Looking for a quiet space to unwind or a nerd community to partake in quizzes with? These cafes in Pune make for the perfect haunt on all accounts
Picture this. It’s been a stressful week of work/college/life. The weekend’s finally here, and you’re in a quiet, cozy place. There’s tons of books all around, and a warm cup of cocoa to go with it.
Conversely, you’d rather take advantage of this free time by catching up with some old friends, or make a few new ones. What better way to relax than with a community infamous for crazy fun quiz nights, group discussions, and maybe even a workshop or two?
With a seemingly never ending collection of board games and books, the perfect ambience, and an array of delicious food and comforting drinks to go with, book cafes in Pune seem to have gotten the recipe for a bibliophile’s dream down pat.
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Café Kathaa
This café can be best described as a kaleidoscope of colours. As you enter, a bright red sign with the cafe’s name in Devanagari welcomes you, followed by neatly stacked plants in colorful pots as you go further in. The brightly painted blue windows and yellow shelf bursting with books make for the perfect set-up.
The café first opened its doors three years ago by Nivedita Atre. A lawyer by profession, Nivedita was roaming the streets of Mumbai, engulfed by the different cuisines that the city of dreams has to offer. An idea struck, one of a safe and peaceful space which had something to offer for everyone. A lot of hard work later, that simple concept bore fruit and Kathaa was born.
“Kathaa can’t only be defined as a book café, it is also an art café,” explains Nivedita.
Some of the highlights on the menu include the ramen, firecracker spring roll, and kombucha. True to their motto, they have vegans covered too. Apart from being a haven for book lovers, the place also regularly holds various art workshops featuring local artists. A soothing playlist, a variety of books to choose from, an interesting array of food items, and an aesthetic interior make this café tucked away in FC road a must visit.
Leafy Trails
“Adda, that’s the most Puneri way to describe this café in one word,” says Rewati Kalekar, owner of Leafy Trails.
She opened the place in 2017 with a simple concept of creating a pocket friendly place for people across different age groups to hang out. Buying food is not a compulsion in this two-storey café, one has to pay just a nominal fee of Rs 30 per hour. After that, it’s just about grabbing a book from the shelf and relaxing for hours with zero interruption.
The best part is that all the books are donated! Situated in Vakil Nagar, Rewati designed the interiors such that maximum recycled materials were utilized. From the wall hangings to the brightly painted tyres, and even the shoe rack made from mango cart boxes, sustainability runs through the place.
Leafy Trails also plays host to activities like workshops, birthday parties, storytelling sessions for children alongside hosting its own book club. To complement your literary trails here, there’s plenty of chicken wings and lemon mint juice available, some of the notable items on the cafe’s menu.
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Comics & Brics Café
Being just a year old, Comics & Brics café situated in Koregaon Park is a place built exclusively for comic heads.
Home to roughly 200+ board games and 7,000 comic books, this café is a goldmine. From classics like Tintin, Archies, Panchatantras to Batman, Spiderman, and Naruto, it’s a steep dive down memory lane for all. There’s also different independent comics making for too much variety and not enough time to read it all!
Adding a personal touch, the owner has been collecting these comics for 14 years and keeps rotating the comics so one never tires of the same collection.
The cafe’s menu is as interesting as its back story. Featuring different platters, starters like ham and cheese, stuffed pita, fish fingers, and calzones, the variety is unending. The boardgames are all different and quirky too, right from sabotaging your rival clans to reaping grains for your neighbors.
Whether you’re a comic lover or otherwise, a dip into this magical comic verse is sure to leave you wanting for more!
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