Tired of drinking just the regular coffee within the usual four walls? Try the new open-air cafe in town called Coffee and Tonic, Kolkata’s first cafe focusing on gin and coffee cocktails paired with delectable brunch and global fusion food. The owner of the cafe at New Town, Abhinav Shandilya, has always enjoyed making concepts around nature, hence the cafe gives you an idea of a hanging garden. With hanging plants and pretty pink flowers over the roof, where you can sit and have a cup of coffee or a coffee cocktail while you read a book or enjoy a beautiful sunset.
Coffee and Tonic is an open-air place where the sunlight and the cool breeze hits your face while you enjoy a Sunday brunch with a few cocktails like Lavender G&T, Gin and Basil Tonic, and as the sun goes down you can have a cup of coffee to sober up and go back home. Apart from the beverages and liquor, Coffee and Tonic has a vast selection of eggs, salads, paninis with their freshly baked in-house breads. In addition to the brunch food, they’re also be serving fusion food like Butter Chicken Tacos, house-made Gnocchi with Arrabbiata Sauce, Fungi Sourdough Pizza and much more. A few Kolkata classic dishes such as Chicken Ala Kiev, Canteen Chow and Kolkata Kathi Roll are also on the menu.
The Telegraph gets you the first look.
What: Coffee and Tonic
Where: 2nd floor, Astra Towers, New Town
Timings: Noon-midnight
Pocket pinch: Rs 1,200-plus for two with alcohol
We liked this hanging garden space with bookshelves that is an aesthetic corner in the cafe. It adds to the boho-green vibe of the space.
“Basically the whole inspiration behind the cafe was having a hanging garden, a place which is very brunchy, where people can sit and talk while they enjoy the fresh air. We are Kolkata’s first gin bar which is also focusing on coffee cocktails, hence the name Coffee and Tonic, as it holds the G&T factor. We’ll be serving around 10 kinds of gins. Our food here will be a mixture of brunch food as well as a few Kolkata classics like Chicken Ala Kiev, Stroganoff with global fusion food items like Butter Chicken Tacos, Apple Feta Salad, so that we have something for everyone. The basic concept I had in my mind was a sundowner place where people can enjoy everything from coffee to cocktails,” said Abhinav Shandilya, owner.
F&B PICKS
A freshly-baked and light Fungi Sourdough Pizza. Perfect for ordering with your gang.
House-made Gnocchi with Arrabbiata Sauce served with garlic bread. The gnocchi is super soft and the fresh sauce adds to the flavour of the dish.
Egg-stuffed bagels made in-house and stuffed with fillings of your choice, served with onion rings.
Focaccia Pesto Chicken Sandwich with their home-made focaccia bread, has a herby and creamy pesto chicken filling inside, served with French fries.
A Coffee and Tonic signature dessert, the Boozy Tiramisu. Careful with this one as you will be unable to stop digging into it, which can get you tipsy!
Gin and Basil Tonic has a herby and bitter-sweet after taste and also freshness from the basil.
Pictures: Rashbehari Das