Places to eat good breakfast in Bengaluru Basavanagudi Brahmins' Coffee Bar Shankarapuram Bangalore

The brew Basavanagudi wakes up to: Brahmins' Coffee Bar

Radhakrishna Adiga’s day begins at 4 am to supervise the preparation of Khara Bath and Kesari Bath, which are the iconic dishes of Brahmins' Coffee Bar at Shankarapuram, Bengaluru.

He likes to be punctual. The coffee bar opens at 6 am every day, even 5:59 am on most days. The landmark eatery starts off catering to students heading to coaching classes, joggers who finished their morning run, friends catching up over an early breakfast, bus drivers rushing to work, people running to catch early trains, employees rushing to their factories, and late night revellers grabbing an early breakfast.

Around 8 am, as regulars and inquisitive tourists line up for one of Bengaluru's most exhilarating tumblers of filter coffee, the establishment begins to bustle with activity. The eatery is busy, especially if you visit on the weekend (Sunday closed).

At every step, Mr. Adiga greets his customers with a hearty smile, as if they were age-old friends. He sits at the counter in the mornings, issuing tokens and exchanging pleasantries with customers and regulars.

The minimal elegance of Brahmins' Coffee Bar is what immediately catches your eye. Once you get your tokens, you walk into staff serving steaming hot idlis with their signature coconut chutney, and other dishes. On one side are the coffee jars.

There is little that can be classified as decor, other than a few antiquated photos and some stands for customers to place their plates while they stand and eat their breakfast. And yet, it has much more charm and flair than most modern cafes.

"When my father introduced the idea of self-service, which also required a customer to eat while standing, people laughed at him. People were surprised by the counter-culture," says Mr. Adiga.