What: Tata Starbucks 
Where: City Centre Salt Lake
Timings: 10am-11pm, daily
Pocket pinch: Rs 600-plus for two

Some places feel like home, no matter where you are in the world. For me, it’s Starbucks. To keep my weekly Starbucks Friday habit alive even halfway across the globe, I stopped by the brand-new location in City Centre Salt Lake recently for my caffeine fix. 

I sat beneath some of Starbucks’ signature coffee-themed wall art to surround myself with the coffee process. But the terrace outside, which sets this store apart from the other three Calcutta outlets, seemed like the perfect spot to catch up with a friend and sip under the shade — it definitely would have been my choice if I’d had my usual Starbucks buddy with me. 

But since I was here and she was back in London, I took the opportunity to taste some of the items I could only get in India. Coffee composes most of the UK menu, but here I found a much more expansive Teavana collection of sweetened and unsweetened varieties. Also, in the food section, to my surprise, I spotted Starbucks’ Calcutta exclusive specialities — the Chocolate Rossomalai Mousse and the Chomchom Tiramisu. As sweet as any Bengali dessert I’ve tried, these two were both creamy and delicious, but my heart belongs to the Rossomalai. It was the perfect treat for a chocoholic. Here are some faves for tea lovers.

After South City Mall and Acropolis in the south and Park Street in the heart of the city, Starbucks has travelled east to Salt Lake. The fourth outlet of the American coffee chain in Calcutta has come up next to Afraa Deli in City Centre Salt Lake. Spread over 1,750sq ft, the cafe has indoor and outdoor seating with a capacity of 59 covers. In keeping with the other outlets, this one, too, has easy and clutter-free decor and an array of hot and cold brews on the menu. “We are humbled and delighted by the warm welcome we have received in Calcutta. This is the first city in the country where we launched Starbucks with three stores. We are extremely optimistic about the city, and with the launch of our fourth store in less than six months, we would like to reiterate our commitment to Calcutta. Our aspiration is to delight customers here with the unique ‘Starbucks Experience’ that is built on three core fundamentals —  our coffee, our partners (employees) and our stores. We look forward to deepening coffee passion and enhancing customer experiences in Calcutta,” said Veetika Deoras, head — marketing, category and digital at Tata Starbucks Pvt. Ltd.

POP PICKS

For the tea-totaller, the Chai Latte is bae. Compared to the one served in the UK, this one is richer in taste, a little sweeter and more complex with a spice blend. We heart the touch of cinnamon on top.
Rs 195-plus (tall)

The Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls is unlike any other iced tea. It is a sweet, refreshing treat with bubbles made of real fruit juice, which gives an almost citrus-y pop to the beverage. Rs 310-plus (tall)

If you want to enjoy the monsoon, nothing beats a cup of flavourful Youthberry TM white tea, served hot and without milk or sugar. This includes hibiscus, acai, rose petals, and candied mango and pineapple, which was the dominant flavour. Rs 190-plus (tall)

Text: Hannah Johnson
Pictures: Pabitra Das