Lonely woman opens café in her UK home to make friends over coffee - and it's thriving

After moving thousands of miles away from home in India to London, Ananya Sharma, 25, was quickly gripped by a feeling of loneliness, so she decided to open her own café at home to make friends, and she has been inundated with hundreds of people who want to come.

Since announcing the café's opening on TikTok, sharing her journey and difficulties in making new friends, Sharma has been overwhelmed with positive responses. She has received over 500 messages from fellow lonely TikTokers requesting to attend her next coffee meetup.

“When I moved to London, I didn’t know anyone and found it difficult to make friends. I wanted to meet like-minded people, so I decided to host a coffee morning and promote it on TikTok,” Ananya said.

“To my surprise, my at-home café video blew up!”

While Sharma may feel lonely, she is not alone. New research from Breville shows that many Brits are struggling with loneliness too, with 66 per cent of people feeling lonely in their day-to-day life. More than one in three people (35 per cent) find chatting over a coffee the best way to chat, while half (49 per cent) would be open to attending a coffee meetup to meet new people.

Having spotted Ananya’s videos, the team at Breville gifted her a new Breville Barista Signature Espresso Machine to help her continue her venture.

Ananya’s at-home-café now serves a variety of espresso-based coffees, from flat whites to spicy lattes, alongside her freshly baked pastries and cookies.

“It inspired me to keep welcoming people round for coffee and it’s really made me feel at home in London. I’m thrilled Breville has helped keep my café alive and given me the confidence to become a barista from my home.”

One of her guests, Shruti Haldankar, 28, who also moved from India to London, was one of the first people to get in touch with Ananya, and has been attending her coffee ‘shop’ mornings ever since.

“I connected with Ananya after seeing her TikTok about making new friends in London, because I also didn’t know anyone and was all alone. We instantly hit it off, and now we’re basically sisters,” Shruti said.

“The first few times we met were over coffee, and for people like us who enjoy socialising where alcohol isn’t necessarily involved, it’s the perfect way to meet like-minded people. Ananya’s café became a source of me making other friends in this new city, and now I feel like London is my home.”

Shruti joins many Brits who are turning to alcohol-free ways to enjoy others' company, with nearly one in three (27 per cent) preferring a coffee for a chat than a boozy beverage as sober socialising continues to rise in popularity, especially amongst Gen-Zers.

Gus Bailey, spokesperson at Breville says: “Ananya’s story really demonstrates the power of a good cup of coffee and the connections it can facilitate, and we’re proud to help her continue this journey.”

“Home coffee set ups are stepping up, and our Breville Barista Signature Espresso Machine is leading the charge.

“Quality and connection are our main driving forces, and like 81% of Brits, we believe that the quality of coffee served when hosting is important. The Breville Signature Barista Espresso Machine creates perfection every time and enables people to serve café-quality coffee without leaving the house.”