Chennai Cafe Culture
Chennai has numerous wonderful cafes to relax in.
Amethyst Cafe
One time I walked in here to find a pop-up exhibition of rugs from the former silk road countries such as Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan etc. I recommend you don’t look ahead but show up as a pleasant surprise to yourself. Here, you can also find a flower shop and a ceramics store that exercises our self-control every single time. This is truly a gorgeous cafe from the greenery to the calm environment to the fantastic international fare. We especially value a calm, cozy and peaceful atmosphere in our home and our relationship and actively seek out locations that enhance that vibe. While all of the cafes listed below are known for their peaceful environment, Amethyst Cafe is at the top of the list. Almost no list of coffee shops in Chennai leave out Amtheyst Cafe, which was recently included in the list of Top 40 cafes in India by Conde Nast Traveler.
Chamiers Cafe
Something is charming about a cafe with mismatched tables and chairs. Something about it makes it seem like it has a life of its own: as though it could tell stories. One time, Mahitha and I saw a famous musician working on his laptop in here. As two people who have come here for breakfast, coffee and dinner, it somehow works all day. There is also a wonderful clothing store in the same building and across the street. You can find perfectly woven linen blends for the heat of India and some jewelry for women.
Writers Cafe
Now, there are a few branches of this cafe, but the one on the map below is the closest to our wedding venue. Most of the waitstaff is either disabled or autistic and we find it a wonderful cause to support.
Ciclo Cafe
Our photographer recommended this as a great spot for a wedding photoshoot. While the photoshoot didn’t happen because of our never ending jet lag, we definitely went there to drink coffee and complete our wedding planning tasks. As the name suggests, there are bikes all around the walls, which is certainly a unique decor choice. They have a good selection of gelato options and pastries - all of them are unique flavors (the sugarcane sorbet was top notch!) and are made in-house.
The Brew Room
Within the Savera hotel, you can find Chennai’s first coffee microbrewery. For the San Francisco tech bro coffee lovers coming to Chennai for the first time, I am sure this would show up on your radar. Psst: Try the Turkish coffee
Cafe Mercara Express
If you want something more upscale, this is the place to go. Within the extremely fancy ITC Grand Chola hotel, you will find this cafe along with several delicious and classy restaurants. In fact, it’s worth going to this cafe just for the ambiance. And the cheesecake.
