Hakka Chinese Brothers Return to India, Recreate Unforgettable Taiwanese Cafe Experience in Kolkata
Hakka Chinese brothers in Kolkata, inspired by their time in Taiwan, have opened a reservation-only cafe, bringing Taiwanese cafe culture to India, alongside a Taiwanese woman running a local Hakka restaurant.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 17:49
- 🔍 Collected: April 18, 2026 at 18:01 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 18:20 (18 min after Collected)
Central News
Kolkata Hakka Chinese Feature 4 (CNA Reporter Li Chin-wei, Kolkata, 18th) India is the world's most populous country. Although the Hakka Chinese who immigrated to Kolkata in the early years are gradually leaving, a Taiwanese woman braved the world for love and has settled in Kolkata for nearly 20 years. Meanwhile, Hakka Chinese brothers Liao Chia-chi and Liao Jun-chi, inspired by Taiwan's cafe culture, have opened a reservation-only cafe locally, bringing a refined Taiwanese coffee experience to Kolkata.
In the early days, Hakka Chinese in India were concentrated in the Tangra area of Kolkata. Many worked in the leather tanning industry, with their numbers reaching tens of thousands during the peak period.
Later, due to the 1962 Sino-Indian border conflict, many Chinese fled. Additionally, pollution issues forced the Indian government to mandate the relocation of Tangra's tanneries to Bantala. With the decline of the leather industry, Hakka Chinese began to disperse across India and even immigrate overseas. Kolkata's Chinese population plummeted, and currently, only a few thousand Chinese reside permanently in the area.
Li Pei-ti married into an Indian family nearly 20 years ago and is a member of the Hakka Chinese community in Tangra. Back then, she met and fell in love with her Hakka Chinese husband in Taiwan, and subsequently followed him to live in Tangra, helping her husband take over the family restaurant business, "Jia Fu Lou," offering authentic Hakka dishes and other Chinese delicacies.
Speaking of marrying far away, Li Pei-ti said her parents did not stop her but gently warned: "It might be quite hard." She said, "Although my parents expressed it tactfully, I could actually feel their worry."
Li Pei-ti stated that when she first arrived in Kolkata, she couldn't adapt to many places. Fortunately, her husband's family ran a Chinese food business, which solved the major problem of diet. However, with few Taiwanese around, she inevitably felt lonely, but for the sake of the next generation learning more languages, she resolutely chose to stay.
Besides Hakka Chinese daughter-in-law Li Pei-ti, there is also a reservation-only cafe in Kolkata run by Hakka Chinese brothers Liao Chia-chi and Liao Jun-chi, who brought their cafe experience from Taiwan back to India.
Liao Jun-chi's primary profession is a photographer, while Liao Chia-chi is a jewelry designer.
Liao Jun-chi said that he and Liao Chia-chi went to Taiwan to learn Mandarin in 2017. During that time, they would go to different places every weekend, enjoying the aroma of coffee as well as the atmosphere of the cafes.
Liao Jun-chi said: "When we returned to India later, we had a very boring period because we wanted to go out and find a decent cafe to sit in, but found there was absolutely no such place here in Kolkata." The two decided to brew coffee at home themselves, and later even went abroad to delve into the study of coffee.
At that time, both brothers went abroad. The older brother, Liao Chia-chi, went to study professional coffee knowledge, while Liao Jun-chi studied cafe management. "After returning to India, we initially invited relatives and friends over to our house for coffee. Later, upon everyone's suggestion, we decided to open this cafe."
Liao Chia-chi told the CNA reporter that many cafes and restaurants only "look comfortable" on camera and social media, but actually have various issues that make customers uncomfortable, such as tables being too high or chairs too low.
He stated that he is not professionally trained, but his design philosophy for building this cafe is to provide a comfortable space in addition to delicious coffee, beverages, food, and service.
Liao Chia-chi said: "I want to run a place where people can relax when they come in, even if they are under a lot of life pressure. I hope that when they walk through this door and stay here for half an hour or an hour, they will feel calm, gentle, friendly, kind, and full of positive energy during this time. They can feel the beautiful atmosphere and joyful mood; this is our expectation for this cafe."
Liao Jun-chi pointed out that the previous generations of their family, like most Hakka Chinese in Kolkata, were in the leather business. "Here it was either tanneries, shoe factories, or Chinese restaurants. But coming to our generation, we can choose our own professions more freely, like how I became a professional photographer."
Liao Chia-chi has made a name for himself in the field of jewelry design. He told the CNA reporter that he has loved doing things with his own hands since he was a child, and also liked collecting crystals and stones. Around 2024, a friend asked him to make a necklace pendant. "At the time, I didn't know who it was for. I only knew she liked crystals, was interested in metaphysics, and studied the energy of crystals."
Liao Chia-chi made a pendant based on this information, and only later found out in a roundabout way that the necklace was given to the current Queen of Bhutan. "I really couldn't believe it. I had only been making jewelry for a few short years, and my work could be presented to the Bhutanese royal family. This is definitely my most unforgettable experience." (Editor: Chen Yen-chun) 1150418
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Kolkata Hakka Chinese Feature 4 (CNA Reporter Li Chin-wei, Kolkata, 18th) India is the world's most populous country. Although the Hakka Chinese who immigrated to Kolkata in the early years are gradually leaving, a Taiwanese woman braved the world for love and has settled in Kolkata for nearly 20 years. Meanwhile, Hakka Chinese brothers Liao Chia-chi and Liao Jun-chi, inspired by Taiwan's cafe culture, have opened a reservation-only cafe locally, bringing a refined Taiwanese coffee experience to Kolkata.
In the early days, Hakka Chinese in India were concentrated in the Tangra area of Kolkata. Many worked in the leather tanning industry, with their numbers reaching tens of thousands during the peak period.
Later, due to the 1962 Sino-Indian border conflict, many Chinese fled. Additionally, pollution issues forced the Indian government to mandate the relocation of Tangra's tanneries to Bantala. With the decline of the leather industry, Hakka Chinese began to disperse across India and even immigrate overseas. Kolkata's Chinese population plummeted, and currently, only a few thousand Chinese reside permanently in the area.
Li Pei-ti married into an Indian family nearly 20 years ago and is a member of the Hakka Chinese community in Tangra. Back then, she met and fell in love with her Hakka Chinese husband in Taiwan, and subsequently followed him to live in Tangra, helping her husband take over the family restaurant business, "Jia Fu Lou," offering authentic Hakka dishes and other Chinese delicacies.
Speaking of marrying far away, Li Pei-ti said her parents did not stop her but gently warned: "It might be quite hard." She said, "Although my parents expressed it tactfully, I could actually feel their worry."
Li Pei-ti stated that when she first arrived in Kolkata, she couldn't adapt to many places. Fortunately, her husband's family ran a Chinese food business, which solved the major problem of diet. However, with few Taiwanese around, she inevitably felt lonely, but for the sake of the next generation learning more languages, she resolutely chose to stay.
Besides Hakka Chinese daughter-in-law Li Pei-ti, there is also a reservation-only cafe in Kolkata run by Hakka Chinese brothers Liao Chia-chi and Liao Jun-chi, who brought their cafe experience from Taiwan back to India.
Liao Jun-chi's primary profession is a photographer, while Liao Chia-chi is a jewelry designer.
Liao Jun-chi said that he and Liao Chia-chi went to Taiwan to learn Mandarin in 2017. During that time, they would go to different places every weekend, enjoying the aroma of coffee as well as the atmosphere of the cafes.
Liao Jun-chi said: "When we returned to India later, we had a very boring period because we wanted to go out and find a decent cafe to sit in, but found there was absolutely no such place here in Kolkata." The two decided to brew coffee at home themselves, and later even went abroad to delve into the study of coffee.
At that time, both brothers went abroad. The older brother, Liao Chia-chi, went to study professional coffee knowledge, while Liao Jun-chi studied cafe management. "After returning to India, we initially invited relatives and friends over to our house for coffee. Later, upon everyone's suggestion, we decided to open this cafe."
Liao Chia-chi told the CNA reporter that many cafes and restaurants only "look comfortable" on camera and social media, but actually have various issues that make customers uncomfortable, such as tables being too high or chairs too low.
He stated that he is not professionally trained, but his design philosophy for building this cafe is to provide a comfortable space in addition to delicious coffee, beverages, food, and service.
Liao Chia-chi said: "I want to run a place where people can relax when they come in, even if they are under a lot of life pressure. I hope that when they walk through this door and stay here for half an hour or an hour, they will feel calm, gentle, friendly, kind, and full of positive energy during this time. They can feel the beautiful atmosphere and joyful mood; this is our expectation for this cafe."
Liao Jun-chi pointed out that the previous generations of their family, like most Hakka Chinese in Kolkata, were in the leather business. "Here it was either tanneries, shoe factories, or Chinese restaurants. But coming to our generation, we can choose our own professions more freely, like how I became a professional photographer."
Liao Chia-chi has made a name for himself in the field of jewelry design. He told the CNA reporter that he has loved doing things with his own hands since he was a child, and also liked collecting crystals and stones. Around 2024, a friend asked him to make a necklace pendant. "At the time, I didn't know who it was for. I only knew she liked crystals, was interested in metaphysics, and studied the energy of crystals."
Liao Chia-chi made a pendant based on this information, and only later found out in a roundabout way that the necklace was given to the current Queen of Bhutan. "I really couldn't believe it. I had only been making jewelry for a few short years, and my work could be presented to the Bhutanese royal family. This is definitely my most unforgettable experience." (Editor: Chen Yen-chun) 1150418
Stand with the facts, every contribution you make is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA "First Hand News" APP for instant breaking news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast, transmitted, or used without authorization.