Back in 2017, before every café became obsessed with aesthetics and overpriced coffee, there was this tiny little place inside Hauz Khas Village that genuinely felt different. If you ever searched for a peaceful corner in Delhi where strangers became friends over chai and travel stories, then Kunzum Travel Cafe was probably your spot.
This Kunzum Travel Cafe New Delhi review is honestly less of a review and more of a memory. Because places like this were not just cafés. They were experiences.
Tucked inside the narrow artistic lanes of Hauz Khas Village, Kunzum had this warm, unfiltered charm that instantly made you slow down. No loud music. No fancy food menu. No pressure to leave after an hour. Just books, conversations, photography, tea, and people who genuinely loved stories.
The “Pay What You Want” Concept Felt Revolutionary
The most iconic thing about Kunzum Travel Cafe was definitely the pay what you want system.
You could literally:
- Sit there for hours
- Read travel books
- Use the WiFi
- Sip tea or coffee with cookies
- Attend events
- Meet travelers
And then pay whatever amount you felt like dropping into the little box.
In 2017, this concept felt unreal in Delhi. Especially in Hauz Khas Village where cafés were already becoming expensive. But Kunzum somehow stayed simple.
Sitting On The Floor Somehow Made It Feel More Personal
If you walked into Kunzum expecting café chairs and polished interiors, you were in the wrong place.
The seating was mostly:
- Floor cushions
- Rugs
- Low stools
- Tiny corners near bookshelves
And weirdly, that made conversations better.
You would remove the outside chaos the moment you sat down cross-legged with a hot cup of coffee in your hand. It felt less like a café and more like somebody’s creative living room.
The Sweet Old Kaka Serving Tea Made The Place Feel Like Home
One thing regular visitors will never forget is the old kaka quietly serving freshly made tea or coffee with cookies.
No dramatic café energy.
No fake customer service voice.
Just warmth.
The tea always tasted comforting after walking through Hauz Khas Village, especially during winter evenings. And somehow the cookies tasted better there than anywhere else.
Ajay Jain’s Photography Studio Added Soul To The Space
Another thing that made this place unforgettable was that it did not feel commercially designed. The café was deeply connected to travel, photography, and storytelling because it was created by Ajay Jain himself. His travel photography studio and artworks were part of the space, which gave the café its real identity.
The walls had:
- Travel photographs
- Books
- Maps
- Notes from travelers
- Posters from events
Every corner looked lived in.
Events At Kunzum Felt Creative, Not Performative
Before influencer culture completely took over Delhi cafés, Kunzum had genuine creative gatherings.
You would randomly find:
- Poetry readings
- Travel storytelling sessions
- Photography workshops
- Indie music gigs
- Book discussions
And the crowd always felt interesting in the best way possible. Writers, backpackers, artists, solo travelers, students, freelancers. Everybody somehow fit in there.
This Kunzum Travel Cafe New Delhi review is probably impossible to write without sounding emotional because places like this are rare now.
Back in 2017, Kunzum was not trying to go viral.
It was not trying to become Instagrammable.
It was simply creating space for people to breathe, connect, and exist slowly for a while.
And honestly?
That is exactly why people loved it so much.