In the seat of culture

It is not possible to miss this small but prominent establishment, ‘Cafe de La Liberte’, at one of the most active cultural centres in town, Alliance Francaise de Bangalore.

After all, it has been around for a good 16 years, in some form or the other. It started as a small outlet of the coffee chain ‘Java City’ with Rajan as its manager.

The chain outlet wound up 15 years ago but Rajan didn’t have the heart to leave the place.

Serving tea and coffee to the students at the centre, he now proudly says, “I have about 200 items on my menu that I serve through the week.” The cafe went on from being a one-man establishment to an outlet in brick and stone.

 Through the years, it has retained its charm and students keep thronging the place. The cafe is minimalist at best, serving sandwiches, cakes, short-eats and a few beverages.
The bakery counter has freshly baked homemade cakes, samosas, vada pav, puffs and more.

The beverages are no  fuss too, like everything else in the cafe. You can choose from tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

The ginger tea comes with pieces of fresh ginger  in it and is plain and heartwarming.
The cake slices are large and filling and come in varieties like banana, banana-
almond, almond, chocolate, chocolate-coffee and more. The banana cake, tender
and fluffy, is a must have here.

Self-service is the norm, and the two otherwise generous attendants at the cafe will expect you to come to the cafe’s front section to add  sugar to your own cup.

What started as a small cafe for a small snack between lectures now serves meals too.
Opt for the pot luck lunch and you can have a sumptuous meal literally from an array of earthen pots spread on the counter.

The servings are simple with chappatis, rice, vegetables and curries.  Breakfast is typically dosa, idli or pongal. The pot luck is available on all days except Sunday for breakfast and lunch. The prices are nominal, starting at Rs 12 for a cup of regular tea and Rs 35 onwards for a slice of cake.

The staff is welcoming and the ambience is typical of a cultural centre, casual, open and perfect to settle in for a discussion on books and films between events.
For details, call Rajan on 99450509341.