Book cafés were places where writers, artists, and philosophers gathered, argued over, and nurtured ideas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With its blend of modern storytelling and old-fashioned charm, Kolkata has its own spin on it. These days, you can find bookshops in cafés all around the city. All of them offer spaces for reading, writing, or simply remaining calm. Some even have a blind date with a book, while others serve strong chai or gourmet brews. If you enjoy stories, tucked-away metropolitan noise, and coffee with an added dose of literature, these are definitely the top book cafés in Kolkata to visit.
12 Book Cafés In Kolkata To Nourish Your Reading Goals With Caffeine
Overview
Top 12 Book Cafés In Kolkata To Read At
Oxford Cha Bar
Like a scene from your current book, this is where all the BookTok girlies, bookworms, and literary romantics congregate. If you enjoy falling into a main-character mindset, the Cha Bar within Oxford Bookstore, Park Street, is the place to start your story. Purchase a book and immediately begin reading it while enjoying some tea and pastries. While enjoying what is arguably the largest selection of teas in Kolkata, including several tea-based mocktails, you can read and write at your leisure. With over 150 different types of tea, Cha Bar's tea menu includes Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Moroccan, Russian, Sri Lankan, South African and Thai teas in addition to a variety of single-origin Darjeeling, Nilgiri, Sikkim and Oolong teas, flowering teas, organic teas, herbal teas, fruit teas and bubble teas.
Google Rating: 3.9/5
Timing: 11 AM - 9 PM
Price: INR 850 for two
Must-Try: Walnut Cake, Fish and Chips, Quiche, Chocolate Truffle
Contact: 093300 20986
Instagram: @chabarofficial, @oxfordbookstores
Abar Baithak The Coffee Shop
This was the first café to pop up in Jodhpur Park and it owned the café scene in this hood. One of the most well-known in the city, Abar Baithak has undergone a revamp — it has two floors now and a theme centre around Kolkata’s favourite sleuth, Feluda. They also have books on sale along with other things like funky coffee mugs, bags and cushions. There’s a carrom board too, but you have to be lucky to find that spot empty! It’s spread over two floors. Books by Satyajit Ray, Sherlock Holmes, and Rabindranath Tagore abound on the bookshelf. Enjoy a classic book while munching on a Chicken Salami sandwich and drinking Hazelnut Coffee. You can stand on the balcony, sit in the wooden half-sphere seats, or snap an Instagram-worthy photo with Utpal Dutt in Maganlal Meghraj's cartoon.
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Timing: 10 AM - 10 PM
Price: INR 950 for two
Must-Try: Fish and Chips, Fried Chicken, Cold Coffee, Watermelon Fizz, Chicken Salami Sandwich, Hazelnut Coffee, Masala Chai, Caramel Pudding
Contact: 0334003 6777
Instagram: @abarbaithak
Café Story By Chai Break
Story has a decent selection of books, spread across multiple floors, as well as stationery and gift options. Upstairs, you will find a veggie-friendly cafe run by Chai Break, with usual suspects listed on the menu – salads, pastas, pizzas and various cool and warm beverages. The bookshop Chai Break is housed within the Story Mall, operates the cafe. The presence of books creates a happy and pleasant atmosphere. This is the best spot for bookworms.
Google Rating: 4.2/5
Timing: 8 AM - 2 AM
Price: INR 1,100 for two
Must-Try: Korean Cup, Caesar Salad, Dirty Fries Manchurian, Fried Rice, Chili Garlic Noodles, Dalchini Adrak Chai
Contact: 08335063204
Instagram: @chai_break
Coffee O Kobita
Trying out a cafe with books in North Calcutta is as nostalgic and Ray-esque as your Pinterest Calcutta pins. That’s what Cafe Coffee O Kobita will give you, along with a side of books that will pique your interest. Spread across two floors — the one on top being the more spacious one, the theme of this café is Kolkata — the interiors depict the city, the skyline, and the cultural pioneers like Ray et al. The top floor is almost entirely Feluda-themed, with his novellas stacked along the shelves. Loved how quirky the menu card was, the outer cover made it look like an old newspaper, which was filled with information about Kolkata, the Shyambazar area, Rabindranath Tagore, and everything that is signature Bengali. They have shelves full of books and board games too, lest someone gets bored. Pastas, meat platters, chello kabab, sandwiches, burgers, alakiv, fish and chips, and as the name suggests, this is a coffee lover’s paradise. You have a variety of brews to choose from, including espresso, Lavazza, and even hot chocolate if you’re having a particularly bad day. They offer you a notebook to compose and pen down any small literary piece if you want to, which they put up in what they call their ‘wall of fame’. It also has a ton of in-house merchandise like coffee cups and vintage kettles – great buys if you wish to take home souvenirs.
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Timing: 11 AM - 9 PM
Price: INR 700 for two
Must-Try: Hot Chocolate, Chicken Silican, Chelo Kebab and Blue Curacao
Contact: 098303 77704
Artsy Cafe
Long before they were popular, Artsy was ahead of the curve, establishing a perfect location for all those artistic book café fantasies. With teas from Goodwyn Tea and coffee roasts from Blue Tokai and Bili Hu, Artsy serves farm-to-cup coffee. The Breakfast Club's special menu all day has to be on your morning routine. The quietness of the cafe really pulls in people. Grab your book or a book from their shelf and just spend hours on end here. The best part of the cafe is a section with an overhanging plant section and a long table — perfect for meetings when you’re in the mood to run away from the office. Also, do not miss out the righthand side of the wall, which has an art piece called 'window', because you’re sure to get an aesthetically pleasing shot!
Google Rating: 4.4/5
Timing: 8 AM - 10:30 PM
Price: INR 1,200 for two
Must-Try: Cortado, Tiramisu French toast, Eggs Benedict, Lotus Biscoff pancakes, Coconut milk iced coffee, Salted caramel hot chocolate
Contact: 09163553395
Instagram: @artsyinkolkata
Travelistan
Every nook and corner of this coffee shop will incite some serious travel obsession in you. Look up and you will see a colourful world map on the ceiling, and running around the rim are figures from Tintin comics ostensibly to get to point X, which is Travelistan. Owners Paromita and Arijit feel there’s no traveller as big as Tintin. Look out for the sprawling, intricately detailed ink sketches of Kolkata by renowned artist Rathin Mitra, and the framed photos of landscapes, mountains, birds and wildlife sent by friends and travellers. You can just settle down with a cup of coffee, tea and a book. The tea they serve is authentic, coming from some of the best tea estates in West Bengal like Makaibari, Gopaldhara, Sungma , and more. Live through travel writers and photographers, like poet and author Kamal Chakraborty, who has restored a forest in an arid environment, and Parimal Bhattacharya, who has lived and worked in Darjeeling and authored multiple books about the town, including No Path In Darjeeling Is Straight.
Google Rating: 4.2/5
Timing: 11 AM - 11 PM
Price: INR 600 for two
Must-Try: Chicken Fingers, Pork Chops, Kitkat Shake, Baked Fish and Pork Ribs
Contact: 08017550408
Instagram: @travelistan.in
Potboiler Coffee House
This is the type of place that always gets things right! With a location in Salt Lake, it's a Scandinavian-inspired cafe that perfectly balances fashion and functionality. Cosy, friendly, and just the proper amount of warmth. Without exaggeration, each dish is a masterpiece. However, Potboiler's coffee—none of that mediocre, forgettable stuff—is what makes it stand out. There's a section near the huge glass windows, decked up with a string of lights hanging from the ceiling, with a wall displaying our favourite Dumbledore-Snape dialogue - "After all this time? Always." Now for the menu—or, perhaps more accurately, the "literary" menu. They serve coffee and tea with titles like To Kill A Macchiato, The Latte Of The Rings, Murder On Orient Aero-Press, The Scarlet Bean, The Old Man And The Tea, and The God Of Small Darjeelings.
Google Rating: 4.1/5
Timing: 10 AM to 10 PM
Price: INR 1,000 for two people
Must-Try: Bagel with Herb Creamcheese, Pesto Garlic Chili Butter and Cheese open sandwich, Spanish Latte, and Ristretto
Contact: 09330677989
Instagram: @potboilercoffee
Tribe Cafe
Say hello to this awesome book cafe called Tribe located bang opposite the Arambagh food mart near Momo I Am. It's a splash of colours, books and wall art as soon as you enter the space. With over 2,000 books, a couple of guitars, paintings, photographs, and wall art, this cafe is sure to light up your Instagram feed with its many Insta-worthy corners and spots. One section of the cafe is adorned with books across genres. All of them are donated and acknowledge those who donated them as part of the 'tribe'. Watch out for the tin frames adorning the walls when you enter the cafe. Those tin frames have brand ads from Rolls-Royce, Vim, Coca-Cola, and more, from decades ago, giving a vintage feel to the space. It's all about breakfast, sandwiches, Italian, and Continental food. They have a variety of tea and coffee options that you shouldn't miss out on. The cafe keeps holding workshops, open mic nights, and slam poetry sessions every now and then. Reach out to them if you're an artist and wish to display your work for the public to see. They are open to displaying and putting up for sale all kinds of artwork.
Google Rating: 4.4/5
Timing: 11 AM - 11 PM
Price: INR 600 for two
Must-Try: Cheese Balls, Polpettes, Spinach and Corn au Gratin, Caesar Salad Wrap and Tribe Special mocktails
Contact: 07044159121
Instagram: @tribekolkata
The Melbourne Cafe
Another bookish place, this well-known cafe is known for its hot beverages and treats, particularly roasted coffee and pastries. To be honest, it's a great place for book lovers and anyone with a sweet appetite who enjoys all coffee flavours. The list is endless and includes Cappuccino, Coffee Hazelnut, Chocolate Doughnut, Chicken Shawarma, Croissant, and Shawarma Wrap. It's decorated with mugs, mirrors, books, and framed pictures of Australian animals, including kangaroos, dairy cows, and even the great cricketer Don Bradman. I love it! The Melbourne Cafe serves a unique dessert that really shines in a cosy and inviting setting. Their Red Velvet Cake is evidence of their dedication to flavour and quality. Highly recommended for everyone who enjoys dessert!
Google Rating: 4/5
Timing: 9:30 AM - 10 PM
Price: INR 350 for two
Contact: 09748770363
Instagram: @melbournecafeindia
Boho Trunk
Say hello to Boho Trunk, a cafe-cum-store located in a narrow lane opposite South City Mall on Prince Anwar Shah Road. Done up in shades of orange, teal, and royal blue, Boho Trunk is a stunning space that brings art, fashion, and food under one roof. Take a seat at the cafe and gorge on some delicious Chinese and Continental dishes like Pataya Fish, Chilli Pork Burger, Fish and Chips, Mango Salads, and Chilli Mango Prawn. They’ve also got different varieties of soups, sandwiches, eggs, and Asian appetisers. The 35-seat café is divided into three rooms with both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned dining sections. The interior of the cafe is roomy and has tables that can accommodate four people. It looks lively and goes well with the oak flooring thanks to a pop of colour on the windows and doors. Cane basket ceiling lights provide a unique lighting effect.
Google Rating: 4.4/5
Timing: 8:30 AM - 10 PM
Price: INR 1,000 for two
Must-Try: Classic French Fries, Dumplings, BBQ Chicken Wings and Sizzling Brownie with Ice Cream
Contact: 07003182337
Instagram: @bohotrunkk
Colab Coffee
Comfy couches, books and your fav cup of coffee, tea and snacks. It's a bookworm's dream come true. Nestled in South Kolkata is Colab Coffee. It is warm, compact, and has that lingering, comforting coffee smell. They make cake, bread, and coffee. You can just eat, or you can work or read. Or don't. It's up to you. The music, the outdoors, and the rustic, old-school furnishings create an atmosphere that you will really enjoy at this café. Furthermore, the aesthetics of this café will allow you to relax with your squad, your partner, or even by yourself. While the tables are compact, they lend an intimate setting, excellent for deep conversations or unspoken thoughts.
Timing:10 AM - 10 PM
Price: INR 850 for two
Must-Try: Pea and Broccoli Hummus on Freshly Baked Rosemary Toast, Chemex coffee, Traditional Pepperoni Pizza, Blueberry Cheesecake and Cool Orange Brew
Contact: 089107 80424
Google Rating: 4.3/5
Instagram: @colabcoffeecalcutta
4 Coins Cafe
If you are searching for book cafés in Kolkata on Google and 4 Coins Cafe is not included, that is simply awful. Books, coffee, and really good food are all available at this hidden gem in Lake Gardens. This place is a perfect fit for Kolkata, which has always been known for its art, culture, and bookish vibe. With its laid-back atmosphere, mouthwatering meals, and book-themed décor, it's already creating a stir. You'll see everything from Game of Thrones to LOTR and Harry Potter. You should definitely put it on your list because it's quite new as well.
Timing: 8 AM - 11 PM
Price: INR 800 for two
Must-Try: Pesto Pasta, Drums of Heaven 4 Coins Special Pizza and Fish Fingers
Contact: 079806 96906
Google Rating: 4.5/5
Instagram: @fourcoinscafe
