A walk around the Sunaparanta – Goa Centre
for Arts at Altinho invariably draws one to the relaxed environs of the open
courtyard at the Bodega Café. With an unbeatable ambience of location, space,
decor and premium cuisine, it blends in perfectly with the art atmosphere of
this cultural centre. “A café at an art gallery is very symbiotic. Both spaces
draw from each other. People who come to the café may not necessarily be art
lovers, but they are invariably drawn to the art around either the paintings or
the various workshops that are continually happening here. People love this
space as opposed to going to any local café. Cafés such as these have a
different buzz and yet offer one privacy within the space,” opines Nilima
Menezes, Administrative Executive at the centre.
It’s a combination of these factors that
have seen a rise in a number of art galleries appending an art café to their
creative spaces. “The benefit of having a café at a gallery is that it
inevitably invites more footfalls,” agrees Daegal Godinho, owner of Carpe Diem,
Majorda where café Cherry Tomato was recently inaugurated. “If people are
looking for a break and a more relaxed ambience, it’s usually to be found in
cafés in spaces like these. Another draw is the cuisine in these places which
differs from regular menus. They offer more premium coffees, bites and
beverages and the kind of clientele who frequent these places not only enjoy
art, but are also willing to pay premium price,” he adds, while indicating that
Cherry Tomato’s location in the backyard, attired with wooden furniture and
out-of-the box decor, makes for a perfect relaxing spot.
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The Saraya Art Café located at the fore of
the Saraya at Sangolda attributes to a similar philosophy. “Saraya is a
cultural and community centre with a lot of events and workshops happening. A
café gives a nice ambience to the place as it lends to the creative atmosphere.
Basically people who like art hang out here for the ambience,” avers owner
Deeksha Thind. Her health café, as she terms it, serves up a variety of menus
from local to international. “Everything on the menu is a signature dish,” she
says, crediting her son Chef Zora and Chef Hanna for their eclectic cuisine.
Art spaces and art cafés are, as the saying
goes, a well equated relationship, where both spaces draw from each other.
