India, Aug. 28 -- Pour yourself an oat-milk-agave-matcha-deep-roast-latte and think of how far we've come. India's cafe scene only took off in the 2000s. Cafes started out as places were we learnt to say ESpresso, not EXpresso, and pretend our gang was just like Chandler, Phoebe and the rest. The music was upbeat, the menu and vibe was buzzy. The mugs were gigantic, the sofas arranged for groups of six and more.

All that's changed. Not only is the indie cafe of today mellow and chill, it's designed for smaller groups and solos. And for much of the day, it's being kept afloat by women.

The women are pretty quiet, so, perhaps you haven't noticed. "This is not the noisy kitty-party crowd that used to pre-order set-lunches for 17 at restaur...