As a self-proclaimed tea expert, I am not stingy when it comes to expressing love for my favourite tea cafes. A good cup of tea needs to be admired and written about, just as the old poets waxed eloquent about daffodils and the moon. One of my favourite places to have tea in Hyderabad is Niloufer Cafe. I do not know how they do it, but they get it right every time. My trips to Lakdikapul have always included a quick 10-min pit stop at their roadside cafe that spills over with people even at 12 am. However, besides their consistency at brewing their fare, I have been admiring their business expansion skills lately. My admiration went up a notch after I visited their premium lounge in Banjara Hills.
One of my most boring fantasies in life is to visit a tea room in England. There is something about tea cafes which makes me feel sanguine about life. I dream of going to one of those place with Victorian aesthetics where tea is served in bone china sets, beside a three-tiered tray filled with cakes and scones.
I got a faint whiff of this dream on the third floor of Niloufer Lounge. The aesthetics of the place were not similar to my dream, but it did make me feel sanguine about life. The seating arrangement creates a sense of privacy through the way the furniture are arranged. The sofas are plush and comfortable, and soft instrumentals play in the background. A buzzer is provided to call the waiting staff, and of course, there is their trademark Irani tea. This lounge is the costliest among their offerings.
I think it's brilliant how they have priced the same tea in different brackets to tap the various economic segments. While the roadside cafe at Lakdikapul sells a cup at Rs 20, the one located further down the road sells it at around Rs 40 because the ambience is better. They sell it at a similar price range in Himayatnagar and Banjara Hills too.
At the premium lounge, the tea costs around Rs 200. Depending on your cash flow, mood and disposable time, you can decide which offering you would go for. (Please note that the prices are approximate).
PS: This vintage short movie is set around a tea room at a railway station. The story is great too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LguRis_h1qc&t=243s
PSS: Niloufer Cafe did not pay me to write this post.
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