The Story Behind Popa’s Wooden Tables and Chairs
At first glance, the wooden tables and chairs at Popa might seem a little unexpected. Walk into restaurants around Imphal today and you will find plenty of cool, chic and thoughtfully designed interiors. So, when you see the slightly old-fashioned wooden tables and chairs at Popa, you might wonder, Why these? Especially when the restaurant brings together a diverse menu of much-loved local favourites, popular dishes from around the world, beautifully made pastries and cakes, and plenty of comforting favourites. The answer is simple. They were chosen deliberately. And the reason has very little to do with following an interior trend. It has everything to do with the people Popa hopes will feel at home here.
A restaurant in the heart of the city
Popa’s main branch is located at MBC Complex, a place that naturally brings people together. People come to Imphal from different towns, districts and villages to attend conferences, events and gatherings at MBC Church. The restaurant is also surrounded by community-based societies and different leikais (localities), bringing together people from many communities and tribes.
That diversity is one of the things that makes Imphal special, and it is something Popa gets to experience every day through the people who walk through its doors.
For some visitors, a trip to Imphal may not happen very often. Attending a conference or event could even be their one visit to the city that year. They may not have the time, energy or physical comfort to travel far and explore different restaurants and cafés.
That is where Popa’s central location becomes meaningful. Visitors can stop by, sit down, enjoy a cup of cha (tea) or coffee, have a meal, order a pastry or cake, and take a comfortable break before heading back to their event.
But Popa is not only for people visiting Imphal. It is also a convenient place for those who live in the city and simply want somewhere to meet a friend, enjoy a quick cup of cha, have something to eat or take a little break from the day. For some, it may simply be a convenient stop. For others, it may become a familiar place they remember from their visit to Imphal. And for those who live nearby, it can slowly become one of those places they return to because it feels comfortable, familiar and easy.
Every day, Popa welcomes people from different generations and walks of life. Young customers come in for a meal with friends, a favourite pastry or a dish they have been wanting to try. Families drop by for a hearty meal, good food and a chance to enjoy something beyond their everyday routine.
Older customers come in too, bringing with them decades of stories, experiences and opinions about just about everything under the sun. The idea is simple: there should be a place at Popa for everyone.
A little familiarity in a modern space
For generations, cha hotels and Ima Puri hotels (puri and tea stalls run by elderly women) have been more than places to eat and drink. They have been informal meeting places where people sit down with a cup of cha and puri served with utti, a savoury curry made from soaked yellow peas, and begin talking.
Politics. Current affairs. Geography. The neighbourhood. What is happening in town. What happened yesterday. What might happen tomorrow. These ordinary conversations are part of the culture many of us grew up with, and they often become the memories we cherish when life takes us away from home.
But Popa is not trying to recreate or preserve the traditional cha hotel. The thought is much simpler: to create a sense of familiarity for those who walk through the doors.
For an elderly customer, a modern restaurant with unfamiliar furniture and elaborate interiors can sometimes feel like a space meant for someone else. It may be beautiful, but beauty does not always make a place feel accessible.
Popa wanted an elderly customer to be able to walk in and think, I can sit here. I belong here.
That is where the wooden tables and chairs come in. Their simplicity offers a sense of familiarity, perhaps reminding someone of the places where they have spent years sitting, talking and sharing a cup of cha. Only here, they can do it in a comfortable, air-conditioned space in the heart of Imphal. It is a small gesture, but sometimes a familiar setting is all it takes to make a person feel welcome.
And yes, the young ones are welcome too
Of course, Popa loves seeing its younger customers walk through the door.
Their energy, laughter and curiosity bring a different kind of life to the restaurant. They come to meet friends, discover something new, enjoy their favourite food or simply sit down with a pastry and a conversation. Popa does not want to choose between generations.
A young customer might come in for a favourite dish or cake, while someone at the next table enjoys a simple cup of cha. One person might be planning a celebration, while another might simply be looking for a comfortable chair and someone to talk to. Both should feel equally welcome. From cha to cake, there is room for everyone.
That is what Popa hopes to become: a place that feels accessible to everyone.
It can be the place you think of when searching for a restaurant near me in the heart of Imphal. It can be where you stop for an affordable cup of cha made with good ingredients, meet friends for a meal, bring your family or place a cake order for a special occasion.
And if Popa becomes known for the best cake in Imphal, delicious food and, perhaps most importantly, for being a place where people feel comfortable and welcome, that is something we would be proud of. Even a simple sentence like this makes us happy:
“Let’s go have cha at Popa.”
Because perhaps that is what we are really trying to create. Not just another restaurant with good food and attractive interiors, but a place that becomes part of people’s everyday lives. A place where generations can sit together. A place where a young customer can discover something new and an elderly customer can find something familiar. A place where you can come for a cake order, a meal, a pastry, a cup of cha or simply a conversation. The wooden tables and chairs may look like a small detail. But to us, they carry a much bigger idea: There should always be a seat at Popa for everyone.