Sip On Coffee By A Stepwell At Roastery Coffee House In Jaipur

Dining

TL Reviews: Sip On Coffee By A Stepwell At Roastery Coffee House In Jaipur

Sip coffee sitting around a stepwell at Roastery Coffee House, an apt place to give an ode to the Pink City. By Pallavi Pasricha

After shopping at your favourite haunts or spending time soaking in the beautiful culture of the Pink City, there is nothing like relaxing at its many food joints. But instead of going to the old ones, this time I head out to one of the latest cafes that has opened in the city.

While Roastery Coffee House has outlets in Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Delhi NCR, founder and owner Nishant Sinha recently opened one in Jaipur to celebrate their fifth anniversary in collaboration with Vishal Bali and Kashish Vyas. It was not just the excellent coffee I was going to sample. An equally big draw is the ambience of this cafe that plugs into the city’s Rajasthani heritage.

Ambience

Interiors of Roastery Coffee House, Jaipur

Located in a lovely bungalow that once belonged to a writer from Kolkata, the cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating. The cool breeze on a monsoon evening tempts my group to enjoy the outdoors but anticipating that it may rain, we sat inside. But not before we spend time bonding around a stepwell or baori that has been built here. Made of pink Jodhpur sandstone, it looks stunning with steps on four sides leading to a small water body where rainwater is harvested. White wrought iron chairs and tables placed are around the stepwell and the garden area blends perfectly with the relaxed vibe. I anticipate that this outdoor space is going to be a popular spot in winter when the sun streams in through the cane mesh.

Exteriors of Restaurant — The restaurant offers indoors and outdoors seating, both.

“Vishal came up with the idea of doing a stepwell since he is from Jodhpur. But building it was the tricky part,” says Sinha. “We hired local artisans and it took about six months to build it,” he adds.

Spread over three sections, including the first floor with a balcony, the indoor seating area also gives a sense of space. There’s a coffee bar and retail shelves where one can buy coffee and chocolates.

Food

When it comes to food, the choice is wide. It goes all the way from sandwiches, pastas, pizzas, burgers to wholesome breakfast platters. I don’t think there is any other cafe in Jaipur that offers this much variety. This evening, I have the barbecue chicken wings and fish fingers. My vegetarian friend orders for avocado bruschetta. All three dishes are perfectly flavoured and I find myself licking my fingers clean after the chicken wings—they were so good!

Those who don’t want a full breakfast platter can opt for toasts like banana peanut butter toast and apple hazelnut spread toast. You can’t leave without a taste of the desserts, especially the twice baked chocolate cake.

Drinks

Hot Chocolate at Roastery Coffee House, Jaipur — Hot Chocolate

Sourced from some of the best coffee estates in the country and roasted in-house, Roastery Coffee House takes coffee-drinking seriously. Whether you want French Press, Aero-press or pour-over, it is all available here. For those who like to experiment, there are fruit flavoured coffees, too. My weakness is the cranberry coffee. It’s a delicious shot of espresso with soda and cranberry juice.

The hot chocolates range from 55 to 85 percent dark, and the latter is not for the faint-hearted! It is thick and really good. Try their cold brew and vegan coffees as well.

I wrap up the evening feeling that the cafe is an apt ode to the city, plugging into its past and yet in keeping with the times.