India GO
Atta Galatta, Bengaluru: bookshop, cafe and literary events
Atta Galatta is an independent bookshop and events space at 178, 5th Main Road, 1st Stage, Indiranagar. It calls itself an Indian-language bookstore, keeps a cafe corner with filter coffee, and runs readings, launches and workshops. The official site does not publish opening hours, so call before a special trip.
Bengaluru's literary living room for over a decade (a decade of it behind Jyoti Nivas College in Koramangala, and now on 5th Main in Indiranagar), Atta Galatta is half independent bookshop and half unhurried cafe. Free wifi, plug points and a calm reading-room hush make it a favourite for long work sessions over filter coffee and its much-loved jaggery cake. Weekends bring poetry readings, storytelling and theatre.
The city's best-known book cafe, genuinely laptop-friendly and a cultural landmark in its own right.
What Atta Galatta is
On its own site Atta Galatta describes itself as an independent Indian language bookstore and events space in the quiet streets of Indiranagar. Alongside English titles the shelves carry books in Indian languages, a separate children's and young adult section, and a shelf of books the shop has published itself, many of them about Bengaluru.
For about a decade it stood behind Jyoti Nivas College in Koramangala before moving to 5th Main in Indiranagar, and it has served as a meeting place for the city's readers and writers for over ten years.
Does Atta Galatta have a cafe?
Yes. Part of the floor is a cafe serving filter coffee and light bakes, and the jaggery cake is the thing regulars order. The cafe is vegetarian and does not serve alcohol.
Long working sessions are welcome: there is free wifi and there are plug points, and the room keeps the quiet of a reading room. On evenings with an event the space is given over to the programme, so check the calendar if you plan to work.
✅ What events happen at Atta Galatta
The shop publishes its calendar on the official site and sends it out by email and WhatsApp to anyone who joins the mailing list. The calendar mixes literary, artistic and children's events: book launches, workshops and classes, writers' meet-ups, poetry readings, storytelling and theatre, and quiz evenings (Qu for Quiz) on Fridays.
- AG-BLF Book Prize: Atta Galatta runs an annual book prize with the Bangalore Literature Festival, instituted in 2015. It has seven categories, from English fiction and non-fiction to cover design and children's books, and it accepts translations, short-story anthologies, e-books and self-published work.
- Bengaluru Poetry Festival: the shop's site links to it from its main menu (BPF).
- Weekends: readings, storytelling and theatre cluster on Saturdays and Sundays.
Address, contacts and timings
The address on the official site is 178, 5th Main Road, 1st Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru 560038. Phone: +91 96325 10126 or +91 80 4432 3614; email thebookstore@attagalatta.com.
The official site does not list opening hours, and the visit card above has none either. If you are coming for a particular event, check the time on the event page; otherwise call ahead.
❓ FAQ
Does Atta Galatta have a cafe?
Yes. Part of the shop is a vegetarian cafe with filter coffee and bakes; the jaggery cake is the one to try.
Where is Atta Galatta in Bangalore?
At 178, 5th Main Road, 1st Stage, Indiranagar, Bengaluru 560038. It used to be in Koramangala, behind Jyoti Nivas College.
What are Atta Galatta's timings?
The official site does not publish opening hours. Call +91 96325 10126 before a special trip, or check the event page if you are going for an event.
What events are happening at Atta Galatta?
Book launches, readings, workshops, writers' meet-ups, children's events and a Friday quiz. The current list is on the events page of the official site.
Can I work from Atta Galatta with a laptop?
Yes. There is free wifi and there are plug points, and long working sessions are welcome; on event evenings the room is given over to the programme.