Featuring Thadi Cafe

As we walked down the narrow but lively streets of Hauz Khas village, my friend and I saw this old looking and not very attractive building which had a sign of Thadi Cafe loosely hanging outside it.

After some debate of whether it is 'safe' to go in ( I can attribute the fear to the paranoia which I seem to have developed just by not spending enough time in my own country), we finally voted that we should give it a try. Also I had a read a few lines in a blog earlier this morning, and I really wanted to see the place.

So we followed our heart, and the signs, and kept climbing up the stairs of this mysterious looking place, all the time guessing what could be in store for us. When we finally reached the terrace (which is where the cafe was located), we were so thrilled, that we almost cried out in joy. The view from the terrace was awesome. This terrace-cafe looked over the Hauz Khas water tank giving a person like me who had no idea about the place and this lake such a pleasant surprise.

While my friend sat soaking in the ambience (the view, the caned chairs, painted walls, posters about art concerts etc), I went in to carry out my own investigation, under the pretext of ordering food. My second surprise for the day awaited me inside. The owner (one of the four, as I found later) of the place was also an engineer, who opted for doing something different with his life. Needless to say, there was an instant connection, and I spent quite some time chatting away with him. I found out that the word Thadi meant a small vendor of tea and coffee from the Jaipur region where the guys had studied. I found out about the aspirations and reasons behind the conception and implementation of the place. I also managed ordering some food by the end of it.

So in conclusion:
Ambience: Fantastic, the view from the terrace and low seating arrangements inside gave a double dose of character to the place. The music system was a good one, which to me personally was a plus! My friend loved the diwali lights which were turned on at dusk.

Food: We had the Thadi chai (tea) and a veg grilled sandwich, both were decent. My only crib, why didn't the waiter leave the pot with left over tea behind, I would have loved a second round!

Pricing: Very affordable. (Especially when I find almost everything super expensive in India!)


Sell Coffee, not your soul