Famous places and good-value eateries
The Indian Coffee House
While we were in Kolkata we paid a visit to the famous
Indian Coffee House on College
Street to drink in the atmosphere and a murky cup
of coffee.
The Coffee House was first established to commemorate the visit
of the prince consort to Calcutta
in 1890 when it was named Albert Hall, but is now run as a co-operative by its
employees who share ownership. After its opening the place became a breeding
ground for intellectuals, patriots, and activists who met to discuss politics
and the arts before the Indian Coffee Board turned the premises into a formal
coffee house in 1944. Sadly, nowadays the customers are more ordinary folk:
students, pensioners and a few intrepid tourists drinking (a trifle gingerly)
from less than white cups.
The Indian Coffee House
The Indian Coffee House – a historical meeting place of the
city’s more bohemian citizens - lies close to the university. True to its
academic setting, the surrounding streets are full of stalls with teetering
piles of academic papers, manuscripts, text books
and large volumes. Who says no-one reads any more!
and large volumes. Who says no-one reads any more!
It’s a pleasant place to wander, without too much street
hassle, with a mix of architecture and buildings, some of which are sprouting
their very own trees. After having to ask for directions several times, we discovered
our destination on a gloomy looking building on a corner of Bankim Chatterjee Street .
The Coffee House was first established to commemorate the visit
of the prince consort to
A dingy set of stairs, lined with buckets lead up to the
second floor. Judging by the red stained splashes on the wall, they’re used as
spittoons for paan chewing customers with a bad aim. A clattering din and echoing
chatter emanates from the interior which is packed with canteen tables and
chairs. Fans whir on high ceilings above an art deco balcony. The walls are sepia
and a full length picture of Rabindranath Tagore is hung reverentially at one
end of the room. Waiters wear a distinctive (if grubby), uniforms with fan-like
hats. Behind a door a peek at the kitchen reveals that it would not have looked
out of place in a Victorian workhouse with grimy butler sinks piled high with
dishes and cups.
The paper menu which has possibly been used to mop the table
since 1944 offers an eclectic selection including Onion Pakoras, Chicken
Cutlets, Egg items, Mutton and Fish fry, an extra 2 oz milk or cream can be
ordered to enhance the muddy coffee which comes both hot and cold or filter. Prices
are around 35rupees for a chicken sandwich and 25rupees for a hot coffee with
cream. Our coffee tasted a lot like dishwater (I’m told the Darjeeling leaf tea would have been a wiser
choice). But, who cares - you don’t visit The Indian Coffee House for the
quality of its coffee. The place is a legend!
Indian coffee is the best. Traditional Indian coffee
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