Anuhita

I remember every year doing the ritual round of Cauvery Emporium with mesmerised relatives, impatient to take in as much of Bangalore as their wallets would allow. I too have done occasional purchases not so much to keep up with the city tradition but more because i always wanted to go back to the strong heady aroma of sandalwood and the brilliant displays of artworks. Over the years i have outgrown that, yet, every time i pass that stretch of MG Road I am besotted with a nostalgia, of days gone by...

Cafe Coffee Day

Indira Nagar ,Bangalore

My friend has a very intersting theory about the Cafe Coffee Day outlets. According to him, had it not been for these places, quite a few love lives of young couples would have been nipped in the bud! Though i find this view a trifle extreme, there is always the air of bonhomie that has drawn me here. Be it for an evening of animated gossip over coffee and croissants or for a lazy Sunday morning well spent with sandwiches and iced tea, watching the world go by, i always find Cafe Coffee Day to be the one and only choice.

Ebony

M.G Road ,Bangalore

Well it's kind of official... If you have been to the city and haven't taken in the city lights from the vantage point of 13th Floor, you haven't done it all. Book your table outdoors and lounge in the breezy comfort over your favourite drink. Nibble on the kababs and other short eats and soak in the ambience. 13th Floor will truly take you to a new high!

Crossword

Indira Nagar ,Bangalore

A strong heady whiff of coffee is what greets you as you push through the doors of this book cafe. Done up in pleasant hues and bright lights, Crossword is a trifle disappointing when it comes to hunting for the titles. The initial effort of labelling the shelves by alphabets have somewhere gone awry and the shelves now at times seem a little chaotic. Nevertheless its cosy corners make for comfortable browsing, if you can manage not to get distracted by natty teenagers voicing their opinions at the cafe that is.

Wouldn't have believed that such a place ever existed if I hadn't walked into the interiors of Blossoms, smelling strongly of dust and old books! Don't be foxed if they hand you a shopping basket as soon as you enter as that is what you will need! The first floor tries to bring some gloss but it is the second and the third floors where the treasure truly lies! Sit, stand, bend stretch do whatever you may and before you realise the litle red basket is half filled with books. But hang on that is not all. The best part is when you give them for billing. The discounts are so large that you would like to check your bill twice in disbelief. Truly a bibliophile's paradise!!

Sukh Sagar

Koramangala 5th Block ,Bangalore

Caught up in a late evening traffic snarl, I was hungry. As i was contemplating a stop-over, the familiar board of Sukh Sagar came into view. Sukh Sagar has always been my favourite place to tuck in an-of-turn snack since my college days! Their range of South Indian tiffin items like idli, dosa, uththapam, vada complemeted with a steaming cup of hot filter coffee is the perfect comfort food that i can dream of after a sudden downpour!

A casual walk-in on a sultry summer afternoon turned ou to be a lip-smacking experience! Corner House serves some amazing ice-creams and shakes and can give their overseas sisters a run for their money! Though the Death by Chocolate is a must-have on every chocoholic's list, i liked other delights like fig and honey with generous amount of cashew! For once throw out your weighing scales and indulge in the luxury, and believe me you will definitely come back for more.

Mainland China

Church Street ,Bangalore

Good food... yes what a relief... finally found a place that serves good Chinese cuisine... If you can ignore a waiting time of 30 min (if you haven't booked and come) you are likely to sample some great Chinese fare in an equally good decor, not to mention the service. Worth the moolah and the effort!