Ep 4 - Cubbon Reads | Garden City to Microbrewery Capital : How Bangalore Shaped a Reading Movement

Bangalore/Bengaluru lovers, this one’s for you. In this warm, relaxed episode of Jimmy Jimmy The Show, we dive into Garden City life with Shruti and Harsh, the founders of the incredible community, Cubbon Reads.—the silent reading community lighting up Cubbon Park. Discover the heartwarming origin story of how a simple love for reading in Bangalore's iconic Cubbon Park blossomed into a city-wide movement. Shruti and Harsh share their personal journeys to the Garden City, the culture shocks, and what made them stay. We dive deep into their love for Bangalore, discussing everything from the city's unique beer culture and its famous microbreweries to hidden gems like the bustling Thippasandra Market, vintage cars spotted across the city, colonial homes near Richard's Park and essential Bangalore foods like dosa, filter coffee, Iyengar bakery treats, idiyappam (string hoppers), and biryani.
Ever wondered what happens when a community gets too popular? Hear the inside story of the infamous "Secret Santa" incident that led to new rules in Cubbon Park. We also explore their other passions, from starting a dating app for readers to their community for vintage cars, "Pretty Old Cars." This conversation is a love letter to Bangalore, exploring its food scene (from the perfect dosa to coastal cuisine), its challenges, and its undeniable charm. If you love Bangalore, reading, or just a good story, this episode is for you.

Peak Bengaluru Moments :
The origin of Cubbon Reads in Cubbon Park and how a “mat readers” handle became a citywide reading movement
Why Bengaluru remains India’s most livable big city for many: weather, walkability, and that calm you won’t find elsewhere
Pub City deep dive: microbreweries we love (Arbor, Toit, Geist) and the beer culture that defines Bangalore
The old-world magic of Thippasandra/Thippasandra Market and Ranga Shankara’s Anju’s kitchen
From Bookstacks to Bookmatches: how Cubbon Reads inspired “Bookmark,” a dating app for readers
BBMP park rules, the Secret Santa incident at Cubbon, and public space access in Bengaluru
Vintage car-spotting in Bangalore and beyond with the “Pretty Old Cars” community
Food talk: best dosas (Food Street/VV Puram), paddu, filter coffee, Iyengar bakery breads, idiyappam, and biryani picks (Meghana Foods, Mani’s Dum Biryani, Shetty Lunch Home, Sathya’s)
Classic Bangalore haunts: Dolphins (dive bar), Church Street eats, Lingarajpuram’s old colonial homes, Ujwal Bar and Restaurant
Kannada learning, metro hacks, and postcards to Bengaluru
If you’re searching for: Bangalore podcast, Cubbon Park stories, what makes Bengaluru the Garden City & Pub City, best microbreweries in Bangalore, where to eat dosa in Bangalore, Tippasandra Market guide, or vintage cars in Bengaluru—this episode’s your personal peek into the city and its people.

Featured Locations:
✨ Cubbon Park - Bangalore's green lung and reading paradise
✨ Thippasandra Market - Old-world charm meets modern Bangalore
✨ Rangashankara - Cultural heart of the city
✨ Anju's Cafe ‪@RangaShankaraTheatre‬
✨ Jaya Nagar - Traditional Bangalore at its finest
✨ Best microbreweries: Arbor, Toit, and Geist!
✨ Old Bangalore Bars : Sathyas, Dolphins, Ujwal
✨ VV Puram Food Street
✨Chulha Chauki ka Dhaba

Perfect for:
Bangalore residents and newcomers
Book lovers and reading enthusiasts
People interested in Bangalore culture and lifestyle
Anyone curious about India's Silicon Valley beyond tech
Food enthusiasts exploring South Indian cuisine

Subscribe on YouTube: @jimmyjimmytheshow
Follow on Instagram: @jimmyjimmytheshow

Find our guests and their communities:
Cubbon Reads on Insta : @cubbonreads
Pretty Old Cars on Insta : @prettyoldcars

Timestamps
0:00 – Intro: Cubbon Reads Origin Story & Christ College Experience
4:43 – First Memories of India's Garden City
6:01 – What Bangalore Gave Us: Freedom, Community & Great Weather
10:37 – Engineers without a Soul & Bangalore's Productivity Culture
11:23 – Thippasandra Market Love Story & Rangashankara
14:22 – Secret Santa Controversy with BBMP :
17:35 – Hookups and Bookmark Dating App
23:00 – Bangalore Food Delights: 100 Varieties Dosa, Paddu and Idiyappam
28:16 – 5 Wonders of Bangalore : Microbreweries, Railway Crossings Ejipura Flyover
33:04 – Dive Bars & Old Bangalore : Drinking Culture, Colonial Houses and Vintage Cars
40:22 – Rapid Fire: Books, Food, Bangalore & Life Philosophy
45:08 – Bengaluru Dabba Game: Learning Kannada & Metro Tokens
47:35 – Postcards to Bangalore: Love Letters to the Garden City


About The Show : Jimmy Jimmy The Show is a warm, relaxed conversation with people who have made Bangalore and who Bangalore has made. It's a personal peek into the lives of Bangalore's most interesting personalities.
New episodes every Sunday at 8 AM!