9 Places to Enjoy a Hookah-Fuelled Evening in Pune

You could scarcely find a better way to unwind than by curling up on a divan on a breezy afternoon with a hookah till the sun goes down. A bunch of places in the city have recognised the therapeutic potential of that sweet-scented smoke – here is a snapshot of where you can get it.

Shisha Jazz Café is one of the oldest and most beloved hookah joints in the city. A verdant setting that comes alive with candlelight and soft jazz tunes plays the perfect foil for one of their fruity hookahs – the grape one is a particular favourite. While you are here, also try the chello kabab barg, which is juicy buffalo meat laden on a bed of soft herb butter rice. A little ahead is Basho’s, which has pretty canopies to cosy up in, as the fragrant fumes of hookah available in a host of flavours swirl around you.

Raasta Café in Camp offers this smooth indulgence in a quirky Bohemian ambience – after a game of foosball, knock back a few glasses of melon sangria and try the vanilla hookah along with yummy fusion munchies such as pork bao and hot lamb galouti sliders. The menus of Carnival and The Mugshot Lounge also feature a long list of innovative flavours, such as paan, green apple, and blueberry mint, among others.  

Cape Town Bistro is a little cubbyhole of a hookah haunt that also dishes out delicious Continental delicacies. The Burger Barn Café is a fun youth hub where the wafting aroma of flavoured hookahs is what basically ushers you inside. The place also features pop music, sinfully huge burgers, and the entire evening stretching lazily before you – what more does one need?

JG resto in Aundh and Jashn in Salunkhe Vihar are two of the city’s very few late-night hookah lounges that offer a dimly lit ambience and delicious Indian food. The buffalo meat pulao at the former and the creamy butter chicken at the latter provide the perfect accompaniment to your aromatic hookah. 

Photo Credit  wallpapercave.com