Midnight treats: Bangalore's 24-Hour coffee shops

If it’s way past the bewitching hour and you feel a sudden desire to enjoy the balmy night over a cuppa and short eats, head to one of the 24-hour coffee shops in the city. As such places are mostly located in luxury hotels, a cup of coffee or a midnight meal can cost you quite a bit. Yet, you’ll be surprised to know that all these coffee shops do brisk business over the week, serving overseas businessmen and professionals from the city. On weekends, the crowd gets a trifle boisterous, with youngsters and socialites choosing these as their post-party hangouts.

The two most popular 24-hour coffee shops are Café Mozaic at the Taj Residency and Monsoons at The Park. Both these eateries stand cheek by jowl, hence if you can’t get a table at one you can conveniently hop into the other. Monsoons is always packed and buzzing: it’s like one big after-party on a Friday and a Saturday night. The coffee here is good, the mud pie is to die for and the chicken pasta or biriyani is not to be missed if you are hungry. Café Mozaic, on the other hand, is more mellow and the crowd more mature. It’s a bit distressing that the coffee is average, though the pizza and burger make up for it.

Istaa Hotel, the new kid on the block, has a wonderful coffee shop—a perfect place to while away a few extra hours of a romantic evening or just muse over a quiet, hot meal. Though a little on the high side, yet, the coffee shop at Istaa is well worth every penny.

Mynt at The Taj Westend is another such place. Quiet during the wee hours of dawn, it serves a risotto, grand enough to grace the royal table. Citrus at The Leela Palace attracts a decent crowd; however, go there only if you are ready to loll over your meal or cup of coffee, as the service is painfully slow. Try the sandwiches that come with a basket of delicious fries.

If you aren’t prepared to spend a bomb on a meal, head to Limelight at The Royal Orchid Hotel on Airport Road. Priced reasonably, the coffee here is quite good. Another such place is Pinxx at The Royal Orchid Central on Dickinson Road.

So next time you are out on the prowl when the city sleeps, you know where to go.