International Coffee Day
Coffee can be bold, bitter, aromatic, velvety, smoky, nutty, intensely brewed and gloriously indulgent… sometimes all in the same cup. And on International Coffee Day, celebrated on October 1, it deserves to be treated as far more than the beverage that gets us through the morning.
It is a ritual, craft, conversation and, increasingly, an experience in itself. From Parisian café culture and playful dessert-inspired lattes to traditional South Indian filter-coffee and the theatre of watching beans being roasted in-house, the coffee universe is becoming richer, more experimental and decidedly more experiential.
We at TheGlitz believes a great cup of coffee should wake up more than your senses… it should give you a reason to linger. Here are four amazing experiences worth knowing this International Coffee Day.
TheGlitz Pick
Café De Flora: A Little Paris in Every Cup
Café De Flora brings a relaxed, Parisian-inspired sensibility to its spaces in Delhi and Gurugram. Every cup feels like a tiny escape to a European street corner, where coffee comes with lingering conversations, warm ambience and the invitation to stay just a little longer. For coffee lovers who enjoy the ritual as much as the roast, the café offers an experience that is easy-going, elegant and distinctly European in spirit.
Where: Chanakyapuri – Shop 24 & 25, West Flank, Santushti Shopping Complex; Vasant Kunj – 302 A, Third Floor, Ambience Mall; Gurugram – AIPL Joy Central, Sector 65. Timings: 9am–11pm, all seven days. Average cost for two: approximately ₹2,000.
ORO: When Your Latte Comes With a Side of Nostalgia
Coffee gets playful at ORO, where the familiar latte gets a decidedly indulgent makeover. Its Caramel Popcorn Latte combines smooth coffee with the rich sweetness of caramel and the nostalgic, almost cinematic flavour of popcorn. It is creamy, sweet, comforting and fun, while still retaining coffee at its heart. For anyone building an International Coffee Day round-up around unusual or dessert-inspired coffee creations, this is one cup that brings personality to the table.
Where: Unit 4, Good Earth Business Bay 2, Sector 58, Gurugram, Haryana – 122002. Timings: 9am–8pm, all days. Average cost for two: approximately ₹1,500.
Idlinama, GK-II: Filter Coffee Gets Its Iced Moment
At Idlinama, GK-II, tradition meets Delhi’s eternal battle with the heat. Its Iced Filter Coffee begins exactly where authentic South Indian filter coffee should: with a strong decoction slowly brewed through a traditional metal filter. Tamil chefs prepare it robust enough to hold its character over ice, before combining it with cold milk and a touch of sweetness.
The result retains the roasted depth, gentle bitterness and unmistakable personality of filter coffee, but arrives chilled and refreshing — a particularly welcome proposition for a Delhi afternoon. Better still, it naturally complements Idlinama’s Tamil Nadu-inspired food menu.
Where: M-50, First Floor, GK-II M Block Market, New Delhi – 110048. Timings: 9am–11pm, all days. Average cost for two: approximately ₹2,000.
Silk Road Coffee Company: Where the Craft Comes Into View
Silk Road Coffee Company, the Mumbai café, brings the craft behind coffee closer to the table with an in-house roastery, allowing guests to see part of the process that usually happens behind closed doors. Its coffee programme includes an Espresso Bar, Manual Brew Bar and an exclusive Slayer espresso machine, offering different brewing techniques and ways of experiencing the bean.
The experience extends to its in-house bakehouse, where fresh croissants, breads, pastries and savoury bakes are prepared to pair with the coffee. The menu also moves beyond the conventional with Vietnamese coffee, matcha and coffee-based mocktails.
Where: 41, Harminder Singh Road, Aram Nagar Part 1, Versova, Andheri West, Mumbai – 400061. Timings: 8am–10pm. Contact: 8828183481 / 8828258547.
TheGlitz Take
Coffee has officially graduated from being just a caffeine fix. Today, the cup comes with craft, theatre, nostalgia, experimentation and a whole lot of personality. Whether it is the romance of Paris, the playful decadence of caramel popcorn, the comforting authenticity of iced filter coffee or the behind-the-scenes craft of an in-house roastery, these experiences prove there is no single way to drink coffee anymore. TheGlitz says: this International Coffee Day, don’t just grab a coffee. Sit with it, savour it and let the cup tell you a story.
