Tucked within a quiet lane in Ballygunge is the newly opened 94-seater coffee experience centre, Craft Coffee that boasts of not just potent coffee concoctions, but also a range of other items that can be paired with coffee such as cheese, chocolates, confectionery as well as savoury dishes.
Done up in shades of white and bright yellow, the space is spread across 6,200sq ft across two levels and includes a multitude of different zones. It has open as well as indoor seating where huge trees form a canopy over the open zones. The trees are lit up with fairy lights when it’s evening and it is a sight to behold. The best part? The space is pet-friendly so you can get your furry friends too.
It houses a coffee roasting zone, a live bakery that patrons can look into and see the confectionery goods being made, a waiting area on the ground floor that has chocolates, coffee and cheese that can be purchased while you wait to be seated.
Ever since its opening in mid-December, the place has been abuzz and TT couldn’t wait to check it out.
At a glance
What: Craft Coffee Experience Centre
Where: 26 Ballygunge Park Road, lane opposite CC&FC club
Timings: 8am till 9pm (due to current restrictions)
Meal for two: Rs 1,200-plus
As you walk in you are welcomed into the coffee roasting area where roast masters will converse with you to understand your palate and suggest the best coffee for you, both to sip on as well as to get a quick batch roasted especially for you to take home. This batch-roasting is known as the coffee box model. There are separate counters for machine and manual brewing. Most of their coffee is curated from India-based plantations such as Nandipura, Chikmagalur, Salawara and Kanamad in South India.
Apart from the experience centre in Ballygunge, Craft Coffee has also set up coffee kiosks in locations such as Park Street and City Centre Salt Lake to promote conversations around the drink. These kiosks will not only serve food and drinks but also have baristas who will speak to patrons about their preferences and batch-roast coffee to suit their needs.
“Our brand ethos is based on the idea of promoting coffee as an experience rather than just as a drink. We want to support local coffee planters and as a result have collaborated with many in India to create carefully crafted blends suitable to the Indian palate,” said Abhinav Kumar (fifth from left) and Dipraj Das (second from right), co-owners. While Abhinav has been into retail brands formerly and is currently involved in building F&B brands, Dipraj is an entrepreneur passionate about food.
The Telegraph's fave sips and bites
Morning Delight Breakfast Platter: This is a hearty breakfast plate that brings together the goodness of baked beans, potato rosti, toast, three eggs in your choice along with two pieces of chicken sausages. Breakfast of champions, we’d say! @ Rs 310-plus
Coffee Mojito: It’s a mojito. It’s a coffee. No, it’s both. The coffee experience is enhanced in this zingy iced coffee drink that has the tartness of coffee and the sweet and fresh hit of mint from the mojito. A must-try if you want to experiment with your drink. @Rs 210-plus
Chicken Roulade: This cheesy main course dish houses stacked chunks of juicy chicken slathered in a creamy sauce served with luscious mashed potatoes and tossed veggies. @Rs 380-plus
Pomegranate Cold Brew Coffee: For those that like a fruity touch to their drink without it being excessively sweet, this drink is a winner. The balanced sweetness from the pomegranate adds a hint of lightness to this cold brew. @Rs 210-plus
Hot Chocolate: For someone who isn’t much of a coffee person, this decadent hot chocolate is the right blend of sweet and bitter from the chocolate and is also the right consistency, not too thin, not too thick, just the way we like it. @Rs 210-plus
Baked Cheesecake: A simple and classic cheesecake that has the right balance of sweet and tartness is the perfect accompaniment to your evening cuppa. @Rs 285-plus
Choco Brownie Blend: All the blended cold coffee at Craft Coffee is free of milk. It only comprises ice cream as the base and is hence creamy and loaded. t2 tried this brownie blend and it was an instant love! @Rs 225-plus
Corn and Cheese Cigar Roll: Crispy, crunchy and cheesy, this is what best describes these finger-sized cigar rolls stuffed with corn and cheese and served with a spicy and tangy dip on the side. Tasty appetiser to begin your meal. @Rs 280-plus
Pictures: B. Halder