One of the nicest things about building Coffee Atlas has been finding just how many people are roasting coffee across India. I keep coming across another name, looking through their coffees, and adding another bag to the list of things I want to try!
Some grow their own coffee. Others work with different estates or bring in coffees from abroad. There's quite a lot to explore beyond the names we see everywhere.
So I wanted to put a few of them together. I haven't tried the coffees from any of these ten roasters yet. This is a list of places that caught my attention, not a review or a ranking.
A quick disclosure: Tiny Tiger is sending me 500 g of coffee to try for free. I haven't tasted it yet.
Find a roaster
- Ikkis, Chandigarh
- 22nd Bridge, Nagpur
- Bitter Waters, Vadodara
- Shodh, Surat
- The Aroma Fusion, Surat
- Kapi Kottai, Chennai
- Bermito, Kozhikode
- Nicko, Sakleshpur
- Tiny Tiger, Chikmagalur
- Ete Coffee, Kohima
Ikkis, Chandigarh
For someone who wants to know more about where their coffee comes from.
Ikkis describes its approach as small-batch roasting, with coffees sourced from family-owned farms. Its farm information includes estate names, altitude and processing.
That's useful when you're choosing a bag. You can look beyond the tasting notes and start noticing whether you enjoy a particular estate or processing method. I'd look through those details first, then choose something that suits how I brew.
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22nd Bridge, Nagpur
For an everyday coffee, with room to explore microlots.
22nd Bridge says it roasts in small batches, and its shop includes a separate microlot selection. Its approach puts an emphasis on straightforward descriptions and brewing advice.
That combination appeals to me. Some days I want something different to play around with. Other days I just want to make my morning coffee. I'd look at both parts of the range rather than assume the most unusual lot is the one I need.
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Bitter Waters, Vadodara
For trying different coffees without choosing one large bag.
Bitter Waters has separate filter and espresso selections, along with a sampler box and brewing guides. It describes its coffee as small-batch roasted in Vadodara.
The sampler is what I'd look at first. If you don't know a roaster yet, trying a few coffees sounds more useful than guessing which single bag will suit you. I'd still check the roast and processing details, especially if I were buying for my morning cappuccino rather than pour-over.
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Shodh, Surat
For following a changing selection of small-batch coffees.
Shodh is based in Surat and says it roasts in small batches. Its shop groups coffees into collections called Habits, Seekers and Trove.
I'd open the individual coffee pages rather than choose by the collection name alone. What's the roast? Where did it grow? How was it processed? Those are the things that would help me decide whether to put it through my espresso setup or save it for a pour-over.
Coffee Atlas profile · Official shop
The Aroma Fusion, Surat
For looking at Indian and international coffees in the same shop.
The Aroma Fusion's range includes Indian estate coffees, Kenyan naturals and Colombian co-ferments. Its owner describes it as a home-based experimental roastery in Surat.
If you're curious about trying coffees from outside India, this is one place to look. The Colombian cinnamon co-ferment is a very different proposition from a familiar everyday blend! I'd read the processing description carefully before deciding whether that was the kind of experiment I wanted.
Coffee Atlas profile · Official shop
Kapi Kottai, Chennai
For exploring both manual brews and coffee with milk.
Kapi Kottai separates its coffees into manual-brew and espresso/South Indian filter selections. There are samplers too, along with information about its farm partners.
I like being able to start with how I'm actually going to make the coffee. My pour-over and my morning cappuccino aren't asking for the same thing. Those categories give me somewhere to begin, and the farm details give me more to read once a coffee catches my attention.
Coffee Atlas profile · Official shop
Bermito, Kozhikode
For exploring origins and processing.
Bermito roasts Indian and selected international coffees in small batches in Kozhikode. One lot that caught my attention during research was a Nagaland coffee processed using a yeast culture prepared with local sticky rice.
That's the kind of detail that makes me want to read more. It gives you something specific to explore beyond just "light roast" or "fruity." The shop also includes coffees from other origins, so I'd compare the descriptions before picking a bag.
Coffee Atlas profile · Official shop
Nicko, Sakleshpur
For an estate-linked option that includes Robusta.
Nicko's story centres on Navilhalli Estate and three generations of growers. Its shop offers Arabica, Robusta, an 80:20 blend and drip bags.
The range interests me because I enjoy milk drinks as well as lighter coffees. I'd want to know more about the blend and how it's roasted before choosing it for espresso. It's also nice to have an option here that isn't only about another experimental Arabica lot.
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Tiny Tiger, Chikmagalur
For coffee from a business that grows, processes and roasts it.
Tiny Tiger says it ships directly from its farm in Chikmagalur and roasts to order twice a week. Its range includes Toasted Almond, Caramel Espresso and Frozen Candy, with whole-bean and ground options.
The estate connection is what I'd want to learn more about, along with how the coffees differ when brewed. Since they're sending me coffee, I'll get a chance to do that. For now, this is an introduction to what they offer, not my verdict on the cup.
Coffee Atlas profile · Official shop
Ete Coffee, Kohima
For exploring coffee grown in Nagaland.
Ete Coffee's story begins with a home-based roastery in Nagaland in 2016. Its work now includes roasting, coffee education and coffee sourced from the region.
This is one I'd look at if I wanted to explore a different Indian growing region. I spend plenty of time looking at coffees from the more familiar estates. Building the Atlas has been a good reminder that there's more to Indian coffee than the places I already know.
Coffee Atlas profile · Official shop
How I'd choose my first bag
I wouldn't order ten bags just because I'd found ten roasters!
I'd start with what I wanted to drink. Something for my morning cappuccino? Something brighter to brew black? Or a sampler so I could try a few different coffees?
Then I'd check the roast, available grind options, bag size and delivery details. For Tiny Tiger, I'd also check which roasting day my order would fall into. For a changing microlot selection, I'd read what's actually available rather than look for a coffee mentioned in an older article.
If you're still figuring out roast levels, here's my guide to choosing a coffee roast. And if you want more names, the full Coffee Atlas is there to explore.
Have you brewed coffee from any of these roasters? Tell me which bag you tried and how you made it. I'd love to hear what you thought.