On its eighth anniversary, this comfy Kolkata café curates a highly affordable adda menu

Deshaj Store and Cafe in Ballygunge, recreates the Bengali adda and snack-time nostalgia through its new menu

This affordable eighth anniversary at Deshaj Store and cafe is worth having

Check out the new menu at Deshaj Store and Cafe Photos- Sourav Banerjee

Updated on:

10 Aug 2025, 4:58 am

3 min read

If you want to gift yourself a quite me-time retiring from the craziness of city life, then here’s the place to visit. Co-founded by Gopal Poddar and Sonali Chakraborty, the Deshaj Store & Café reflects the quietness of Indian ruralscape right in the heart of the city. With a cosy café to chill inside and outdoors and a store which promotes Bengal’s handicrafts, this is a stop that you need to make. With time, the store recently completed eight years and has come up with a menu curated by Chef Shakyasingha Chakraborty that makes you want to bring along your friends for a wonderful evening adda. We headed over to check out what the menu holds for us on a cold rainy evening and truly we weren’t disappointed.

The Handrolled Light Smokey Cold Brew forms a part of the refreshing menu at Deshaj Photo - Sourav Banerjee

We started off by sipping the Handrolled light smokey cold brew tea which offered a unique smokey flavour on our palate. It hits all the right notes and set the mood. The best part? The aroma and earthy notes of the bhaanr it was served in added an extra zing to the smokiness of the cold brew transporting us back to rural Bengal.

Check out highly innovative dishes at Deshaj

Innovation and nostalgia plays in the Khoier Bora with gur lanka Chatni at Deshaj Photo - Sourav Banerjee

Up next was Khoier bora with gur lanka chatni. The old-school khoi which often forms part of breakfast or evening snack made into a crispy outside fluffy inside, the fry was the best thing served on the menu. For fish –lovers, the Gondhoraj lote jhuri chop with its smooth fish filling and crispy crust, with a subtle Gondhoraj flavour is a must-try. What changed the taste of the fried snacks was the accompanying Gur and Lanka chatni, a recipe from Pabna straight out of Chef’s grandmother’s handbook.

The refreshing tea and coffee infusions at Deshaj are worth trying out

Gondhoraj and tea go hand in hand in the Gondhoraj First Flush drink at Deshaj Photo - Sourav Banerjee

Keeping up with the season the Mango panna and triple arabica coffee cold brew, was a fusion of lightly-spiced Aam Panna with cold brew. Along with it, we sat cropped up on the sofa with a thonga made with banana leaves containing Aam peyanji muri makha combo. The sweetness of mango and caramelisation of onion, gave it an interesting twinge along with the pungency of mustard-oil puffed rice mix. We wrapped up the meal with Gondhoraj first flush, another subtle drink on the taste-buds.

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