10 Amazing Book Cafes in India

There’s a strange connection between books and coffee, coffee and books. If you’re someone who loves to read, you’ll also identify with the fact that having a cup of coffee or tea right by your side, while you snuggle up with a beautiful book, is one of your ideas of pure bliss.
A large number of cafes in India have come up with just the right concept of bringing together books and your preferred selection of coffee and chai, light snacks and cupcakes. Sounds as pretty as the written word, eh? Below is a list of 10 amazing book cafes sprawled over different Indian cities to ignite the loveliest conversations, assemble bookworms from the neighborhood and pass on to them delight, words, food and of course coffee or tea.

1. Literati, Goa:
   A quaint little bookshop in the Bardez locality of North Goa has become hugely popular with readers who hop on to the state to find something more than the beaches. Literati has on display an assortment of new and second-hand books based on a wide variety of genre. You can spend hours in this café, buy a few books, read them, sip your tea and eat some delicious food while you’re at it. Also, you might witness a book release, author meet or workshop right there. 
   
   
   
   Credits: Frederick FN Noronha
   
   
2. Café Story, Kolkata: 
   This café boasts of a graphic novel and comic theme and brings forth a vivid collection of books compelling you to stay longer every time you get in. There’s a beautiful Art Street and a fascinating Pen and Ink section that adds to the visitor’s delight. The restaurant offers a wide variety of pastas, salads and risottos along with some regular favorite tidbits. Read and eat and shop, all at once.
   
   
3. Illiterati, McLeodganj:
   The location itself has the power to take your heart away. Now, top it up with a huge collection of books and some great food. Illiterati is closest to your fantasy reading destination while you sip hot masala tea with a compelling book in your hand, sharing space with like-minded people, right across a spectacular view of the Dhauladar Mountains. So, heart-warming!
   
   
   Credits: Eatstory.in
   
   
4. Café Turtle, Delhi:
   Think colors and vibrancy and books. Now think, food and desserts and coffee. This is Café Turtle, a book-lover’s absolute delight, perfectly snuggled on the streets of the effervescent Khan Market. Café Turtle gives you a plethora of options when it comes to both books and food. You’d never be able to decide what to do first: buy a book or eat a delicacy. And, you’ll end up doing both. 
   
   
5. Cha Bar, Oxford Book Stores, All major cities:
   This is where the whole model started: filling up books and food at the same place. Cha bar is lively, oozing with knowledge and entertainment, buzzing with remarkable interactions and loaded with gastronomical delights. Also, heavenly tea options. If you love tea and you love books, Cha Bar is the perfect getaway for a perfect day.
   
   
6. Kitab Khaana, Food for Thought, Mumbai:
   Kitab Khaana is perhaps the most beautiful bookshop in Mumbai with an old-world charm and a large number of books. Buy a book, carry it to the in-house café and read it as you eat the delicious vegetarian food on offer. This café is the perfect hangout place for all the bookworms in the bustling city of Mumbai.
   
   
   Credits: Sonal Chinchwadkar
   
   
7. The Bibliophilia Café, Guwahati:
   This café is a favorite amongst people of the North-east. It’s basically a lending-library-cum-reading café that also offers high speed Wi-Fi so that the readers can easily gain access to e-libraries from all over the world. Set up by Panbazar, the book-hub of India’s North-east, the Bibliophilia café aims at keeping alive the gradually diminishing culture of book-reading. It has been established in many college campuses across Assam and is a huge hit.
   
   
8. Kunzum Café, Delhi:
   If there was such a thing as a Travel Café, Kunzum Café would ideally fit the list. It has a humongous collection of travel books, guides and magazines and has been set up with the idea of bringing travelers together as they sip countless cups of coffee and share travel stories or work on their next itinerary or just read and wander with the words and pictures. What’s even more interesting is that the Café doesn’t have a fixed price. The people who come in can pay what they feel like for their coffee.
   
   
   Credits: Jaskirat Singh Bawa
   
   
9. Pagdandi, Pune:
   The most appealing thing about this café is that it is exclusive in a way emphasizing on the road less traveled (that’s why the name). It is a concept store run by a couple who also serve appetizing food to the guests. The books are usually ones by independent publishers and newer authors. There is a gallery showcasing creations by promising artists and photographs by upcoming photographers. So, when you’re here, what you’ll find is: a great collection of books, a delectable menu, a cute and charming environment, welcoming hosts and great company.
   
   
10. Leaping Windows, Bangalore:
    This café is a haven for comic lovers and attracts a huge number of people owing to its coming book store concept. The interiors have been embellished with murals of characters from graphic novels and comic strips and the books you’d find here consist of many rarely available comics. Thus, Leaping Windows is a colorful little café where you can spend time with books, coffee and snacks at highly reasonable prices.
    
    
    Credits: Aalok Bhat