In Kolkata: A cocktail, coffee and live music experience reminiscent of the city in the 1920s – Atulya Yatra

AM PM, a newly opened cafe bar in Kolkata is straight from the sets of Baz Luhrmann The Great Gatsby — an aesthetic that blends Kolkata’s colonial-era club culture with millennial-approved zing.

A cafe during the day, the aroma of artisanal coffee wafts as patrons enter. The space is divided into six arenas – Legends is where bands perform, Paddock Club is an extended outdoor sitting area, Gully resembles a narrow inlet. The Gallis Or through the lanes of Kolkata, the Trophy Bar is a rose gold toned bar, the Powder Room is a washroom and the Smoking Zone is a thoughtfully curated smoking room complete with an Audrey Hepburn painting and a vintage shoe polish machine.

AM PM co-owner Rajan Sethi says his idea is to ‘combine Victorian aesthetics, local craftsmanship and the enduring influence of British architecture and culture’. “We researched all the popular clubs in Kolkata and wanted to create a place that was easily accessible, didn’t require membership, but also offered the atmosphere of old social clubs in Kolkata,” says Rajan.

The cafe serves organic single-origin coffee sourced from the lush green valleys of Northeast India. As the sun sets, coffee is replaced by cocktails, and the place assumes a similar color and face to iconic places like the Blue Fox, Skyroom and Firpo era—known for their glamorous ballrooms, cabaret singers and European cuisine—in Calcutta. Roaring 1920s.

The music, like the decor, evokes nostalgia: Bob Dylan’s ‘One More Cup of Coffee for the Road’, The Beatles’ ‘Let It Be’ and Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Knocking on Heaven’s Door’ rock the bar back and forth in an ageless oldie and development. A new emerging city.

It was a walk down memory lane to see the legendary musician Nandan Bagchi perform. Many locals watch the musician play in various city clubs as well as the jazz festival held at the Dalhousie Institute. Watching Bagchi perform long after jazz bands have disbanded and the notes have left our ears is like watching a city write a letter to its former self.

From Wednesday to Sunday, the evenings are filled with live music in the coffee bar – a mix of English jazz, rock, pop and blues performances. While musicians play, cocktails are served to represent the city’s historical and local contexts.

Cocktails

The top two spots on the cocktail menu at AM PM are the Eden Gardens and the AMPM, a liquid jaggery made with old-fashioned Nolen Gur-date extract. Eden Gardens, named after Kolkata’s 159-year-old cricket stadium, is a generous splash of blue agave tequila with peppery notes absorbed from oak barrel maturation. Refined with green tea cordial and grapefruit flavors, this refreshing drink is ideal for washing away the rough edges of a tiring day.

AMPM Old Fashioned edges with the honeyed notes of Aberfeldy 12 Scotch whisky- stirred and finished with Nolen Gar, orange and Angostura bitters. The drink emerges as a citrusy, full-bodied and punchy drink.

In contrast, the Italian summer cocktail is popular among patrons. A precursor to the Negroni and Aperol Spritz, this drink was given a modern twist by adding bright red berries and red Campari. Although the flavors seem to cancel each other out, the drink retains a fruity freshness.

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While swaying to live music, patrons tuck into tapas and cocktails rather than an elaborate main course. Popular appetizers include Avocado Chana Chat, Yakitori Chicken Wings, Chengdu Style Lamb Grill and – enticingly down south – Kothu Parotta.

The menu also includes Neapolitan style pizzas: try the experimental botti kebab pizza, water chestnut and bok choy. For dessert, Nolen Gur Cheese tops the list with its delicately sweet, gingery-filled flavors.

Within weeks of its opening, the cocktail and coffee experience is attracting crowds of music and foodies alike. If you missed the drama and glamor of Park Street in the 90s, AMPM, set in the more than a century-old Park Center, is a chance to catch a glimpse of the past.

₹3,000 for two with alcoholic beverages. Open from 12 noon – midnight. Located at AM PM Park Centre, 24 Park Street, Kolkata, West Bengal 700071 Call 097177 80492 for reservations