A gravity-defying coffee pot from Italy called Napoletana, a classic red Moka pot, an archaic cast iron coffee grinder from Karaikudi and an Ottoman era-esque brass coffee mill. These and numerous collectables line up the shelf at Naad, Hyderabad’s new-gen roastery, bistro, bakery and academy. “This is not a cafe,” quip Vikas Passary and Kshitij Bhuraria as I meet the duo on a sun-drenched afternoon at the 12,000 sq ft destination that seems to be ever-expansive, bordered by the city’s historic lake, Durgam Cheruvu, on the far end of the road. Designed by Shankar Narayan Architects, Naad allows plenty of moments to linger and zoom in on objects and tactile details.
The entrance, through a tall glass facade, punctuates an open roastery with jute bean sacks and huge machinery in clear sight. Neighbouring it, a brewing station and a counter for fresh bakes extend into a nook ornamented with jars of fermented tepaches and kombuchas. Up a short flight of stairs on the mezzanine, I’m tucked inside a pod-like library amidst a personal collection of coffee tools and books foraged by co-founder Marc Tormo, the Spanish coffee expert and Q Grader, who made Auroville his home since 1996; where he also first met Vikas and Kshitij at his cafe, leading them to collaborate and create Naad.
"Our first brief was to build on the legacy of Indian Coffee House and my nostalgic memories of going there in Chandigarh and Raipur"
