Bengaluru’s iconic Vidyarthi Bhavan was in for a surprise on November 3 when the co-founder of Starbucks, Zev Siegl, visited the heritage eatery in the capital city of Karnataka. Zev was in town to attend the Global Investors Meet 2022 and dropped by to try the eatery’s famed masala dosa and filter coffee. Taking to their social media handle, Vidyarthi Bhavan shared pictures of Zev at the eatery, and said they were “happy and proud” to have him as a customer. In the pictures, we could see Zev enjoying some refreshing filter coffee, served to him traditionally in a tumbler (cup) and davarah (a small bowl-like structure). Besides, he also enjoyed a crispy masala dosa.
The pictures also showed him giving his reviews in a diary. Vidyarthi Bhavan shared a picture of his message, which read, “My friends, it is an honour to enjoy your famous food, coffee and warm welcome. I will take this wonderful experience with me back to Seattle. Thank you”. He added a doodled steaming cup of coffee, with three stars on it. Take a look at the pictures the South Indian eatery shared:
Images: Instagram @vidyarthibhavan
Zev co-founded Starbucks, an international chain of coffeehouses, in 1971 and served as a vice president and director until his departure from the company in 1980. He now works as a start-up consultant and business advisor.
On the other hand, Vidyarthi Bhavan was opened in 1943-44 as a canteen for students. Ever since then, it has become an iconic landmark in Bengaluru thanks to its masala dosa, which appears thick on the outside yet crispy as you savour it. Today, besides youngsters and working professionals, Vidyarthi Bhavan is also a hotspot for political leaders and literary icons.
It was also in the news recently when it shared a photograph of the newly elected Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak, from his visit to the eatery in 2019. Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy grew up in Bengaluru, and her parents - Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and author Sudha Murty, are regulars at the restaurant.
Apart from Vidyarthi Bhavan, Bengaluru has a number of other favourite eateries for filter coffee and crispy masala dosa. Here are some of our picks.
1. MTR
MTR (Mavalli Tiffin Room) needs no introduction. The 93-year-old south Indian eatery has numerous outlets throughout the city. To date, the filter kaapi and dosas here are a crowd puller at any given time. The masala dosa topped with a tiny bowl of melted ghee, paired with the filter kaapi is a combination unmatched.
2. CTR
Shri Sagar Central Tiffin Room (or CTR) dishes out the popular benne masala dosa, laden with melted butter and crispiness. And it is definitely food for the soul. This iconic restaurant was started in the 1920, but the flavour has been retained as the same as before.
3. Siddappa Hotel
Once you get to enter the Siddappa Hotel in Sampangi Rama Nagar, after an hour-long queue, and sample its iconic dosas, you would know how the que was worth the time and energy. The 30-year-old dosa stall is known to serve some of the best dosas and idlis in the city, and you can even order half dosas here. Run by a former weaver, Siddappa, who serves crispy golden and yummy dosas, this stall is worth a try when in Bengaluru.