Banaras House Cafe

Being situated opposite Lohiya Hospital in Gomti Nagar means we see a lot of tired people every day. It is a busy part of town, but our little shop is where people come to just sit down for a second. We make a lot of tea and coffee. The hospital staff often comes over during their breaks too. It is a lot of work keeping everything running from early morning until late at night. We do not have any fancy decorations or anything like that. Just some tables and chairs that have seen better days. I usually start the day very early to get everything prepared. The traffic outside never really stops. Sometimes the smell of the tea is the only thing that makes the place feel calm. I try my best to keep the floor clean but with so many people coming in and out, it is a tough job. We have a small kitchen in the back where we prep everything. It is nothing like the big modern places you see in the malls. Just a local shop for people who live and work nearby. Most of our regulars are the guys from the local offices. We talk about the weather or whatever is in the news. It is a simple routine that I have gotten used to. I have been here a while now and I know the neighborhood pretty well. It gets humid in the summer, so we keep the doors wide open to catch a breeze.