Brahmins’ Coffee Bar: The brew Basavanagudi wakes up to

Radhakrishna Adiga’s day begins at 4 am to supervise the preparation of Khara Bath and Kesari Bath, which are the iconic dishes of Brahmins’ Coffee Bar at Shankarapuram, Bengaluru.

He likes to be punctual. The coffee bar opens at 6 am every day, even 5:59 am on most days. The landmark eatery starts off catering to students heading to coaching classes, joggers who finished their morning run, friends catching up over an early breakfast, bus drivers rushing to work, people running to catch early trains, employees rushing to their factories, and late night revellers grabbing an early breakfast.

Around 8 am, as regulars and inquisitive tourists line up for one of Bengaluru’s most exhilarating tumblers of filter coffee, the establishment begins to bustle with activity. The eatery is busy, especially if you visit on the weekend (Sunday closed).

At every step, Mr. Adiga greets his customers with a hearty smile, as if they were age-old friends. He sits at the counter in the mornings, issuing tokens and exchanging pleasantries with customers and regulars.

The minimal elegance of Brahmins’ Coffee Bar is what immediately catches your eye. Once you get your tokens, you walk into staff serving steaming hot idlis with their signature coconut chutney, and other dishes. On one side are the coffee jars.

There is little that can be classified as decor, other than a few antiquated photos and some stands for customers to place their plates while they stand and eat their breakfast. And yet, it has much more charm and flair than most modern cafes.

Pioneers of self-service and standing while eating

“When my father introduced the idea of self-service, which also required a customer to eat while standing, people laughed at him. People were surprised by the counter-culture,” says Mr. Adiga.

The eatery was set up by his father K V Nagesh Rao and his mother K M Saraswati on January 27, 1965. The couple had moved to Bengaluru in 1932. Before starting the café, K V Nagesh Rao had dabbled in several professions and ventures before the couple earned praise for their simple but tasty food.

They started out by serving coffee and some snacks. In 1970, Ms. Saraswati made some Khara Bath at home, which the couple offered to customers along with coconut chutney. Customers loved the dish, and came back for more. Ever since, the Khara Bath has been the signature dish of Brahmins’ Coffee Bar.

The menu has remained unchanged since inception – Coffee, Khara Bath, Kesari Bath, Idli and Vada. These items are served with their signature coconut chutney.

“This is all my mother’s gift – her recipes. They have remained timeless and unaltered,” says Mr. Adiga.

When asked what makes their coffee iconic, Mr. Adiga says: ‘We add love here’.

Despite earning a B.Com. degree, Mr. Adiga decided to work in his parents’ eatery. “This is everything I’ve wanted. I can not ask for anything more,” he explains.

The whole business is family-run. All family members know how to cook.

The family has no intention of setting up a branch elsewhere. When asked why, Mr. Adiga explained that there are only two reasons to set up a business: either for the money or for the name. “We chose the latter,” he says. “So, we stuck to the basics – yummy food and quality service.”