Bengaluru’s next good roast

The Kind Roastery in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar is as much a design delight as it is for a caffeinated kick

25 Apr 2025

Finding a footing amidst a thriving coffee culture in a city like Bengaluru is no easy feat. But, the folks behind Kind Roastery had an inkling that ‘Luru would be lucky for them. And rightly so, as plenty of things hit the spot at this neighbourhood cafe, which brims with cosy corners and a laidback allure besides, of course, great coffee. Done with the right doses of creativity and an eye for spatial utility, Madhurima Kordale’s robust finesse over her craft shines through this project, executed via her venture, The Local Studio.

“Be it a customer who wants to grab a quick coffee on the go, or someone who wants a place to work peacefully, or a group who wants a dine-in experience.The clean design with the light quality and the funky floors allows the customer to be themselves, thus enhancing the overall experience of the customer,” reveals Madhurima Kordale, Principal Architect of The Local Studio, who credits the quaint neighbourhood café’s popularity to the funders crystal clear vision and strong ethics, which translate into a thoughtful yet free-spirited design language that echoes through every nook.

Flintstones tiles bring a lot of unique character to the outlet, and so do some of the two-seaters that are positioned around masonry planters with tall trees; Photography by Jubin Johnson

Plot twist

Spots with history always evoke intrigue. It’s no different in the case of this Indiranagar bistro. Built on an existing, compartmentalised layout—roughly built 50 years ago—adds character to the space. However, the new concept demanded significant structural changes — a plot twist, quite literally!

“The structure of the house is typical of that time; i.e., composite structure with load-bearing walls. We broke down almost all the possible partition walls in between to unify the space and allow the circulation to flow beautifully in the space,” outlines Madhurima.

The house’s plinth beams project nearly two feet above finished floor level. “We have introduced a play on texture on the plinth beams and the walls by finishing it with textured cement plaster similar to mud plaster walls with soft edges, painted in off-white, which brought a lot of Kind’s personality and character to the space,” adds the designer.

Significant iterations were also made to the window openings to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces, awash in a colour palette comprising shades like pastel pink, beige, terracotta and brown, enhanced by variation in materials and textures.

Beautifully handcrafted banana fibre pendant lights from Oorjaa lights and Beruru planters lend a timeless appeal to the interiors of the space; Photography by Jubin Johnson

The location of the brew bar at the Indiranagar store is integrated right at the entrance of the outlet, drawing immediate attention from the sidewalk of the 12th main road; Photography by Jubin Johnson

A 10 feet wide driveway of the house was converted into a beautiful double-height dining space, which turns into a private dining space when required with the addition of a roof and skylight.

Controlled dosage of colour was introduced with variation and differentiation in materials and textures. A certain degree of warmth is introduced into the space with wood textures in the furniture and rafters. “We also introduced fluted glass to add verticality to the space,” she smilingly states.

The real ‘flex’

Replete with movable and flexible seating while still maintaining a cluster-free environment, this is a cafe that is a mindful yet inviting space for patrons.

“The chairs and tables are curated such that they can mix and match with each other and can be moved around as required, thus allowing for expansion or change without compromising their integrity,” explains Madhurima. While it’s hard to take your eyes off the aesthetics, it is the quality roast that truly takes the spotlight at the Kind Roastery—and keeps it. Unsurprisingly, everyone’s game.

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