TFT Travels: Cafe Simla Times

What was intended to be a quick stop for an afternoon coffee stretched into a sundowner thanks to the view, friendly service and yum snacks.

I was visiting my family in Shimla after 12 years, so there was a lot to take in between various lunches and dinners and teas. During a walk on mall road, Aesh and I both felt the need for a pick-me-up, so we decided to check out the highly recommended Cafe Simla Times.

I ordered an Irish coffee, was pleasantly surprised that they were making it with real whisky, and that it tasted so good. No flavoured syrups here.

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I’m sure the view helped, but the coffee itself was good. But who can enjoy coffee without a snack?

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The pizza sauce was tasty, and actually the best part was the base. It tasted homemade. Good call to order this pizza! We also indulged in dessert, because we had an inkling they would do a good job of it. And they did. An afternoon well spent.

When you walk into Cafe Simla Times on a cold Shimla afternoon, you feel cozy and comforted. It’s done up in bright shades of yellow and green with wooden tables and a spectacular view. As soon as we sat down we saw this:

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A little piece of rainbow in the sky or a sign from the gods that we were in the right place. The cappuccino I ordered was really good, and while I usually don’t enjoy farmhouse pizzas, this one felt fresh and more-ish. In that it made us want to eat more.

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An apple tart with vanilla ice cream. Not the best I’ve had, but the warm cinnamon apples and ice cream tasted so good as we looked at the sunset over Shimla. It all adds up, and where Cafe Simla Times lacks in food it makes up for with service and ambience. The perfect stop to rest weary limbs that have walked up and down mall road too much.

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Cafe Simla Times, The Mall, Adjacent to Hotel Willow Banks, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171001. Call them at 098160 76512.

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