When it comes to literature and art, Kolkata is one of the first names that come to mind. From the iconic College Street boi para to the National Library, books narrate a plethora of stories that the city wants everyone to know about. It’s almost like the book chooses the reader, just like how the wand chooses the wizard in the Harry Potter books. Since forever, Kolkata has been a hub of coffee houses and restaurants where one can sit with a cup of coffee, tea and a plate of snacks and read a book as the world passes by in time.
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The personality trait that comes with reading a book at a cafe is what you can call a ‘aantel Bangali’ or ‘intellectual Bengali’. If you are someone who visits a certain cafe regularly, sit there and read a book, sipping coffee, you are an aantel. The idea and concept of cafes that have books or are a space where you can spend hours reading your book has risen in popularity. Other key elements have pushed new cafes with reading nooks and corners to open up.
The current generation always looks for spaces where conversations flow freely, you can speak about anything and everything, feel like you are a main character in a film and click pictures that look good on social media. The city of Kolkata is always innovating in terms of the variety of cafes for you to visit, so whether you're a book hoarder, bookworm, bibliophile, or simply enjoy adding books to your TBR, here's a guide to the best book-themed cafes in Kolkata:
Oxford Bookstore
It's a fantastic spot for bookworms to lose themselves in. A café known as the Cha Bar is where you may get drinks and snacks. As soon as you enter, you are greeted by rows of well-organised volumes in a wide range of categories, including non-fiction and fiction, and an excellent selection of Indian literature. It features paintings, coffee mugs, keychains, fridge magnets, and art materials that are all exclusively devoted to Kolkata art. With over 150 different types of tea, Cha Bar's tea menu includes Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Moroccan, Russian, Sri Lankan, South African and Thai teas in addition to a variety of single-origin Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Sikkim and Oolong teas, flowering teas, organic teas, herbal teas, fruit teas and bubble teas.
Address: 17, Park Street, Oxford Book Store, Park Street Area, Taltala, Kolkata, West Bengal 700016
Timings: 11 AM - 9 PM
Price: INR 850 for two
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Coffee O Kobita
A cafe with books in North Calcutta is as nostalgic and Ray-esque as your Pinterest Calcutta pins. The top floor is almost entirely Feluda-themed, with his novellas stacked along the shelves. The outer cover of the menu card looks like an old newspaper, which is filled with information about Kolkata, the Shyambazar area, Rabindranath Tagore, and everything that is signature Bengali. They have shelves full of books and board games too, lest someone gets bored. You have a variety of brews to choose from, including espresso, Lavazza, and even hot chocolate if you’re having a particularly bad day. They offer you a notebook to compose and pen down any small literary piece if you want to, which they put up in what they call their ‘wall of fame’.
Address: 32, Bhupen, Bhupendra Bose Ave, near metro Domumur gate, Shyambazar, Bidhan Sarani, Kolkata, West Bengal 700004
Timings: 11 AM - 9 PM
Price: INR 700 for two
Arsty - Coffee And Culture
Artsy was ahead of the curve, establishing a perfect location for all those artistic book café fantasies. With teas from Goodwyn Tea and coffee roasts from Blue Tokai and Bili Hu, Artsy serves farm-to-cup coffee. The Breakfast Club's special menu all day has to be on your morning routine. The quietness of the cafe really pulls in people. Grab your book or a book from their shelf and just spend hours on end here. The best part of the cafe is a section with an overhanging plant and a long table. It is perfect for when you’re in the mood to run away from the office. Also, do not miss out the right-hand side of the wall, which has an art piece called 'window', because you’re sure to get an aesthetically pleasing shot!
Address: Ground Floor, 230/B, Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Rd, Minto Park, Bhowanipore, Kolkata, West Bengal 700020
Timings: 8 AM - 10:30 PM
Price: INR 1,200 for two
Image Credit: Artsy - Coffee And Culture
Potboiler Coffee House
With a location in Salt Lake, it's a Scandinavian-inspired cafe that perfectly balances fashion and functionality. Cosy, friendly, and just the proper amount of warmth. Without exaggeration, each dish is a masterpiece. However, Potboiler's coffee—none of that mediocre, forgettable stuff—is what makes it stand out. There's a section near the huge glass windows, decked up with a string of lights hanging from the ceiling, with a wall displaying our favourite Dumbledore-Snape dialogue - "After all this time? Always." Now for the menu—or, perhaps more accurately, the "literary" menu. They serve coffee and tea with titles like To Kill A Macchiato, The Latte Of The Rings, Murder On Orient Aero-Press, The Scarlet Bean, The Old Man And The Tea, and The God Of Small Darjeelings.
Address: CE 25, 3rd Cross Rd, CE Block, Sector 1, Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal 700064
Timings: 10 AM - 10 PM
Price: INR 1,000 for two
Image Credit: Potboile Coffee House
Indian Coffee House
‘Coffee house er shei adda ta, aaj ar nei, aaj aar nei,’ Manna Dey had sung. While it’s true, the Indian Coffee House remains a Kolkata legend, and was around long before Barista and Starbucks came along. Just opposite Presidency College on the historic College Street, it plays host to an eclectic crowd of college students chilling over adda and coffee. The place was once the hub of intellectual debate, and a favourite hangout spot for many freedom fighters, revolutionaries and influential people since pre-Independence. So metaphorically speaking, you will be rubbing shoulders with personalities like Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose, Satyajit Ray and Manna Dey. A favourite among the regulars, the kabiraji cutlet has become synonymous with the Coffee House. Other snacks include sandwiches, chicken pakora and the fish Finger. When it comes to coffee, it may not be your fancy frappe, but boy, the coffee here sure weirdly hits all the right notes.
Address: 15, Bankim Chatterjee St, College Square West, College Street, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073
Timings: 12 PM - 8 PM
Price: INR 300 for two
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons