Tucked away in a bylane in Salt Lake, Kaffee Am Salzsee has old-school European charm and music in the air. The cafe near Purta Bhavan completes a year in August, and My Kolkata checked out the place, enjoying an evening of music, delicious aromas and conversation.
Continental flavour
Visitors can choose between a breezy alfresco experience or a cosy table inside
The warm-toned, wood-heavy interiors accessorised with yellow lamps and a constant stream of soft music is what gives the cafe a quaint vibe. A shaded backyard space with outdoor seating only adds to the charm and lends an almost European feel.
A shaded backyard area adds to the European charm
Outdoor areas with trees, the constant notes of music and an overall hush means that even on a busy day the space isn’t loud. The music is almost complementary to the food, with tunes playing through the day and live performances or music talks on some evenings. The package deal of music and food, and the refreshing calmness are also two things that are their unique selling points.
Lamb Goulash and Chicken Ala Kiev, Spicy Watermelon Cooler, cappuccino and hot chocolate.
If one is looking for Continental grub and a cosy space for evening coffee, Kaffee Am Salzsee is the place to be. We dug into a few of the favourites, including Lamb Goulash and Chicken Ala Kiev. For drinks, there was a refreshing Spicy Watermelon Cooler along with a classic cappuccino and hot chocolate. The portions were comfortably sufficient for two, and the flavours well balanced with everything cooked to perfection.
Food, with a side of music
In-house and city-based rock band, Punch, along with (third from right) acclaimed singer Shayok Banerjee of Cactuss and Lakkhichara fame
Talking about how the idea took shape, Wriddhaayan Bhattacharya, partner and culture curator, said, “A couple of my friends from college had the idea of opening a cafe in 2021 and two other people came on board after that. They were chasing a dream and dragged me to be a part of the plan. As a partner, I would curate and contribute musically, if there’s live music on the plate. It takes time to cultivate and understand the taste buds across age groups. With this place, I could do something in the city and at the same time have an opportunity to give back to the city in some way. I perform here with my band, Punch, often. In a flash, all of this bloomed.”
The performance area inside the cafe
While consistency and quality are key factors, what sets the cafe apart according to Wriddhaayan, is also the “soothing old-school experience”. People can enjoy the food and ambience, while the music floats in. They did not want to be another place with a lone musician playing in a corner. The experience at Kaaffee Am Salzsee is about “eminent, and local budding artistes performing original work in all languages, and engaging a crowd on weekends.” So Saturday evenings at the cafe are for the big names and Sundays are for fresh talent to take to the stage. “It’s a platform for singer-songwriters where they get to perform unplugged originals and explore,” said Wriddhaayan.
“We have had the fortune of hosting musicians like Amyt Datta, Arinjoy Sarkar, Cactuss and others, which operated on a very accessible plane, where anybody could come in, grab a bite, and interact with their favourite musicians,” said Wriddhaayan about the cafe’s signature musical weekends. Apart from music evenings, another unique event that takes place on the Salzsee stage are podcasts with a live audience. “We have a diligent sound and recording apparatus in place. We’ve also had the likes of Underground Authority, Madhubanti Bagchi on the podcast,” added Wriddhaayan.
- What: Kaffee Am Salzsee
- Where: CG148, Ground Floor, Island, near Purta Bhavan, CG Block, Sector II, Bidhannagar, Kolkata
- Must Tries: Hungarian Lamb Goulash, Italian Combo, Ukrainian Chicken Kiev, Spicy Watermelon Cooler
- Meal for two: Rs 700-800
