In the quiet heart of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) campus in Bhopal, one finds a familiar red-and-white board carrying a name that resonates across India’s academic, cultural, and political landscapes — Indian Coffee House.
This isn’t just a cafeteria; it’s part of a national cooperative movement that has sustained India’s intellectual and social pulse since the mid-20th century. Run by the Indian Coffee Workers’ Cooperative Society (I.C.W.C.S.) Ltd., Jabalpur, and affiliated to the All India Coffee Workers’ Cooperative Society Federation Ltd., Delhi, this branch continues a legacy dating back to 1958 — a year proudly printed at the top of its menu board.
Below, the menu itself becomes a historical document — a testament to continuity, adaptation, and democratic hospitality.
THE MENU: A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPTION
(From the menu board at IISER Bhopal Campus)
INDIAN Coffee HOUSE
RUN BY I.C.W.C.S. LTD., JABALPUR, AFFILIATED TO A.I.C.W.C.S. FEDERATION LTD., DELHI
ESTD. 1958 REGD NO. 1485 GSTIN: 23AAA TI0884Q1ZA
BEVERAGES
Hot Coffee
Tea
Horlicks
Milk
Ice Coffee
Cold Coffee
Cold Coffee with Ice Cream
Lemon Tea
Lemon Soda
Lime Water
Lime Soda
ICE CREAMS
Ice Cream Pineapple
Ice Cream Strawberry
Ice Cream Vanilla
Ice Cream Chocolate
Ice Cream Butter Scotch
Ice Cream Kesar Pista
Ice Cream Nut Fruit
SANDWICHES
Vegetable Sandwiches
Jam Sandwiches
Egg Sandwiches
Chicken Sandwiches
GRILLED SANDWICHES
Grilled Veg Sandwich
Grilled Egg Sandwich
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
Cheese Sandwich
Cheese Egg Sandwich
Cheese Chicken Sandwich
SOUP
Tomato Soup
Veg Soup
Mushroom Soup
Sweet Corn Veg Soup
Sweet Corn Chicken Soup
Hot & Sour Veg Soup
Hot & Sour Chicken Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Clear Soup
SNACKS
Masala Dosa
Sada Dosa
Onion Dosa
Butter Dosa
Paneer Masala Dosa
Cheese Masala Dosa
Mysore Masala Dosa
Paper Dosa
Cheese Paper Dosa
Idly (2 Piece)
Vada (2 Piece)
Idly Vada (2 + 1 Piece)
Onion Uthappa
Plain Uthappa
Tomato Uthappa
Veg Cutlet (1 Piece)
Egg Cutlet (1 Piece)
Fish Cutlet (1 Piece)
Egg Omelette
Bread Omelette
Veg Burger
Paneer Burger
Cheese Burger
Chicken Burger
Veg Roll
Egg Roll
Chicken Roll
Samosa (2 Piece)
Pav Bhaji
Veg Puff
Egg Puff
Chicken Puff
Veg Patties
Egg Patties
Chicken Patties
Veg Bonda
Veg Pakoda
Onion Pakoda
Veg Chop
Dal Vada (2 Piece)
Tomato Bhajji
Mirchi Bhajji
Bread Pakoda
Bread Toast (Plain)
Bread Butter Toast
Cheese Toast
Cheese Chilly Toast
Veg Cutlet (2 Piece)
Egg Cutlet (2 Piece)
Fish Cutlet (2 Piece)
RICE, PULAO & BIRYANI
Rice Plain
Rice Fried
Jeera Rice
Curd Rice
Veg Pulao
Peas Pulao
Veg Fried Rice
Paneer Fried Rice
Egg Fried Rice
Chicken Fried Rice
Mutton Fried Rice
Veg Biryani
Paneer Biryani
Egg Biryani
Chicken Biryani
Mutton Biryani
EGGS
Boiled Egg (2 Piece)
Half Fry
Egg Curry
Egg Masala Curry
Egg Mughlai
THALI
Mini Thali
Veg Thali
South Indian Thali
Special Thali
Chitra Thali
MEALS: INDIAN VEG
Roti
Roti Butter
Paneer Butter Masala
Paneer Kadai
Paneer Do Pyaza
Shahi Paneer
Mutter Paneer
Palak Paneer
Paneer Bhurji
Paneer Kofta
Veg Kofta
Aloo Dum
Aloo Gobhi
Aloo Matar
Aloo Palak
Veg Curry
Veg Butter Masala
Veg Kadai
Veg Do Pyaza
Veg Bhurji
Mixed Vegetable
Bhindi Fry
Bhindi Masala
Chana Masala
Dal Fry
Dal Tadka
Dal Makhani
MUTTON
Mutton Curry
Mutton Do Pyaza
Mutton Korma
Mutton Masala
Mutton Rogan Josh
Mutton Bhuna
Mutton Kadai
Mutton Mughlai
Mutton Butter Masala
CHICKEN
Chicken Curry
Chicken Masala
Chicken Do Pyaza
Chicken Korma
Chicken Rogan Josh
Chicken Bhuna
Chicken Kadai
Chicken Mughlai
Chicken Butter Masala
CHINESE NON-VEG
Egg Fried Rice
Egg Chowmein
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Chowmein
Chicken Noodles
Chicken Chilly
Chicken Garlic
Chicken Manchurian
Chicken Hot & Sour Soup
Chicken Mushroom Soup
Chicken Sweet Corn Soup
KERALA SPECIAL BIRYANI
Kerala Special Chicken Biryani
Kerala Special Mutton Biryani
ICE CREAM (Top N Town)
Vanilla Cup
Strawberry Cup
Pineapple Cup
Choco Bar
Kesar Pista
Magic Cone
📍 IISER CAMPUS, BHOPAL (M.P.)
A COOPERATIVE TRADITION BREWED IN HISTORY
The Indian Coffee House chain has an origin unlike any modern café. Its roots lie in postcolonial labor movements and the collapse of the British-run Coffee Board cafeterias in the 1950s. When these were slated for closure, the workers formed cooperatives — first in Bangalore and later in other cities — reclaiming the establishments as worker-owned cafés.
Each branch is run by a regional cooperative, such as the Indian Coffee Workers Cooperative Society (I.C.W.C.S.) Ltd., Jabalpur, responsible for the Madhya Pradesh units, including the one at IISER Bhopal. These cooperatives are federated under the A.I.C.W.C.S. Federation Ltd., Delhi, maintaining shared heritage but independent operation.
This cooperative structure means:
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The workers own and manage the establishment collectively.
-
Profits are shared rather than extracted.
-
The décor and menu are standardized and affordable, reflecting continuity rather than branding.
READING BETWEEN THE LINES: WHAT THE MENU TELLS US
A close reading of the menu reveals several fascinating layers:
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Inclusivity Across Diets:
The menu spans vegetarian, egg, chicken, and mutton options, but without alcohol or pork — consistent with the chain’s secular and inclusive ethos catering to students, office-goers, and families alike. -
Pan-Indian Palette:
From Dosa, Idly, and Vada to Roti, Paneer Butter Masala, and Biryani, the offerings blend South Indian café culture with North Indian meals, echoing the linguistic and culinary diversity of post-independence India. -
Affordable Homeliness:
The repetition of items like Cutlets, Thalis, and Butter Coffee evokes an era of simple, filling meals — not fine dining but sustenance with care. -
Echoes of the Socialist Past:
The absence of brand-heavy items (beyond “Top N Town” ice creams) speaks to an anti-corporate ethos, where the café’s value lies in accessibility and equality rather than profit margins. -
Student-Centric Comfort:
Located within the IISER Bhopal campus, this branch functions as a social commons — a space for affordable meals, long discussions, and solitude alike. In a scientific campus setting, its analog warmth contrasts beautifully with the high-tech environment.
THE INDIAN COFFEE HOUSE EXPERIENCE
Unlike global café chains, Indian Coffee Houses are unpretentious. The white-uniformed waiters with red turbans, the metallic tumblers of coffee, and the faded menus together create an atmosphere of continuity — a place where generations of students, activists, and thinkers have gathered.
At IISER Bhopal, this continuity persists. The menu shows no fusion gimmicks, no “signature lattes” or “gourmet wraps.” Instead, it offers ritual familiarity: Masala Dosa, Cutlet, Coffee.
It’s not nostalgia — it’s living heritage.
CONCLUSION: MORE THAN A CAFÉ, A MOVEMENT
The Indian Coffee House at IISER Bhopal isn’t just a place to eat. It’s a microcosm of cooperative India — an enduring symbol of worker dignity, inclusivity, and timeless hospitality.
In an era where global coffee brands define status and identity, this humble establishment reminds us that good coffee, shared conversation, and collective ownership remain powerful, revolutionary ideas.
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