JOIN USRevamped India Coffee House draws first-timers
Bengalureans like the revamped India Coffee House (ICH), a cafe running on the premises of Coffee Board of India’s head office on Ambedkar Veedhi since 1972.
The footfalls have gone up by 30%, R Ajith Kumar, assistant secretary of the cafe, and India Coffee Depot (ICD), a counter set outside to sell different varieties of roasted coffee, told Metrolife. The depot was earlier located on MG Road.
When we visited on Monday, the cafe was brimming with people, orders, and new crockery. We met lawyers and long-time customers Pooja and Namita. They are glad the taste of their favourite dosa, idli and vada, and chicory-free coffee, has not changed. Only ‘poori sagu’ and ‘cashew nuts’ are new items on the menu.
“The renovation has enhanced the heritage value of Coffee House. It will definitely attract more customers,” says Namita.
First-time customer Piyush Kumar says, “I like working from cafes and I liked the ambience and coffee here.”
Another first-timer, Shreyas Das was drawn by the “aroma of the fresh coffee” and the colourful paintings hanging in the corridor where the cafe has added five tables to accommodate 20 customers in a Rs 22 lakh-makeover. “I find it budget-friendly. I would like to come back often,” says the college student.
‘Need more variety in coffee’
Raghvendra Hegde, a longtime patron, says the makeover was “good, functional and meets new-age requirements”. But since it is run by the Coffee Board, it should have more varieties of coffee, he suggests. Currently, the cafe serves filter coffee, special coffee, and cold coffee.
PG course on coffee
Coffee Board offers a one-year post-graduate course for people to learn the intricacies of coffee and coffee-making. “BSc degree is the minimum qualification to
apply,” informs official R Ajith Kumar. These applicants can join ICH after an additional week-long training.