As I go to India periodically, I was wondering if anyone knew of any places to get a decent espresso in Delhi or Bombay. I'm already well aware of Starbucks and Cafe Coffee Day of course. Kind of a long shot, but just wondering if there was some third wave gem hidden somewhere that otherwise doesn't show up on an internet search.

Sideshow, I see no responses to this thread. If you had time to go to some cafes in Delhi and Bombay, did you find one that meets h-b.com minimal standards?

I thought this was going to be a long shot, but thought that it couldn't hurt to ask.

I haven't seen one yet that is decent for straight espresso. There's Starbucks and a place called Cafe Coffee Day, which can both do cappas and milkier drinks (maybe). But I'm not too pleased with the espresso at either. Thus far I haven't found a go to place, but I suppose that the fun of traveling is trying new things and not having access to the normal things you like.

Relatedly, southern India does coffee in their own traditional way. They prepare it in a device that closely resembles a Moka pot (probably derived from the Portuguese colonial contact), and they mix it with frothed milk in a proportion similar to a cortado. But their coffee has chicory in it. It comes in a little cylindrical glass, and you drink it with fried plantains, fried ground beef patties, or other fried/deep fried things. It's great, but a very different coffee experience that what most of the folks here, myself included, typically aim for on a normal basis.

Hi Sideshow,

You're absolutely right that the traditional indian 'filter coffee' is quite different than anything you may find in an Italian or American cafe.

Over the past few years, a few specialty coffee shops have opened up. My favorite is Blue Tokai, they are a roastery and also have small cafes in both Bombay and Delhi. They are my go-to for fresh beans when I'm visiting family in India.

I was there over the Christmas break, and visited two of their cafes and was very impressed not only with the quality in the cup, but also barista attitude, clean equipment, weighed dose and output etc. etc.

A big plus for me is that they support Indian coffee producers and usually highlight local microlots. Give them a shot and tell us what you think!

If they aren't convenient, I've heard that the coffee at Versova Social in Bombay is pretty good. Koinonia Roasters have also been recommended to me by friends but I haven't tried them myself.

Best,
Farhad

fdehlvi wrote:Over the past few years, a few specialty coffee shops have opened up.

Great, exactly what I was looking for. I'll give them a shot next time I'm there. It's also nice that Blue Tokai is in south Delhi (which is where I typically stay), as I don't know if it would be worth it to drive for an hour plus (one way) in Delhi traffic for coffee. Many thanks!