At a super chic cafe somewhere in Bandra, we walked in for a late-ish breakfast and stayed until late lunch. I was tempted to blame it on tardy service, but a quick glance around revealed that every other table had been occupied for hours. And no one was complaining.
We were all grazing on the usual – avo-toast, sourdough poha, Turkish çılbır, matcha and mango specials – cafe staples that shouldn’t take long to prepare or finish, yet everything and everyone moved in a dreamy slow-mo.
It is a scene playing out across trendy urban eateries, and it speaks volumes about how a deliberately slow meal has become the ultimate luxury. When time is at a premium, spending hours over eggs benedict and a coffee noir infused with zesty mandarins is less about what you ordered, and more about what you can afford to spend on it. Brand gurus call it the ‘three-hour flex.’ Let’s simply say, you stay because you can.
Look closely and you’ll see that most bougie spaces are engineered for lingering – artsy interiors, carefully curated playlists, eclectic grazing tables, and never-ending brunches. You step in at noon for a quick bite, only to emerge hours later after multiple rounds of functional beverages, people-watching, and serendipitous run-ins with your run-club or cycling buddies. At pet-friendly spots, Shih Tzus and Indies find their sweet spot under the tables while kids find innovative uses for crayons.
Those of a certain vintage are well-acquainted with this leisure-as-luxury dining at elite clubs. For the modern diner, however, it has been democratised. It is a coming together of celebrity architects and well-travelled restaurateurs who host discerning patrons with an experience that is less about the rush of the quick-service kitchen, and more about the slow, deliberate sip.
After all, nothing says you’ve arrived better than letting the world know you are in absolutely no hurry to leave.