Jalpa Coffee now operates its own cafe in Sanepa, Lalitpur. Named Jalpa Coffee Club, the cafe serves 100 percent organic and hand-sorted coffee, Jalpa Coffee obviously. Jalpa is a pioneer coffee brand in Nepal, who has been in the market since 1999.
Navigating to Jalpa Coffee Club is easy as it’s located opposite The British School. The Coffee Club offers a relaxing cafe aura, thanks to the peaceful neighborhood of Sanepa.
The main attraction of Jalpa Coffee Club is the organic coffee beans. The coffee beans come from Plantec Coffee Estate, Jalpa Coffee’s parent organization, in Nuwakot which stands at an altitude of 2200 to 2400 feet above sea level. All of Jalpa Coffee beans are snow water-washed, shade-grown, and sun-dried, giving the beans a distinct Himalayan character. Plantec Coffee Estate is one of the oldest coffee producers in Nepal.
Food at Jalpa Coffee Club
Don’t try looking for any heavy entree in Jalpa’s menu because they don’t have one. Instead of loading up the main course, the cafe wants to offer you a hearty breakfast, healthy salads, and light snacks.
Along with coffee varieties like Espresso, Cappuccino, and Latte, Jalpa Coffee has options for non-coffee beverages, too. If you want to drink something healthier, then Matcha Tea, for instance, is good to go.
I tried Jalpa’s Smashed Avocado, and it was one impressive serving with a large portion, good seasoning, and quality produce on my plate. (Worth the penny spent!)
Art, Art
When you step inside the cafe, you’ll see the front garden of Jalpa Coffee Club at first. If you are an outdoor person and like the idea of alfresco dining, then the cafe has a seating arrangement for you in the open sky.
Right when you enter the cafe you can see the thoughtfully designed foyer. The place has Macramé, guitars, and some visually pleasing pieces of art. The green plants and hanging paper lanterns put together give Jalpa Coffee Club a Bohemian feel.
Not to forget the dedicated space for the art display. Jalpa recently hosted an art exhibition with Dafe Arts and some pieces were still on display. It was amazing to see a huge metal “paper plane” at the back of the cafe. (I happened to recall how I made paper planes in my school days.)
Supporting local businesses with Sanepa Market
Jalpa Coffee Club does not remain chic and quiet on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Every week, the Sanepa Market takes place in the cafe vicinity. You can visit Jalpa during Sanepa Market to see local businesses showcasing their products.
I bought some Vanilla Creme Cruffins from La Mari’s booth at Sanepa Market. I guess it was called Cruffin because it resembled both Muffin and Croissant. The vanilla custard filling inside the Cruffin indulged so well with the flaky pastry. (La Mari is a French bakery housed at Hotel Ambassador in Lazimpat.)
If you are like me who has a lot of spare time to spend, then I recommend going to Jalpa Coffee Club on Wednesdays after 3PM NPT. The chances of meeting a huge crowd on Wednesdays are low considering the weekday, so you can freely take a tour around the cafe and see the local market.
