Kanthari; Kammanahallis Very Own
What is it about a restaurant that you first notice? Because the highlight of this cute little restaurant named Kanthari in Kammanahalli is its tea shop. When people talk about Kanthari, the first thing they mention is not the comforting ambience or homely food, their favorite thing about Kanthari is Abdul Razik, the tea master.
Razik has been working with Kanthari for about three years now and in that time he has made this little tea shop a social hub! When Razik first came to Bangalore he knew two languages fluently- kannada and malayalam, but now he can converse with people in all kinds of languages like Arabic or Tamil. Razik loves learning about different cultures and languages and that goes hand in hand with his love for socializing and getting to know people. When you live in a place as diverse and rich as Kammanahalli, language shouldn’t be a barrier. And this willingness to learn about people and get to know them is what makes the locals take so kindly to Razik.
Another reason that Razik is so memorable is his impeccable style. Razik gets up every morning at 7am and works till 8pm and yet he shows up to work dressed to impress everyday. You’ll catch him walking around with trendy caps and modern t-shirts, all of which he’s purchased in around Kammanahalli itself! His style and personality just happen to align to the vibe of Kammanahalli and the people love it!
We all enjoy taking a break to stop and refresh by drinking a good old cup of tea, or whatever your poison- Kanthari’s tea shop sells everything from horlicks to coffee, alongside their freshly made snacks. But it’s not just the food that makes this sensational restaurant a must-see in Kammanahalli- its Razik. Razik builds relationships with his customers, he knows their names and where they’re from and what they like to drink. His regular customers look forward to the small talk and conversation more than the tea break. Razik refuses to let language be a barrier; every time he meets someone new that speaks a language he’s not familiar with, Razik asks them to teach him a few basic words and phrases so they can communicate and get to know each other. Razik is an old soul, he enjoys spending time with people- rather than texting/calling them, he barely spends time on social media. That being said, when you visit Kantharis tea shop and meet Razik, you’ll find that all Kantharis customers follow his social!
Razik moved to Kammanahalli less than 5 years ago, he decided he didn’t enjoy studying and pursuing a higher education wasn’t what he wanted to spend his time doing- so he moved to Bangalore to find a job.
After a few small jobs at supermarkets, Razik fell into a job as Kandharis tea master and it seemed like fate. Razik loves tea and the special recipe curated by Jose Uncle is irresistable. Spending his days drinking tea and meeting different people sounded perfect. He didn’t have any prior experience and knew very little English but he was a teenager in need of a job and the owner, Jose Uncle liked his spirit.
We asked Razik where his favorite spot is, having been here for so long he’s explored the area quite well and holds the suburb in high regard. Razik vibes with the culture of Kammanahalli and he loves that he can call this place home but he confirmed that his favorite place in all of Kammanahalli is Kanthari itself, and how could it not be!
Kanthari is truly a product of Kammanahalli, it’s known for its vibrant tea shop corner, a friendly place where people go to socialize and enjoy each other’s company while drinking their favorite beverage and eating mouth-watering snacks. There’s no boundaries, their tea shop welcomes anyone and everyone with open arms, just like Kammanahalli.
