Coffee, Tea and I

Coffee and tea are aromatic beverages essential for human survival at least, in any metropolitan city. A simple brimming cup and saucer can provide a fresh preface or an epilogue to each day. For me, it's almost a compulsive and ritualistic act to have my daily fill of tea, before I do anything else.
Mumbai is teeming with quintessential coffee houses to cater to your needs and quench your thirst for beverages, food and social interaction. Each place is unique and unparalleled, drawing attention to not just the food but the décor, design,intoxicating aroma of coffee and the overall ambiance. They can provide an invigorating break from the Bombay heat. Depending on where each is located, you have the opportunity to observe the locality and its inhabitants too. Here’s a tiny list of my favorites. If you’re living in Bombay, then you’ve, no doubt, visited these:
Probably the best known and most visited is Café Coffee Day or CCD. It seems to be located in every part of the city. Offering a wide choice of drinks and food, it’s really the ideal place to have a conversation. It's mostly frequented by adult and students alike. I don't think I've ever seen it empty. It's always filled with the sounds of people chatting animatedly which are punctuated with the music in the background. The music can get a bit too loud at times, though.
Barista is another huge favorite. It’s not just about the coffees, here. The décor, consisting of walls enveloped in a shade of bright and cheery orange helps create an ambivalent atmosphere. The service here is good too. The chocolate pastry is scrumptious especially when it's consumed with melted chocolate and ice cream. The Barista at Shivaji Park is an ideal spot to read a book, even write a book or engage in conversation, with the gentle lull of music playing. And adding to its charm, it’s overlooking a beautiful park.
Cha Bar is a quaint and quiet café, located at heart of The Oxford Bookstore at Churchgate. It has a gentle Oriental feel to it and it’s again perfect for flipping through a book with a cup of steaming hot tea. I also love the tables and chairs here, which seem to be quite exquisitely designed.
Costa Coffee, located at Phoenix Mills at Lower Parel, is quite idyllic too. It got rich sofas that you can sink into and have a variety of teas. The masala tea is what I usually end up having there. Try the muffins too!
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is essentially a California-based coffee house which has been set up in Bombay too. The cafe is embellished with wood tables, chairs, counters and a lively atmosphere. The walls too have bright colours like an emerald green but they always have a soothing effect on the eyes. They offer some really good sandwiches here.