Participants take part in a sip and paint session at a cafe in Visakhapatnam. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Visakhapatnam’s cafes and eateries are turning into much more than just a place to grab an espresso or a cappuccino. From spaces to bond and connect, entertainment centers to art hubs and a platform to learn a new skill, coffee shops double up as these, and much more.
Every alternate Friday evening at Yendada’s Cafe Kurtosh, an inspiring group of people gather to hear some unusual stories about grit, determination, a traveller’s saga of Himalayan adventures or a beautiful artistic journey. Sessions called Been There, Done That – usually an hour or two long – are a lot about sharing and reflection. Diwakar Vadapalli, the founder of Cafe Kurtosh, started the concept four months ago. “When I returned to Visakhapatnam after my stint in the US, I felt that the city needed a place where people could gather, communicate, connect with their life journey and most importantly share their experiences. Reflect and give meaning to all learning and experiences. We had Been There, Done That is an effort towards creating a place where people can stop and reflect. A cafe is a great place to host it with ambiance and food to make it a casual affair,” says Diwakar. Seven seasons of the series have come to an end and Cafe Kurtosh will host the eighth season this weekend Where a wildlife conservationist will share his journey of abandoning a toxic career path to follow his passion and land in the middle of a mangrove and transform a community used to hunt an endangered fishing cat. While travel stories have been an integral part of the series, Diwakar says he plans to involve people from various other walks of life to make the evening worthwhile.
Like Cafe Kurtosh, many other city cafes are seeking to provide experiences for customers where they can be part of a community of like-minded individuals, showcase their skills or learn something new. In its eight years of existence, the Bean Board has become synonymous with a culture that helps strengthen bonds over a cup of coffee. From a single outlet in 2014, today it is a rapidly mushrooming chain with three operational outlets in Visakhapatnam, three more opening soon and a new one opened at the US Consulate in Hyderabad. While in the past, gigs, open mixes and performances by local bands were a regular feature, the pandemic has put a stop to live events at the cafe. The Bean Board has managed to revive it over the past few months by organizing workshops for children and adults in collaboration with artists and craftsmen. However, the next year is all set to usher in major changes and changes in the way people spend their evenings in cafes. “By the first week of January, we are opening our biggest outlet in Panorama Hills, which will be of 5,000 sq. ft. area. Here we will start monthly sessions of Coffee Stories, in which real-life heroes from the armed forces, civil services and other sectors will come for an interactive session,” says Isaac Jeremiah of Bean Board. “There is a lot of difference between mentors and aspirants. Our idea is to bridge the gap, channelize the energy of the youth, give a platform for people to come together, listen to these inspiring stories in the informal setup of a cafe and also enjoy specials from the menu.” “We will also have a YouTube channel where we will post these sessions,” says Isaacs.
Participants take part in a sip and paint session at a cafe in Visakhapatnam. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
After a gap of two years, Gluttons Garage in Pandurangpuram is back with a host of open mic and standup comedy sessions. The session – the result of days of deliberation and planning – was a housefull. Last month it hosted Paint and Sip sessions, a new concept for the city, where participants sip their favorite drinks while drawing pictures. The session went on for a few hours and was a huge hit. “Our idea is to have some workshop or activity every second and fourth weekend. We have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels in business. But these sessions are helping us to get first time visitors. We plan it in the afternoon when the cafes are mostly not crowded. So it is a win-win situation for us and for the people involved in conducting the workshops. We now have an event by an upcoming DJ and also plan to host pop-ups on sustainable clothing and thrift stores,” says Robert Rejois of Gluttons Garage. The cafe is also working on a new menu which will be a mix of popular dishes from different corners of India.
Participants learning about the flavor wheel of a coffee taster at Wabi Sabi Art Cafe in Visakhapatnam. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Wabi Sabi Art Cafe in Vishalakshi Nagar recently hosted a coffee cupping session, inviting customers to try different beans sourced from different coffee growing regions of India. The session saw an enthusiastic participation of more than 25 people, wherein the participants learned about different types of legumes, their cultivation methods, growing them in different geographical regions. coffee beans. We wanted our customers to feel connected to the cafe and Sessions was a good start for the same,” says Mohit Ji, one of the co-founders of Wabi Sabi Art Cafe. In the three months of its existence, the cafe has hosted five sessions which include talks by wildlife photographers, science workshops and art sessions. “We wanted a community space that would encourage art of all forms. But having just an art corner was not a sustainable idea. So we decided to start a cafe that would provide a platform to local artists as well as startups. Will do, who want a place to connect with people.” The cafe also has a book room which promotes the idea of book exchange and is currently in talks with a book club to host book reading sessions.