Café Turtle’s creaking wooden floors, tankha paintings on the walls leading up to it, and freshly made sherbets (notably kumquat, amla and jamun) give it a character missing in the trendier eateries. So, don’t complain when the homemade cakes, pies, pita pockets and salads are (occasionally) less than fresh or the drinks are watered down. The authors and PLUs who frequent Café Turtle don’t seem to mind either. It’s a gently paced, meditative hangout where you can spend hours reading a book and having your speciality coffee with a calzone.