Nine years after introducing Hyderabad to speciality coffee, Roastery Coffee House has come full circle. The Hyderabad-born café brand has opened its 15th outlet in Jubilee Hills, returning to the city where its story first began in 2017. More than another expansion, the new café is a celebration of the city that believed in its vision long before speciality coffee became India’s fastest-growing café movement.
Inspired by the graceful arches and timeless character of Taramati Baradari, the newest Roastery is designed as a contemporary neighbourhood café with unmistakable Hyderabadi roots. Traditional Kalamkari upholstery, a bespoke Kalamkari artwork depicting coffee blossoms and cherries, and architecture that pays homage rather than imitates heritage create a space that feels deeply connected to the city’s cultural identity.
The launch also brought founder Nishant Sinha back to Hyderabad, a city he still considers the soul of the brand despite spending much of his time travelling across India as Roastery expands into newer markets. During an interaction with Fridaywall, Sinha reflected not only on the opening of the new café but on the philosophy that has taken Roastery from one café in Banjara Hills to one of India’s most respected speciality coffee brands.
“Every new café is exciting, but opening another one in Hyderabad is always emotional because this is where Roastery was born,” he says. “The love and support we received from Hyderabad encouraged us to dream bigger.”
That sense of belonging perhaps explains why the newest outlet isn’t merely another beautifully designed café. It represents the coming together of everything Roastery has stood for over the past nine years—celebrating Indian coffee, creating fresh food experiences and designing cafés inspired by Indian architecture.
## More Than Coffee, A Modern Indian Café
When Roastery opened its doors in Banjara Hills in 2017, Hyderabad already had cafés. What it didn’t have was a café that placed Indian speciality coffee at the centre of its identity.
For Nishant, the objective was never to recreate the European café experience.
Instead, Roastery was built on three simple principles.
The first was to showcase Indian coffee.
“We are the sixth-largest producer of coffee in the world, yet Indian coffee wasn’t getting the attention it deserved,” he explains. “We wanted people to discover the quality of our shade-grown Arabica and appreciate Indian coffee as a premium product.”
The second was food.
While many cafés relied on pre-prepared offerings, Roastery insisted on cooking fresh meals from its own kitchens. Sandwiches, salads, breads and desserts were designed to complement coffee rather than compete with it.
The third principle was perhaps the most distinctive.
Instead of borrowing Scandinavian minimalism or European aesthetics, Roastery chose to celebrate Indian architecture.
“We don’t build replicas,” Nishant says. “We borrow elements that create an emotional connection with the city.”
That philosophy has now become one of the defining characteristics of every Roastery across the country.
## Every Café Tells the Story of Its City
The Jubilee Hills café continues a design journey that has evolved with every new Roastery.
The original Banjara Hills outlet captured the charm of Hyderabad’s old villas. The Kokapet café subtly referenced the Charminar, while the latest outlet celebrates Taramati Baradari through its arches, textures and heritage-inspired details.
The same philosophy travels with the brand.
Roastery’s cafés in Kolkata draw inspiration from the city’s colonial heritage, Delhi incorporates Mughal influences, Jaipur references Rajasthan’s iconic stepwells, Lucknow celebrates Awadhi architecture and the upcoming Bengaluru outlet will feature elements inspired by the Mysore Palace.
Rather than creating identical cafés across cities, Nishant believes every Roastery should feel like it belongs to its neighbourhood.
It is an approach that reflects India’s cultural diversity while giving every outlet a distinct identity.
## Why Hyderabad Became the Perfect Launchpad
One of the most fascinating insights Nishant shares is why Hyderabad became the ideal city to build a national brand.
Long before Hyderabad emerged as one of India’s hottest food destinations, he believes it was already the country’s most reliable test market.
“Hyderabad has always been a retail hub,” he says. “If people here accepted your concept, there was a very good chance it would work elsewhere.”
Unlike cities with a more homogeneous audience, Hyderabad brings together traditional families, professionals, entrepreneurs, students and a large international community.
“It is a truly cosmopolitan city,” Nishant explains. “If you can impress Hyderabad, you already have a blueprint for the rest of India.”
That confidence eventually led Roastery to expand into Kolkata, Delhi NCR, Lucknow, Jaipur and Agra, while also taking its first international step into Helsinki, Finland.
Surprisingly, Nishant believes larger metropolitan markets are often easier to enter than smaller cities.
“If your product is good and consistent, cities like Delhi and Mumbai are easier because people are constantly looking for quality experiences.”
## Putting Indian Coffee in the Spotlight
At the heart of Roastery remains coffee.
The brand works directly with coffee-growing estates across Chikmagalur, Coorg and Tamil Nadu, sourcing speciality-grade beans before roasting them in-house to maintain freshness and consistency.
Every coffee served at Roastery scores 80 points or above on speciality coffee standards, reflecting the brand’s commitment to quality.
Innovation has also played a role.
Among Roastery’s best-known creations is its trademarked Cranberry Coffee, a drink Nishant believes helped popularise fruit-forward coffee beverages across India’s speciality café scene.
“We stayed with the classics like cappuccinos and lattes,” he says, “but we also wanted to innovate. Cranberry Coffee created a completely new category.”
Today, Roastery continues to experiment with seasonal brews while staying rooted in Indian coffee.
## Growing Without Losing Control
As Roastery expands, one decision has remained unchanged.
There are no franchise cafés.
Every Roastery outlet is owned and operated by the company, allowing the team to maintain consistency across food, coffee, service and design.
For Nishant, expansion is not measured by the number of outlets opened every year.
Instead, success is measured by whether every guest walks away satisfied.
“Our goal isn’t opening a hundred cafés,” he says. “Our goal is making sure every customer who walks into Roastery leaves happy.”
It is a slower path to growth but one that has allowed the brand to preserve the identity that made it successful.
## Celebrating India Through Coffee
Beyond Roastery, Nishant has also built Colocal Chocolates, sourcing cacao from Kerala and crafting bean-to-bar chocolates that find their way into Roastery’s desserts, beverages and signature hot chocolates.
Together, the two brands reflect a broader ambition.
“We want to celebrate India,” he says. “Whether it’s through coffee, architecture, design or hospitality.”
That vision perhaps explains why Roastery feels different from many contemporary café chains.
It isn’t trying to recreate an international café experience.
Instead, it is building something distinctly Indian.
## A Homecoming Worth Celebrating
The opening of the Jubilee Hills café is, therefore, much more than the addition of another address on Hyderabad’s ever-growing café map.
It is a reminder that some of the country’s most successful hospitality brands are now emerging from Hyderabad—not by imitating global trends, but by drawing confidence from local culture, craftsmanship and community.
Nine years after a chance decision to open in a charming old bungalow in Banjara Hills, Roastery Coffee House has grown into a nationally recognised speciality coffee brand. Yet, standing inside its newest café inspired by Taramati Baradari, Nishant Sinha still speaks of Hyderabad not as a market, but as home.
And perhaps that is Roastery’s greatest achievement. As it travels across India and beyond, it continues to carry a little bit of Hyderabad in every cup it serves.
