By Pakhi Singh
When visiting Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, a trip to the Mall Road is a must. While strolling through the pleasant road, my family and I grew hungry. I whipped out my phone and searched for nearby cafés. The first result that popped up was Café Simla Times.
Scrolling through ratings, it appeared to be overhyped and received mixed reviews. However, the ambience in the photographs was appealing. So we decided to give it a shot.
The pictures did no justice to the cafe’s decor or view. I just could not get enough of the hill view so I quickly took out my phone and began photographing. What a charming way to lure us and now I am one of the many reviewers on the internet admiring their appealing atmosphere.
We straightaway picked seats overlooking the views of the hills and the city. It offers a 180-degree view of Shimla and a stunning sunset. But because we were early, the sun was intense and we had to move. The café also has an Open Terrace Bar and serves its speciality handcrafted in-house brewed beers. The pricing seemed a little high, but we ordered nonetheless, hoping the food would be worth the amount.
We ordered a farmhouse pizza, Kathi chicken and paneer roll, loaded nachos, two cappuccinos and a cold coffee. The service was slightly slow but till then we didn’t waste a minute, busily clicking a good number of photographs instead.
The thin-crust 6-piece farmhouse pizza was a good portion for 5-6 people. Sipping cold coffee while soaking in the winter sun is a perfect combo. We couldn’t take a picture of the Kathi rolls, because we dug right in as soon as they were served. The rolls were juicy and delectable. We loved the food and everyone was full and happy.
This café is undeniably crowded, but I still recommend visiting the place once with your friends and loved ones.
