Of my favorite coffee shops (yes, coffee!)
As a South Indian Palakkad Iyer, Filter Kaapi or coffee has been a regular source of beverage at my parents’ place. It is a must have for my parents and some relatives twice a day because they wake up at 5:00 am and by the time its 3:00pm, they need that afternoon caffeine boost. Naturally, I had my first coffee when I was about 10-11 years old because I am not a morning person and as I got older, it became more and more evident that I am NOT a morning person! Clearly, I didn’t acquire those “morning genes” from my parents, my sister definitely did.
That morning Filter Kaapi hits the soul. Sipping Kaapi while listening to our neighbor play M.S. Subhalakshmi’s Suprabhatam loudly on the radio, certainly prepares the human for whichever day it is, the good, the bad, the ok-ish days! I looked forward to that morning Kaapi after hearing my human alarm clocks i.e. my parents, and my sister’s voices that started with a low volume and then an increased high pitch “ENDHRU DI” (wake-up!!!”) in my ears. Going to someone’s house and hearing - “Kaapi Kudikyaraiaa?” or “Will you have coffee?” or “Kaapi Kudichutu po”, or “have coffee and before you leave”, became so ingrained my system that I can still hear it. Life was much simpler back then, no cellphones, no doom scrolling, just living in the moment.
Over the years, I decided to limit my caffeine intake and switched to Chai. While I love Chai, I love my Kaapi too, only from local coffee shops. When I visit India, I have my Kaapi because that brings me home and it brings me a sense of calm and helps me stay more present with the simpler things in life.
Of all the places I have traveled and had coffee at, these are some of the places that I love so much, some with photos and some without because they are gulped at a very fast pace!! I get a latte and lately, latte with almond milk and lavender syrup but absolutely nothing beats a Filter Kaapi and while I have tried to make it myself, it misses the loving and caring hands of the people who make it and make it so much better.
I am sure there are plenty of really good coffee shops around the world that I am yet to explore. :) And as I explore them, I’ll update this list. (Note: This is NOT a sponsored blog post. They are places I have explored and loved and wanted to share.)
Of course, I have to start with home base - The Motherland!! This year, during my travel to India, I had some of the best coffees in different places in the city. Still wanting to go try Subko coffee but they were fully booked out. Next time!
Lali’s Kaapi: Made by my mom. Coffee powder from Mysore Concerns. She makes an extra hot kaapi for me and I feel more energized after having it! Clearly, I never took a pic because I was living in the moment.
My sister, as grounded as she is in her personality and her mindset, literally brought me to Grounded Coffee. It was a perfect afternoon where we both sat by the window, sipped on a latte and a flat white and had baked goods and talked about life, childhood, adulthood, and stayed in the moment. We saw people come and go and it made me appreciate life even more by seeing life around me. And then my sister decided to take me to the most beautiful sunset point - Marine Drive. We had a drink and just watched the sun go down.
Mumbai - you have my heart and my soul!!
If you are not a morning person, I get it. I am not a morning person either! However, on a rare Sunday morning, go to Grant Park Community Farmer’s market, get a baked good from Osono Bread and whatever fun things you find and want to get around the market.. Hop over to Buteco, across the street and get a latte with (milk of your choice) or any form of beverage of your choice. I usually get my latte with lavender syrup. You can either sit at Buteco and have your baked good and coffee or take it to go (whichever is your preference). Lavender Latte to keep calm and sprint on, then take a nap later!
No coffee pic here because it was gulped down very quickly with this view while walking. Ms. Judson’s is a cute little bookstore with a hidden gem - coffee and bakery. You can get a coffee and read a book or you can get a coffee and walk around Falls Park on the Reedy. Lavender Latte, Obviously!, because life is already in chaos and this latte makes up for both a hyper and calming state of mind.
There is a very inspiring story behind this coffee shop’s name and it is worth reading.
On a chilly November, I landed in Paris to meet my sister. The long-awaited trip that we had originally planned but pandemic was like “nope not today!” Fast forward to a few years later, this trip commenced. The first thing I needed was a coffee when I reached the hotel and this was right down the street. The Barista gave me a latte in a bowl. Had the “bowlatte”, walked around the streets of Paris and went back to sleep to get over my jet lag. And walked again.
Next morning, the temperature dropped but this “bowlatte” in a to-go cup made my hands and heart warm! On the third day, I showed up before the coffee shop opened and the Barista asked me to wait inside, finished his smoke and made my coffee. Now I am wondering if he was happy or a bit annoyed that I showed up early. But I definitely was happy and surprised at myself for waking up and showing up early! Haha!!
Paris stroll is incomplete without Stohrer, one of the oldest patisseries in Paris from 1700s. On a trip to Paris, my husband and I absolutely wanted to visit Stohrer, along with a few other places we had saved. We walked some 25,000 steps and eventually decided that it was time to indulge. We got a few baked goods from Stohrer and walked down the street to Café Boca and got ourselves a latte and an espresso and sat outside on a cold winter sun afternoon. This was totally worth it given how brain frozen I was from the cold.