Champa Gali

Delhi has never failed to come up with cute little surprises every now and then. So if you are looking to drive away Monday blues or vie for a taco Tuesday or just want an endearing dinky locale to take twee pictures and post it on your Instagrams, we at Holidify have come to your rescue. This time we bring to you the latest fad in town - Champa Gali. The newly established locale is gaining momentum and significant popularity not only for its scrummy food cafes but also for its Parisian alleys and glitzy labyrinthian setting. The spot offers a rustic old-world charm and is a blend of itsy bitsy cafeterias, coffee shops, art galleries and some organic knick-knack stores. The once ramshackled area of Saidulajaib next to Saket has been revived and is now adorned with tinsel light, cultural decor, fancy thematic setting and tiny seating spaces which are sure to take to you back to lanes and gullies of ‘Midnight in Paris’.

Cafes in Champa Gali and other Things to Do

So while you are out there, here is a list of cafes that you can visit.

1. Jugmug Thela
The inception of Champa Gali can be traced back to the opening of Jugmug Thela. The cafe was started as a tea stall inspired by the chaupal culture of rural India. The restaurant has a beautiful backyard under neem trees with wooden seating and green plantations. Also, it offers delicious shakes and a variety of snacks; not to forget their very famous masala chai.
The cafe also has an adjacent reading room where all you bibliophiles can head for a quiet session of reading in the pretty location.

2. Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters
The coffee chain was started by a Delhi couple and offers freshly brewed coffee of varied flavours. They also hold brewing sessions twice a week. Done in blue and beige, the cafe has a rustic old-world charm and wavers in soulful melodious numbers all day long.

3. Jugaad
This is a non-profit handicrafts shop and has a vast variety of handmade trinkets, books, handcrafted shrugs and bags etc.

4. People Tree- This is a design studio which offers hand printed stoles, block t-shirts, khadi apparels and other such similar stuff. It also has junk jewellery, organic skin care products, and published books etc.

5. PhoKing Awesome
The cafe has beautiful blue furniture and is tastefully done in tiny lights. It also provides delicious Vietnamese food and is among the newly opened restaurants at the place.

6. Soho Bistro & Cafe
Soho Bistro & Cafe is another adorable cafe in Champa Gali offering scrumptious shakes and delicious sandwiches.

7. Morellos
You can head to Morellos if you want a peaceful evening in a tiny cutesy cafe. What more, you can take lovely pictures to upload on your feeds.
8. The backyard of these cafes have a look of an open urban village and fairy-lit lanes with plants and wooden benches. These yards are ideal for impromptu poetry evenings, guitar gigs, music events, small book launches and similar such personalised events.
9. The alleys offer a vibe of French tradition and are a wonderful harmony of coffee and culture.
10. The young college crowd mostly visit in a group for poetry sessions or music gigs.
11. The art-driven people visit for the handicrafts and art museums based amidst the serene locale.
12. The Gali is extremely photogenic and most people are absolutely enamoured by the beauty. At most times, you will find people clicking pictures.

How did it come to be called Champa Gali?

When Blue Tokai- the coffee shop was established in the urban village, they brought in a lot of 'champa' plants for decor. Besides, the area already has a very traditional rural vibe to it with all the neem trees, the calmness and the serenity. And so, inspired by both of these factors, the place came to be called Champa Gali.

So what are you waiting for? Get up, dress up and show up! Experience the awesomeness of this little gully tucked in the heart of the chaotic city for a rejuvenating and peaceful affair.