It is nine o’ clock on a Saturday and you would love to chat up over a meal on the play that you have watched.
You’ve rushed to get ahead of Bengaluru traffic for a performance, only to find you are early by half an hour, and decide to kill time by grabbing a bite and get that cuppa. In Bengaluru, you needn’t worry.
The city has some of the best cafes within theatre and cultural spaces. MetroPlus takes a tour of the top five
Anju’s Café,
Ranga Shankara
Located within the artsy precincts of one of the city’s most well-known theatre spaces — Rangashankara. It is sought after for its hot, crispy, delicious sabudana vada, samosa, vada pav with green chilly and chutney, besides tea, coffee and lemonade. For lunch and dinner too, there are vegetarian and non-vegetarian items to choose from. The verdict on the food is that it is homely, and always of high standard. The theatre-charged atmosphere at Rangashankara is a bonus.
Café Max,
Max Mueller Bhavan/
Goethe Institut
Delicious! That’s the word that comes to mind when you think of Café Max. The menu is exhaustive, with a generous offering of breakfast items, including Farmer breakfast, French toast, crepes, sausages, bacon and pancakes, main course, soups and starters, pastas, fettuccini, sandwiches, salads and cakes (carrot and marble cake are hot favourites). The partially open air café, tastefully decorated, has a great ambience for casual dining.
Atta Galatta,
5th Block, Koramangala
Atta Galatta’s café is unique as it is within the library. The faux open brick interiors and the many colourful posters of the latest events and plays on the walls give off an air of the space being lively, arty and intellectual. For book worms wanting to spend time reading while sipping cups of steaming filter coffee and snacking on French fries, this is an ideal space. There are burgers, pizzas, a range of tarts and sandwiches to choose from. Though this space is not meant to binge on a huge meal, the snacks, beverages and drinks complement the experience of spending time in a library.
The Fat Chef, Jagriti Theatre
Plays at Jagriti Theatre usually begin at 8 p.m., and on Sundays, there are shows at 3.30 p.m. so if you are planning to catch a play and dinner, then the Fat Chef is a go-to place. The Continental, casual dining restaurant is cosy and the best section is the space which overlooks a garden. There are a variety of teas, the iced teas are quite popular. Then there are soups, salads, pastas, and pizzas. But among their most popular items are hummus and pita and chilli cheese toast.
Café at Alliance Francaise de Bangalore
There’s something inviting about the quirky interiors of this open air café. At all times of the day, you will find the place bustling with activity and chatting, with students taking a break and people who come to watch musical performances and plays, to chat over cups of coffee, tea and quick bites. Their cakes and brownies top the list.
