If you’re looking for a chill café in Dhaka to sip peacefully on your tea with a book in hand, I have the answer for you. Keep reading for my Best Exotic Bookstore & Teahouse review!
So, as a tea enthusiast and the owner of a tea blog, you won’t be surprised to know I am always on the lookout for new tea cafés, especially near my house.
I love the idea of sipping on tea and working on my blog with my headphones plugged in, shutting out the entire world.
Just me and my tea. And if you throw a good book in the mix? Oof isn’t that the dream?
I was looking for a new tea café to visit on Maps when I came across Best Exotic Bookstore & Teahouse. Quite a mouthful I know. Perhaps it was named after the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel?
I almost decided to go somewhere else. Then I thought of the age-old rule: You can’t judge a café by its name, right?
I had never heard of Best Exotic before. So I had no idea what to expect.
But I am so glad I went because it is a true hidden gem!
So, let’s get down to the review.
In this article:
Best Exotic Location and Hours:
A 3-minute walk from Mascot Plaza, Best Exotic is tucked away on the 2nd floor of Palm Jumairah Tower (Plot 21) on Sonargaon Janapath, Uttara.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of House Building, it will be very easy to miss the Best Exotic altogether – unless you are someone who tends to look up as you walk.
Best Exotic is open from 11 am to 11 pm Saturday-Thursday. On Fridays, they open at 3 pm.
Best Exotic Ambiance:
My first impression was that the teahouse was built with love, to exude love from one bibliophile to another.
As I entered, I was greeted with the beautiful display of a diverse collection of books, with tranquil piano notes floating in the air.
There’s just something about walking past shelves full of books that immediately lifts my mood.
As I walked past the well-lit, bookstore area, the aesthetic of the café changed into a darker, cozier one.
The soothing green walls are lined with artist Moniruzzaman’s work. The paintings, depicting rickshaw pullers in various scenes, belong to a collection called Noise and are available for sale.
The artwork, capturing moments of stillness amidst the vibrant frenzy of Dhaka, seemed to echo the calm inside the teahouse, a sharp contrast from the chaotic street below.
From the ceiling hung artificial vines, paper lanterns, and large swings, one at each table, that overlooked the sun-kissed towering trees on the other side of the street.
On another wall was a statement wheel sculpture, below which was a beautiful message:
And in the middle of the room was my most favorite part. There was a circular reading table around a revolving shelf. The second-hand books on this shelf are just for reading and not for sale.
You can grab any book you like, read while sipping on your tea, and return it when you’re done.
I began reading The Five People You Meet in Heaven and had to stop halfway through. To my surprise, I found a bookmark placed precisely at the chapter where I had stopped.
It was a strangely cool feeling to know some stranger in the universe was reading this exact book and had stopped at exactly the same page!
The Best Exotic Bookstore:
While the bookstore wasn’t huge, the collection was diverse: children’s books, religious books, comics, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, Bangla, English, you name it.
What’s more, if you are looking for a book they don’t have, Best Exotic will ship it from overseas if needed. You just have to make a down payment to confirm the order.
They also deliver books to your doorstep in Dhaka and send books through a courier service outside of Dhaka.
You can message them on WhatsApp or on their Facebook page to place an order online.
After a chat with one of the staff members, Anwar Rashid, I learned that the books at Best Exotic are always at a 15% discounted rate compared to books elsewhere.
Anwar bhai told me that the owner, Nazmun Nahar, has always dreamed of opening a bookstore cum teahouse. She is happy to accept lower profits because she mainly wants to encourage people to read more.
Best Exotic Tea
Now, moving on to the most essential: the tea.
Despite Dhaka’s strong tea culture, it’s rather disappointing that there just aren’t enough tea rooms or cafés. And the ones that do sell tea often use imported teabags.
So, I was delighted to find a place like Best Exotic that crafted their own recipes.
Here are some of the teas I tried at Best Exotic:
Creamy Coconut Tea
This was a very rich, creamy, and indulgent milk tea. If you love coconut and feel like treating yourself, this would be the tea for you.
Apple Cinnamon Tea
The Apple Cinnamon tea was probably one of my favorites, perfect for a rainy afternoon or a winter morning. Sipping on this tea was like being enveloped in a warm, velvety blanket of comfort.
Jessore Jaggery
Jessore Jaggery was my favorite milk tea on this list. The intoxicating flavor of the jaggery with the soothing, creamy milk tea just hit the spot differently.
Karak Tea
Karak Tea was a masala milk tea. It was also really good. If you love spiced milk tea, this is for you.
Thai Milk Tea
The iced Thai milk tea was not great. I liked it the least, especially because the tea felt a little over-brewed.
Honey Ginger Tea
The honey ginger tea was just what you would expect from a honey ginger tea. It was nice and comforting, with a strong flavor of ginger and honey served on the side. If you’re not in the mood for experimenting, this tea would be a safe bet.
All the teas came with a delicious little cookie that melted in my mouth.
They have lots of other teas that I have yet to try. Hibiscus Rose, Blue Tea Latte, Somali Spiced Tea, Orange Creamsicle, and more!
In addition to the teas, they also had a separate interesting menu for mocktails which I didn’t end up getting.
I will update the article if I go back and try more of the teas and mocktails. But you can also let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any.
Best Exotic Food
The Chicken Mini Burger tasted like a comforting homemade burger and was just the right size for snacking, priced at only 220 TK for two.
The Nasi Goreng with Teriyaki Chicken didn’t quite hit the mark. The rice was undercooked and the chicken didn’t satisfy my teriyaki cravings.
On the plus side, the portions were generous, and the dish came with a fried egg on top. And I love eggs with my rice!
The Delicious Dumpling Soup was indeed delicious and soothing, though the chicken in it was a bit chewy. The soup was served with a very soft, hot bun.
The Grilled Chicken Sandwich was accompanied by a generous portion of perfectly crisp fries. The sandwich itself was decent.
Unfortunately, the dessert menu was a letdown. I tried both items, the Cannoli and Creme Caramel, and I would not recommend either.
I haven’t tried everything on the menu yet, but they offer a wide range of options including pasta, pizza, and salads. Plus there are also several all-day brunch options.
It will likely take several visits to sample everything!
Best Exotic Prices
The prices were quite reasonable. For 1300 TK, I ordered two milk teas (Karak and Jessore Jaggery), honey ginger tea, dumpling soup, grilled chicken sandwich, and nasi goreng with teriyaki chicken. I think it was quite a good deal.
The special teas are a bit pricier compared to other items on the menu, but the large serving sizes make them worth it.
Service
The staff are friendly and attentive. They were very welcoming and enthusiastic in answering my questions.
The bookstore staff also seemed very knowledgeable and eager to help with book recommendations. I ended up buying The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.
Have any of you read it?
Overall Review
If you’re looking for a quiet place to work or read, while sipping on good tea, then I highly recommend Best Exotic Bookstore & Teahouse. As for the tea, I was quite impressed with the ones I tried.
And if you get hungry, it’s good to know there are plenty of options for a quick bite at a reasonable price.
Or if your partner loves books, you can bring them here for a quiet date, at the end of which you can buy them a book. Books usually make great gifts for tea lovers!
But if you visit Best Exotic with very high expectations for the food, you might be disappointed. The Best Exotic Bookstore and Teahouse lives up to its name. It’s primarily a reading café and bookstore.
FAQ on Best Exotic Bookstore & Teahouse
Does Best Exotic have a smoking zone?
No Best Exotic doesn’t have a smoking zone. It’s a smoke-free reading cafe.
Does Best Exotic have coffee?
Yes! Best Exotic serves a range of different coffees, from espressos to affogatos. You can scroll up to see their full menu as of August 29th, 2024.
Can I donate my old books to Best Exotic?
Last I checked, they do not accept donations at the moment. But if that changes in the future, I’ll give you guys an update!
So there you have it; my review on Best Exotic Bookstore & Teahouse! Have you visited this café? How did you like it? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re the type of tea lover who also loves staying at home and reading books while sipping on that tea, here are some great tea recipes!
