Vizag youth reflect on the growing cafe culture in town

COVID-19 changed more than the way we treat our bodies and health. The pandemic shed light on new ways to work remotely, run businesses from home, and also the power of social media. As soon as the restrictions were relaxed, coffee shops turned into favourite hangout spots, paving the way for the rapid growth of new cafes in Vizag. With good food and an internet connection, they have become the go-to workspaces with the new remote working culture in the IT sector while also attracting the college crowd to hang out on projects. Take a look at what the Vizag youth have to say about the growing cafe culture in Vizag.

“Among a vast number of cafes in the city, Pastry, Coffee, and Conversation remains to be my favourite. This cafe, located in the Dutt Island building, is our hangout spot for catching up with friends and for their signature food quality,” says Debanjana Talukdar, a college student. While she believes that coffee and college conversations go hand in hand, she also wished for a pet-friendly cafe to come up in the city. “PC&C has become our go-to spot on weekends when my friends and I gather around to work on college projects and enjoy a meal together. We swear by their Chocolate Mud Cake,” she concluded.

Bean Board won Falak Naaz’s affection owing to the array of baked delicacies that is a rare sight in the city. The college-going student also enthusiastically expressed, “The customer-friendly behaviour at Bean Board of letting visitors hang out even after finishing their food and work has a soft corner in my heart”. Falak remarked that she would love to see the rise of more study and work-friendly cafes in a hushed locality. 

“Working from home, though initially felt like a blessing, became boring and redundant to sit at home with no social life. Cafes played a major role, especially after the relaxation of pandemic rules,” said Bhavan Karri, a software engineer. “V Hangout is my go-to place. Be it work or to watch a cricket match, the cafe in Rushikonda is my favourite cafe in Vizag,” he added. With the new hybrid work culture, IT employees who work from home most days of the week choose to work from cafes. Bhavan said that he wishes to see more work-friendly cafes in Vizag with a good hourly package. He opined that this was the future, and people in vizag will be opting to work more from cafes.

Abhishek Kotaru, a final-year medical student, opined Coffee and Kitchen in Seethammadara is one of the most aesthetically beautiful cafes in Vizag. While speaking about his opinion on the growing cafe culture in Vizag, he said, “I’m not sure if the theme of a cafe would hold people’s attention long enough. In my opinion, a simplistic cafe with good views, comfortable seating and good food will do well”. Abhishek added that more cafes with solitary workspaces would find a place among the large IT youth in the city. He recommended trying Crunchy Chicken and filter coffee at Coffe and Kitchen. 

Also read: 6 busiest cafes in Vizag that are ever-bustling with youth

Though there has been a rise in the number of new cafes in Vizag, the work-friendly culture is yet to match the standards. Like cafes in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, cafes in Vizag must implement work-friendly packages and work on creating an environment. With more and more IT companies investing in the coastal city, we hope to see this culture pick up its pace very quickly.

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