Youth Incorporated Magazine

You may always be up for a wild night out but nothing beats a chill evening with your closest pals, without the distraction of blaring music, some good food and addictive board games. Whether you’re a competitive player or you’re just in it for fun, board games can be therapeutic, exciting and always the life of any party. Wind down with these quaint cafes and plan your next games’ night at these cafes that offer some interesting board games for you and your close ones to engage in –

Pair A Dice, Oshiwara, Mumbai

Pair A Dice is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Oshiwara, and one glance at their games’ shelf is enough to make you believe that they house almost every single board game under the sun. You’ll always have a reason to keep going back to this café. They also have a couple of hard-to-find board games that you probably haven’t ever seen at any other café in the city. The waiters in the café are extremely helpful and even give you instructions on how to play the games. However, there are certain games you will have to pay for, but classics like jenga, snakes and ladders, and doubles can be enjoyed free of charge.

Abongchiiz, New Delhi

This café has some childhood classics here, like Carrom, Ludo, and Snakes and Ladders. The café is built on different levels and each level has a different seating arrangement, so that diners can choose their preference. It is located near the North Campus area of Delhi University, so you’ll find students flocking here in large numbers. However, if you want a quiet dinner with your significant other, Abingchizz also has candlelight dinners.

PHEW (Play Hard Eat Wild), Bangalore

If there’s one place in Bangalore where you can literally play hard and eat wild, it’s at PHEW in BTM. You and your friends can enjoy a chill night out with some Ludo, Carrom and more, while chomping on some delectable food served here – try their lip-smacking Chicken Pita Pockets or Classic Honey Chilli Potatoes. You can wash these down with beverages like iced tea or their non-alcoholic Sangrias.

Nukkad, Pune

Nukkad in Pune certainly stands out from the lot. Apart from (obviously) housing board game classics like Scrabble, Jenga and more, they also have an open mic and a guitar on standby for when you and your buddies are in for a little jam session. But wait, there’s more – they have a designated ‘Board Games Night’ every Tuesday, as well as a few workshops where they teach the basic principles of a board game design, as well as its theme, mechanics, dynamics, aesthetics and more.

The Gallery Café, Hyderabad

Located in Banjara, this café goes well beyond just being a board game spot. The café is an extension of the famed Kalakriti Art Gallery and hence has a prominent artsy ring to it. And if you want to engage in your inner Picasso, they’ve has got you covered – they will provide you with canvas paper, sketch pens, watercolours, and other resources for you to have a go. The café also has a podium for musicians who want to keep visitors entertained, and even actors who would like to put up a performance.