Testa Rossa Caffebar (Banjara Hills)

The Scene

Don't let the quiet, snazzy exteriors and interiors fool you. Testa Rossa Caffé Bar is mostly the hunting ground of Hyderabad's leisure seekers (read: the hordes of affluent college kids looking to kill time over a flask of sheesha). Along the lines of the once wildly popular Mocha, Testa Rossa is a place you go to as much for the food as for the pleasure of sitting around for hours as you people-watch, go through your phone, bitch about people, or anything you please. They even have a pool table if you can't think of anything else to please you.

All of this, however, is in the smokers' area of the basement. The scene upstairs is cleaner, of course. There is also an open air zone, which is lovely during the evening.

The décor, with its sleek Italian lines, is as pleasing to the eye as it is unobtrusive.

The service is prompt, if a tad indifferent. Getting the staff to notice you is the tough part. Once you have their attention, though, they have a tendency to hover.

The Food

Pretty much everything on their mostly Italian and imaginative menu is good. They don't skimp on the portions, and a budget of Rs. 800 – 900 can nicely fill up two people.

The stars, however, are their pizzas, with crispy thin crusts to match any that you'll have had at Little Italy, at considerably sympathetic prices.

Dessert are tricky. Don't get your hopes up on spotting that Italian post-meal staple, the Tiramisu. They generally don't have a lot of the options on the dessert menu.

Are far as the beverages are concerned, stick to the coffee and chocolate-based ones, and you will not come away disappointed.

The Verdict

While not a place you will want your family to tag along with you, dates and hanging out with friends, Testa Rossa can manage in a jiffy.