Kolkata’s iconic Coffee House, hub of literatti reopens after 3 months with limited seats – Hindustan Times

The iconic Coffee House in Kolkata’s College Street reopened after more than three months with less than half the seating capacity, sans porcelain cups and dishes and limited items on the menu.

Entry has been banned without masks and at the entrance a poster has been displayed which says ‘No mask. No entry’. Each customer was being checked by a waiter, donning the usual white uniform and the headgear, with thermal scanners.

“We have reopened after more than three months. One may find many old items such as the white porcelain cups and dishes and the glasses missing. We are starting with a limited number of food items and beverages. One may not find the cutlet for now,” said Tapan Kumar Pahari, secretary of the Indian Coffee House.

Even though there are seating arrangements both on the ground floor and on the first floor, as of now only 25 tables instead of the usual 50 have been arranged on the first floor. The first floor hasn’t been reopened yet.

The Coffee House became integrated with the city’s heritage and culture – a meeting place for poets, artistes, literatti and people from the world of art and culture.

“I came here after almost 16 years. I had come to College Street for some work and just stepped in to have a cup of tea. It is giving me a nostalgic feeling,” said Subhashish Ghosh, one of the first customers.