A Peek into the Café Culture of Kohima

Nagaland, which is located in the north eastern part of India, is witnessing a rise in the café culture, especially in the state’s capital – Kohima.

Unlike previous generations who preferred tea (Cha) and home cooked meals, working millennials and Gen Zs choose coffee as their preferred beverage. Eating out has also become a common occurrence for them, and the small cafes in and around Kohima happen to be the ideal budget-friendly places, with attractive interiors, good food, and freshly brewed coffee, among other beverages.

A cosy place with tables and chairs with a calming ambience, where you can devour simple meals, snacks and beverages is precisely what a café refers to. Over the years, cafes have become more than just a space for eating and drinking, in fact, it has refined itself into a hotspot for local artists, writers, poets, students and working youths to relax and interact with likeminded individuals, after a hectic day. Cafes are more economical compared to fancy hotels and restaurants, and it has time and again proved itself to be the best budget friendly space for casual hangouts and creative gaieties. Small local cafes are frequently sought after by people looking for unconventional spaces that inspire creativity and radical dialogue.

Nagaland, which is located in the north eastern part of India, is witnessing a rise in the café culture, especially in the state’s capital – Kohima. Unlike previous generations who preferred tea (Cha) and home cooked meals, working millennials and Gen Zs favour coffee as their preferred beverage. Eating out has also become a common occurrence for them, and the small cafes in and around Kohima happen to be the ideal budget-friendly places, with attractive interiors, good food, and freshly brewed coffee, among other beverages.

A striking characteristic about Kohima’scafes is that a cluster of them encompasses a compact corner where they sell an assortment of items, such as, local ornaments, homemade pickles, craft works and books, made and written by the locals, helping the small scale home entrepreneurs to gain exposure and providing them a physical platform to sell their products.

With more than 50 cafés in Kohima, lack of community and recreational spaces, such as, museums, parks, art galleries and zoos, is largely made up by these cafes. This ‘café culture’ has also led to the emergence of food bloggers, who promotes the local cafes to their followers on social media platforms.

MenuleChirhah, a food blogger from Kohima, stated, “Since a small city like Kohima has limited spaces for youngsters and adults to relax in, cafes are the perfect outlets to let one’s hair down. I believe youngsters these days are not simply enjoying the coffee but are also at a point where they want to learn more about the process of making coffee; from the roasting and brewing to the different types of coffee beans and so on. This has piqued a new interest amongst the younger generations and older ones too in Nagaland. Besides, classes on barista trainings are being impartedin and around Nagaland and it is motivating to see the growth of new interests and hobbies among youngsters leading them to opening their own cafés. As for the growth of café culture in the state, she asserts that it will only continue to grow as café hopping is becoming a trend amongst the younger age groups.

Lagom Café, which started operating in October 2022, has a minimalistic space with a warm ambience. Located in Jail Colony, Kohima, the café has an eclectic menu that serves flavourful seasonal foods. The proprietor, Nangshirenla Jamir, said that her café serves an average number of 18 to 20 customers, daily.

No doubt, the copious cafes in Kohima have led to competition in the market and often result in loss of profits for some café owners. As for Lagom Café, Nangshirenla disclosed, “Due to the mushrooming of cafes, we try to balance it out by focusing on catering and home delivery as well.” She also expressed her views on the café culture by stating, “It is amazing to see Naga people become more entrepreneurial, while accepting the culture of eating out.”

People go to cafes and get a taste of well brewed coffee along with various savoury delicacies which results in their fondness for coffee and the custom of eating out, and this leads to the establishment of more food outlets or cafes in the city.

Cafes are one of the safest bets for a business startup, and in Kohima, people have begun to tap into this industry. KevithutoNeikha, a law student from Kohima is someone who likes to visit cafes at least twice a week as the environment of the cafes helps him to concentrate better and reset his mind. A regular coffee drinker, he states, “Many young people in Nagaland have started drinking coffee, thanks to the café culture. As a result of many cafes mushrooming in every nook and corner of the town, the standard of food and drinks is alsogetting lowered exponentially as business owners are more focused on providing aesthetically pleasing environments over good food and drinks.”

Since cafes serve as an atmosphere for casual hangouts, it is necessary to have pleasant interiors that creates an environment of relaxation and comfort. But fixating only on the interior decors isn’t enough as ‘Good food and Good beverage’ is what makes a café, after all. (The writer, KeletsinoMejura,is a student of Mass Communication Department,Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati)