Coffee or chocolate?

For Hyderabadis, Roastery Coffee House and Manam Chocolate Karkhana need little introduction. Both home-grown brands have built a loyal following by doing their respective crafts exceptionally well. Now, each has added something new to the city’s food and beverage scene—one for coffee lovers, the other for chocolate enthusiasts. And if you cannot choose between the two, there is no reason to.

Roastery Coffee House: A New Brew of Hyderabad

Nine years after opening its first café in Hyderabad, Roastery Coffee House has come home with its 15th outlet, in Film Nagar, Jubilee Hills. The newest café pays homage to Hyderabad’s architectural heritage, taking its cues from the elegant arches of Taramati Baradari and bringing them into a contemporary café setting. Traditional Kalamkari-inspired upholstery adds another distinctly local touch.

Founded in Hyderabad in 2017 by Nishant Sinha, Roastery has grown from a single Banjara Hills café into a speciality coffee brand with outlets across several Indian cities and even Helsinki. Yet, coffee remains at its heart. The brand works exclusively with Indian speciality beans from regions such as Chikmagalur, Coorg and Tamil Nadu, with coffees scoring 80 points or above and roasted in-house. “Every new café is exciting, but opening another one in Hyderabad is always emotional because this is where Roastery was born. When we started in 2017, we simply wanted to introduce people to great Indian speciality coffee. The love and support we received from Hyderabad encouraged us to dream bigger. Even today, this city feels like home.” says Nishant Sinha.

At the Film Nagar café, the menu moves comfortably between espresso-based favourites, manual brews, cold coffees and seasonal creations. Its signature Cranberry Coffee remains a conversation starter, while an all-day menu of comforting food and desserts makes the café equally suited to a leisurely meal or a coffee break. It is, quite fittingly, a new neighbourhood space with Hyderabad at its heart.

Manam Chocolate Beverage Bar: Chocolate, Your Way

If coffee can be an art, Manam is proving that chocolate can be one too. The new Chocolate Beverage Bar at Manam Chocolate Karkhana in Banjara Hills turns Indian craft chocolate into an interactive drinking experience.

The compact 100 sq ft bar is designed around conversation. Start by choosing from 14 craft chocolate couvertures, ranging from white and caramelised white chocolate to 100% dark. Then decide whether you want it hot or cold, choose your milk, and watch the Chocolate Beverage Baristas transform your selection into a drink, usually within 10 minutes. You can sip your creation at the bar, carry it through the Karkhana or pair it with one of its pastries or savouries.

For founder Chaitanya Muppala, the Beverage Bar is a natural extension of the brand’s larger vision. “At Manam Chocolate, we’ve always believed that chocolate is far more than a confection—it is an ingredient, a craft and a story of origin,” he says.

There are more than 24 beverages across five categories, from the Hazelnut Praline Latte and Guntur Chilli Milk Chocolate to an Iced Tiramisu Latte and indulgent Chocolate Chunk Cookie Shake. Plant-based options include Blueberry Oat Iced Chocolate and Chakkarakeli Banana Iced Chocolate. What makes the experience particularly appealing is its Indian identity. The chocolate is made with cacao sourced primarily from Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari region, alongside Kerala-origin cacao.

Coffee or chocolate? In Hyderabad right now, the more tempting answer might simply be: both.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vijaya Pratap

Vijaya Pratap[email protected]