Coffee has become a focal point within Pakistan’s larger culinary scene and the rise in cafés is proof of the burgeoning market. However, like humans, not every coffee or café is made equal – some are able to stand out for their unique approach to the café culture in the country. One such example is Lahore’s latest Instagrammable joint to take over the internet, Contra Coffee.

Located in Lahore’s most revered locale of Gulberg, Contra is quite an unmissable spot with its strategic position close to some of the most known salons and cafes of the area. The façade too is rather memorable with its fresh grey hue, sleekly designed logo and an overall welcoming vibe.

Designed in a crisp, no-nonsense style, Contra Coffee is like walking into a café somewhere in Scandinavia. The space focuses on an effective minimalist design where just the simplicity of wood and chrome play a huge role – a trend that is huge in Northern Europe.

The menu too, plays to this idea.

Done up in a monochrome palette with niches of lilac complementing the overall design, the menus are divided into four pages that range from hot coffees, iced coffees, blended coffees, thick shakes, smoothies, and lemonades in beverages, as well as offering an array of patisserie choices, all-day breakfast, salads, and a large variety of sandwich options.

From the available options, we selected from the items we saw largely making the most buzz over social media. We ordered the Beef Brisket Croque Madame, the CPT (Cheese, Pesto & Tomato) panini, and the whopping ‘Contra Brunch’ which in itself comprises six different breakfast items including pastrami and potato hash, fried eggs, Caprese salad, a smoothie bowl with fresh fruits and granola, scones, as well as chocolate chip pancakes.

Arriving relatively quickly, our order nicely filled up the table with brilliant aromas of the breakfast options and sandwiches. From freshly baked bread that highlighted the French-inspired Croque Madame and the CBT panini to the visually appealing pieces presented within the Contra Brunch, each item managed to stand out with its unique plating and tastes.

The Croque Madame and CPT, for example, both contrasted on their tastes but won us over with their flavours.

The former, which comes with a beautifully crafted sourdough bread, had a succulent beef brisket as its piece de la resistance which played with our taste buds as it coalesced with the bechamel sauce, while the latter was a more sophisticated affair with an impressive pesto complementing the grilled panini. If we had to select our favourite amongst the two, we wouldn’t mind having the Croque Madame once again (or twice)!

Onwards to the centre of our table’s attention, the Contra Brunch – there’s just one word and that’s gargantuan. In true Lahori style, the breakfast/brunch platter just wouldn’t end, as if paying a homage to a Lahori man’s gluttony that just loves having it all! Truly, this was the star product. From the fried eggs done to perfection with sprinkled bacon bits on top, freshly baked scone, Caprese salad with a mouthwatering mozzarella piece complementing it to the granola bowl that we couldn’t stop ogling with our eyes due to its beautiful colour and plating, each and every item was satisfying to the palate and vision!

After the hearty meal, just to figure out why there’s a Contra takeaway coffee cup everywhere these days in Lahore, we chose to try out items from their coffee menu. Opting for their classic Hazel Nocciolatte and Swiss Choc Mocha, we expected to be blown away – and blown away we were. Both the hot beverages had a rich aroma and taste to them, which would be perfect for anyone looking for coffee that is more towards the sweeter side. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to consider them the best option in the colder months.

To mark an end to this day of gluttony, we couldn’t resist the patisserie display and had to try out the vibrant macarons presented on top of the baked goods display. Selecting from a wide array of flavours, we opted to go for an assortment that ranged from ganache options such as chocolate and caramel to tangier coulis options such as lemon and strawberry. Each of the assorted flavours managed to pique our interest, albeit they were on the drier side. One would have hoped for a fresher taste but for now, we can put that down to being a teething issue.

There may be a plethora of café options all over Lahore, but many lack an identity that separates them from the crowd. Contra Coffee suffers from no such issue. In fact, if anything, Contra has managed to carve a niche for itself quicker than any other culinary space we’ve seen launch in the city. We went in with high hopes and truly, we came out with even higher ones.