An era of coffee and adda comes to an end

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Soon, city people will not get to sniff the aroma of coffee when they walk in the lanes leading to handicraft emporiums on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Coffee Home, one of the oldest coffee shops in the capital, is soon going to be razed.

A multi-level parking and office space will come up on the spot where hundreds of people sit and sip coffee still served in those white cups and saucers. Though the china has chipped and multiple bistros have been giving it tough competition, the more than two-decade-old Coffee Home still has its old faithfuls.
“It is an iconic place. I still remember the times I spent there,” reminisces advertising professional Neetu Gaur. “I often think of those sunny days my college friends and I spent at the Coffee Home sipping coffee and feasting on ice creams. What I loved about the place was the mix of people there. You’d find everyone from retired people to college students to foreign tourists, everyone sitting together,” says Neetu. She adds, “We have attended so many freshers, farewell and birthday parties there. I’ll truly miss the feel of Coffee Home.”
Brishti Sengupta, a research analyst, says Coffee Home was the perfect dating point. “For boys, who generally pick the tab, Coffee Home used to come cheap. And then they have lots of sitting space. What else can couples ask for! You could spend the whole day there — shuttling in and out or taking occasional walks to the emporiums nearby, or indulging in hearty talks about those old uncles who’d chide any couple they spotted. The place was addictive and I still can’t imagine it will cease to exist soon,” says Brishti.
An old-timer and retired shop employee in Connaught Place, Chand Kapoor still likes to sit on those rickety plastic chairs and spend the whole day indulging in a dosa and coffee. “I had been coming here since I was young and landed a job in a nearby shop. Coffee Home is an institution. It used to be frequented by intellectuals, writers and important people,” says Kapoor. “Even I had my own group of friends and we all would come here before heading to our homes. It was an adda where we all would sit and share our varied opinions. The golden days are gone, but I still feel it is a home away from home,” he ends.