Cafe guide to Coorg
Something changes when you cross the Kushalnagar and start heading towards Madikeri. Those dusty winds suddenly become chill breezes and before you are over it, voila! you are among the clouds you see from far away. Plush mountains, close clouds & chilling breeze feels like a dream come true for nature lovers like us. It gets even better when you realise how much people love their coffee here.
The lush coffee plantations of Coorg stretch as far as the eye can see
I think it must be on my mind when we decided to experience Coorg. Despite the stormy weather & rain that never stops, we went ahead with our quest to explore cafes & local cuisine here & it definitely didn’t disappoint. We have curated a list of cafes that we tried & loved!
1. Big Cup Cafe
This one is very aptly placed in the beginning of Madikeri town. The interiors are beautiful & it has everything about coffee along with some nice food. The head barista loves to take you through the whole brewing process & its intricate details. They also have a collection of international beans from Columbia, Ethiopia and Kenya that you can try. Once there, you should definitely try out their Origami brewer coffee and glance at the magic that happens in the brewer.
2. Agastya Cafe
This place will be a heaven if you are a big coffee nerd! They have one of the finest specialty coffee menus here. As you walk into this place, you will see the wall decorated with a detailed poster about each coffee brewing method and coffee history as well. The baristas are amazing here and the collection of cookies & cakes to complement the coffee is great too. We tried their V60 coffee & iced matcha latte. Both of them were so fantastic in Coorg’s weather & scenery. We bought some Coorg grown cardamoms and black pepper from here as well.
3. The Wheel Cafe
If sipping a cup of filter coffee white & admiring the rain showers while sitting in an old school Kodava cottage in green climes, then this is the place. Their choice of interiors is also lovely as well. On top of that, they have a great collection of food items to choose from. This should not be missed while covering Coorg. We tried their chicken keema nachos and filter coffee which was decent. But mostly loved the vibe of this place.
4. Old Kent Estate Cafe
While this one can’t be a one day visit, I think this can be one of the most memorable stays in Coorg. Everything that you have imagined about living in an English cottage inside a coffee estate will come true. You can sit in the verranda of this British Raj cottage and sip your favourite cup of coffee or hot chocolate while appreciating the huge swaths of coffee estate around you. The estate’s espresso blend is pretty good but they don’t sell it yet. Although, you can buy their South indian filter coffee blend which is equally good too.
Now, there were few cafes that I had shortlisted but couldn’t explore due to weather conditions. But I am sure that they will not disappoint. I am definitely going to explore these cafes once I am back in Coorg:
1. Fifth Generation Cafe
Situated on the banks of Kaveri river, this one is a cafe run by the fifth generation of coffee estate owners.
2. Kimberley Coorg
A charming cafe known for its scenic location and excellent coffee offerings.
In conclusion, I would say that if you plan to stay in Madikeri or near to Madikeri, you will have ample time to explore all these amazing cafes and would be able to cherish the coffee culture of Coorg even more profoundly. Enjoy!
By Shwetank Panwar