Lynn Misquith loves the filter coffee at Hotel Ramashraya in Matunga. It even tops her list for the best filter coffee in Mumbai because it is the closest that comes to home for her. Misquith reminds us that the team at the hotel, which is one of Mumbai’s most popular South Indian restaurants, hails from Mangalore. She shares, “It is a reminder of how much small towns like ours have contributed to the food and coffee culture, and the taste always brings me back to those origins.” Born and raised in the coffee land of Karnataka, specifically Chikmagalur, where the origins of coffee are popularly traced, filter coffee has always held a special place in Misquith’s heart even as her family moved to Mangaluru. Her father himself is a second-generation coffee grower in the region, as a part of their family estate.

She narrates, “There are two phrases commonly shared with every visitor, ‘Come home, I’ll make some filter coffee, and we can talk’ or ‘Did you have your coffee before dusk?’ These words always resonated with me.” Over time, it has become more than just a beverage for her. “It has become a ritual and a thought starter for meaningful conversations and activities. It is a comfort factor that connects me to my roots and brings a sense of familiarity no matter where I am.” It did not change even when she moved to Mumbai in 2018 because of hotels like Ramashraya in the city. Today, even though she has moved to Bengaluru, the former Mumbaikar still brews her coffee at home.