My favourite coffee stories!

I sit and unwind with friends once in a while. Yes! I do that, even after the hectic schedule that bogs me down on a regular basis.

I make sure to manage some time to catch up with my friends' lives as they do with mine. We simply relax; plopping on a cosy couch, ordering some coffee, and discussing almost everything under the sun.

These mini 'get-togethers' over coffee are very important to our lives, because how else would we know how Greta Thunberg smirked at Trump at the UN Climate Summit, or how Hasan Minhaj, with his unique comedic voice, made a mimicry of his dad messing up English?

….how?

To be more precise, these mini get-togethers over coffee get us through the most tiresome weeks. Hence, we are always on the lookout for the coming weekend — to our mini stress relief sessions with bouts of Oxytocin discharge.

One thing you must have noticed by now is that the term coffee has been mentioned repeatedly.

Well, here's the catch. All these therapeutic meet-ups would become very dry without the aromatic presence of freshly brewed coffee.

So, yes! That is probably another one of our secrets to successful attempts at get-togethers.

No one can turn down the lucrative 'smell of good feelings.'

By now, you should be able to piece together that coffee joints are an integral aspect of our so-called 'sane' lives. And thankfully, Dhaka has no shortage of outstanding coffee shops, with that homely feel that we are always on the lookout for. The following are just a few of my personal favourites.

North End Coffee Roasters

Amazing coffee, cosy ambiance, and super friendly servers! The major benefit of this joint is that there are quite a few branches of this coffee shop, and you can choose to frequent whichever is more convenient, in terms of proximity.

You like being labelled as a hermit; no problem at all! North End provides a range of books to read while sipping coffee — you don't have to mingle if you don't want to.

Get their Hazelnut Latte or their Cappuccino. Can't go wrong with either.

Gloria Jean's Coffee

GJC is quite famous amongst youngsters because it is currently one of the hottest and happening places in Dhaka. If you are dressed in fine garments and want the world to know about it, GJC is definitely the perfect go-to place for all sorts of show and tell!

We are completely opposite to this, so why do we hop in? …for the excellent coffee, the scrumptious sandwiches and some loud discussion — which is surprisingly not frowned upon.

For hermits — this is a 'no-go' place!

Order some Coco Loco and Fruit Chillers and you'll immediately become a fan.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

If you are in the mood for specialty coffee, ice blended drinks or a plain cappuccino, then Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is your go-to place for this, and more. Hermits and nouveau anti-socialites like myself, we love this place because it provides us with that 'peace of mind' we long for throughout the week. A place that is not thronging with chatterboxes, loud noises, or chaotic honking from the streets!

If you occasionally love to have tea instead of coffee — then this is definitely your type of coffee shop.

Butlers Chocolate Cafe

Chocolate lovers should thank the owners for bringing this particular coffee joint to Dhaka. If you are one of those people who think nothing pairs best with coffee other than chocolate, then you are definitely at the right place.

Go for Caramel Macchiato or White hot chocolate – you won't regret it!

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Coffee: North End Coffee Roasters