Despite stiff competition from the more fashionable and comfy joints, Chandigarh's Indian Coffee House has not only been able to hold on but seems to be growing in popularity.Located right in the heart of Chandigarh's Sector 17 shopping and commercial hub, the Indian Coffee House has hosted tens of thousands of people - many of them diehard regulars - over the past 57 years.Originally set up in October 1957 in Sector 22, the coffee house moved to its present location in the early 1960s. It marked its 50th year in the city in 2007.Be it the weekdays or weekends, the coffee house is never short of clientele."In fact, on occasions like lunch time, it becomes difficult to get a table. Every time I see so many people looking for an empty table. The place has remained a crowd-puller with its taste and reasonable rates," Naveen Soni, an entrepreneur who has been visiting the place for a number of years, told IANS.
The low prices of eatables, the unique taste of the dishes and the rather quick service are the star attractions of the hugely popular place.Be it lawyers, journalists, judges, officials, government employees, families, tourists, shop-owners of the market and even youngsters - the coffee house continues to attract all."It is quite a unique place. One can see so many discussions happening on almost all tables. Some faces seem permanent. One can bump into such regulars every time one comes," Chandigarh-based author Khushwant Singh, who drops in for his cup of coffee, once told IANS.With its square-shaped small tables with four chairs each, the coffee house can accommodate over 100 people at any one time.
Most of the staff at the coffee house has been working there for years."It is interesting to serve people here. People come here for the unique taste and service. All items are served fresh and most things get finished by the end of the day," Birbal Singh, a waiter at the coffee house, told IANS.
Despite being in a prime location, the coffee house, which is managed by a cooperative of workers' union, has not changed much over the decades. There is no menu card on the tables. A display board hanging on the wall is the common menu card for all clients. Among the photographs donning the walls of the coffee house are those of Mahatma Gandhi and south-Indian actress of yesteryears, Ragini."The ambience may seem run down compared to the flashy restaurants and coffee shops and lounges that we have now, but the Indian Coffee House retains its old world charm. It is quite clean and everyone who steps in here becomes a commoner once he or she steps in. Despite some influential people coming here, there is no VIP treatment for anyone," Vivek Sharma, another regular at the joint, told IANS.