International Coffee Day: 7 ways to experience coffee differently in Delhi

On International Coffee Day, explore Delhi’s coffee culture with guided tastings, café crawls, workshops, omakase experiences, coffee raves and brews on tap.

There was a time when “let’s get coffee” meant exactly that. Not anymore. In Delhi, the invitation can mean a guided tasting, a café-hopping trail, a workshop or even a daytime rave. The city’s coffee culture is becoming more experiential — and there’s plenty to explore beyond your regular order.

Coffee, three ways

A coffee omakase experience led by AJ (Ajit Joshi) at Caarabi Coffee Roasters, Saket

Pour Over Coffee Roasters’ Coffee Flight serves three 100ml pour-overs, letting you explore different origins, processing methods and roast profiles. It also comes with a cake, a palate cleanser and ‘Know Your Coffee’ tasting card. “With the growing popularity of home brewing in India, it gives mass consumers a great opportunity to decide what they enjoy. It’s part of our larger vision to develop spaces open to all where people can learn, taste and engage with coffee without any intimidation,” says founder Aditya Sharma.

Coffea Beans Roastery’s workshops explore India’s diverse coffee landscape through pour-over brewing, guided tastings and interactive Q&A sessions with experts. “We want to make people more curious about Indian coffee and help them experience it beyond just a regular cup. Our vision is to make specialty coffee more approachable, build a community around it, and help people discover their own preferences rather than simply telling them what good coffee should taste like,” say founders Agamjot Singh Kohli and Diljeet Singh. The next workshop is on October 11.

Where: Coffea Beans Roastery, JanakpuriPrice: ₹1,200 onwards per headFor timing and more info: DM @coffeabeansroastery

Coffee, the omakase style

Inspired by Japan’s omakase custom, Caarabi Coffee Roasters leaves the menu entirely to the host. The multi-course tasting features rare microlots and rotating specialty beans paired with curated small bites. Ajit Joshi, co-founder, says, “We adapted omakase for coffee by pairing each course with distinct flavour profiles and light bites. It’s a moment to pause, savour, and understand the complexity of the bean through mixology.”

Where: Caarabi Coffee Roasters, SaketPrice: ₹1,950 plus taxesFor timing and more info: DM @caarabicoffee

You decide the price

Tucked into Shahpur Jat’s winding lanes, microbar Kaala keeps coffee deliberately simple. Choose from two or three handcrafted brews, grab a spot by the window, and pay what you think it’s worth via QR code. With no Wi-Fi, air-conditioning or indoor seating, it’s all about good coffee and easy conversations with the baristas.

Where: Shahpur Jat, near Fashion StreetPrice: Pay what you wantFor timing and more info: DM @kaala.coffee

A crawl for the coffee curious

Instead of settling into one spot, Delhi Coffee Crawl takes participants across multiple venues, each offering a distinct theme and brew. Co-founders Parth Yadav and Sakshi Sharma started the initiative to slow down the café experience. “You don’t just have a cup and leave. You hear the story behind the space, understand what’s in your cup, meet the brewers, and connect with fellow coffee lovers,” they say. The crawls, capped at 10-15 people, keep the setting intimate. The upcoming Winter Crawl is set to run between mid-November and late December.

Where: Multiple locations across Delhi-NCRPrice: Varies per crawlFor timing and more info: DM @delhicoffeecrawl

Swap cocktails for coffee and a DJ set

Delhi’s coffee scene is turning up the volume with coffee raves that pair DJ sets, electronic beats and daytime dancing. At San Cafe & Churros, grab your coffee and fresh churros before heading to the dance floor, no sundowner required.

Where: GK, M-Block MarketPrice: ₹1,500 for twoFor timing and more info: DM @sancafeandchurros

Coffee, straight from the tap

At Odd Culture, coffee comes with a bit of draft-style drama. Draft taps dispense chilled, nitro-infused and kegged craft brews on order. Highlights include a miso brown butter iced latte made with oat milk and a Mont Blanc topped with orange cold foam. Kalita pour-overs, cold brews, and classic espressos are also available for traditionalists.

Where: Golf Course Road, GurugramPrice: ₹2,200 for twoFor timing and more info: DM @oddculture.in