First thing I do after entering NYA Cafe is to rummage through my bag for the novel I was reading. Disappointed that I’m not carrying it, I lose myself in contemplation, gazing at the foliage in the Hill Palace Museum campus, located across the road.
“I host a lot of people from around the world through Couchsurfing and over tim
e developed a love for coffee and pizza. So, we focus on these two in our outlet,” informs Sujith Pulpara, who runs the cafe along with his sister Soumya Kishore. His personal touch is seen in everything including the locally-made pinewood furniture, Chekutty dolls adorning the doorway and murals inspired by the historic Ellora Cave paintings, done roughly to reflect the age.
Espresso yourself
The owners are keen on using a manual, French-made coffee machine alongside single-plantation arabica bean. “The drink has to be brewed at 70-90 degrees to retain the flavours,” he says, serving me a cappuccino with a spice crown pizza.
The coffee’s warm fragrance sure entices the South Indian in me and it goes well with the thick crust (that’s surprisingly fluffy) loaded with jalapenos, olives, onions and sausage.
“We’re currently sourcing our bread from elsewhere but aim to move it in-house in a month’s time and also experimenting to bring in some local influences in pizza,” informs the IT professional who’s also known for his work with Triba (an eco-conservation group).
If you’re craving a short meal while in the area, skip their burgers with store-bought patties and opt for the mild sandwiches filled with veggies. The Mexican spicy wrap—which use tortillas rather than rotis as is common—are stuffed with spiced crispy fried chicken.
“More than just an eatery I hope to turn this into a cultural hub with storytelling events and art workshops,” Sujith winds up. This is exactly why I intend to return here, and for the coffee, of course.
From 11 am to 11 pm.