Even until a decade ago, Coimbatore used to be a proper retirement hub. ‘Happening’ will never be the word one would use to describe the city — it has mostly been a quiet place with quiet people going about their things. Hanging out was never a thing here. At least not like how they hang out in big cities. Cafes and pubs — standard spots for socialising in Indian metropolis — in Coimbatore were as rare as a chilly breeze in Chennai summers. But that has been slowly changing over the last few years. Café All Rise, nestled in a quiet corner of Trichy Road, is the latest example of this transformation.
The café’s elegant architecture distinguishes it from the other buildings in the street. The bright yellow-and-white facade with teal windows reminds us of the quaint French buildings of Pondicherry. We later learn from Abhigyan Singhal that this is precisely the look he and his family wanted.
Despite hailing from a family of restaurateurs, Abhigyan became a corporate lawyer. Just when he was starting to feel disillusioned with his job, his mother, Ranjana Singhal (co-founder of That’s Y Food), sought his help in expanding the business. Though the food business was in the family, it wasn’t familiar territory for him. But it also meant he could learn something new. So Abhigyan agreed. And that’s how Café All Rise came into being.
