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Ground Up Coffee & Roastery

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

4.0 Overall Rating • Reviewed 6 April 2025

Brews, Banter, and the Sanremo Racer

Let me set the scene. One coffee enthusiast (Me) and two unsuspecting friends (Hasna And Shabnam, Who Were Just Along For The Ride) walk into Ground Up Coffee & Roastery in Bangalore. The mission? For me, it was to explore great coffee. For them, it was probably just to humor me and hope I wouldn’t start rambling about espresso extraction ratios, Fair enough. Two out of three were achieved, which, in my books, is a solid win.

Ground Up is not your average cafe. It’s got the kind of energy that says, we take coffee seriously, but you don’t need to wear a monocle to enjoy it. The space is modern yet cozy, with the unmistakable hum of grinders and the rich aroma of fresh brews floating through the air. It’s the kind of place where you walk in and immediately regret all the bad coffee you’ve had in the past and trust me i’ve had a lot.

And sitting proudly at the heart of it all? The Sanremo Naked Cafe Racer. If espresso machines had a “Cool Kid” ranking, this one would be effortlessly leaning against a wall, sipping an espresso, and judging everyone’s shot extractions. It’s sleek, precise, and built to bring out every nuanced flavor from the beans. Seeing it in action was like watching a high performance sports car tear up the track except instead of speed, it delivers liquid gold in a cup.

Here's What I Had

Espresso - Rs 120

A proper wake-up call. This was not your burnt, bitter, “I regret everything” kind of espresso. This was smooth, rich, and had a nice fruity acidity that lingered. It made me rethink my life choices, specifically why I don’t drink more espressos (The Reason Being I Have Bad Acidity)

Vietnamese Cold Coffee

This was a no nonsense caffeine bomb, strong and sweet with that signature condensed milk magic. If espresso is a firm handshake, this is a warm hug that slaps you on the back at the same time.

Cold Mocha - Rs 240

A dessert in disguise. It had just the right balance of chocolate and coffee, avoiding the dreaded sugar overload. This was the kind of drink that makes you forget why you ever drank instant coffee as a teenager. This was actually Shabnams pick and she loved it !

Chicken Focaccia Sandwich - Rs 240

Soft, flavourful focaccia filled with well seasoned chicken, crisp greens, and a sauce that tied it all together. It was real food, not just a cafe afterthought. If my sandwich making skills weren’t so tragic, I’d have tried to recreate this at home.

Tea Cake

A simple but effective treat. Moist, lightly sweet, and perfect for balancing out all the caffeine we were consuming. If the coffee was the star, this was the reliable supporting actor.

Final Thoughts

Look, Bangalore has no shortage of specialty coffee spots, but Ground Up Coffee & Roastery hits different. The second you step inside, you can tell they take their coffee seriously, but not in that pretentious way some places do.

The coffee? It actually makes you stop and think about what you're drinking. Their espresso is spot-on, the cold mocha manages to be indulgent without being too sweet (which is harder than it sounds), and honestly, the food surprised me. It's not just there to fill space on the menu, it's actually good.

What really sets this place apart though is the team. You can tell they genuinely care about what they're serving, which sounds cheesy but makes all the difference. It's one of those rare cafés that reminds you why good coffee is worth seeking out and, you know, actually sitting down for.

Whether you're a total coffee geek or just got dragged along by one (sorry Hasna and Shabnam), you'll leave feeling properly caffeinated and probably a bit impressed.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Ideally with friends who'll tolerate me overanalyzing every single cup.