung up in the city. Coffee chains such as Café Coffee Day and Barista have practically changed the cityscape of Bangalore, and continue to do so, with newer entrants, such as Café Mocha and Starbucks, increasingly making their foray into the market.

Gone are the days when one rarely ventured out of one's home for a cuppa. Nowadays, people use these cafes as an excuse to meet friends, a potential fiancé or to just hang out and watch the world go by. From hot and cold coffees to smoothies, granitas and unusual concoctions, these coffee shops have them all. Besides these, such cafes also offer short eats, like sandwiches, pastries and samosas.

Step inside any of the Café Coffee Day or Barista outlet, and it’s perpetually teeming with youngsters. Not a shocker, really, as these places largely focus on the gen next.

It’s highly unlikely that this coffee culture is going to fade, considering the fact that newer entrants are trying to make their presence felt in the city. Case in point is Café Mocha that plans to open its first Bangalore outlet. Having held the coffee lovers in its sway, with outlets in Bombay, Delhi, Pune and Jaipur doing reasonably well, it plans to expand its southern operations with outlets already recording success in Chennai and Hyderabad.

Another notable brand that has got everyone talking is Starbucks. While Café Mocha aims at focusing on imported coffees and an upmarket clientele, Starbucks is all set to take the Indian market by storm with its exciting offers. What’s more it even gives its consumers the opportunity to make their very own coffee.

That the coffee culture is here to stay is evident with more and more coffee shops reinventing themselves as book cafés, where one can leisurely leaf through a magazine or read a book while sipping on their favourite coffee and nibbling on delectable short-eats.

As someone once said, “Chocolate, men, coffee---some things are better rich.”

Cheers!