Fancy a nice cup of chai?
Indian street food restaurant Chaiiwala has opened its first branch in Birmingham. It’s the fourth Indian street food cafe to open in Birmingham, after the recent openings of Indico in Shirley , Zindiya in Moseley and Indian Brewery Company at Snowhill.
Chaiiwala in Ladypool Road focuses on a range of authentic teas. Described as offering "a sip of the east" as well as urban desi street food Chaiiwala has four other locations in the UK including two in Leicester. The cafe is open every day until midnight.
The men who prepare, sell and serving chai (tea) on the streets and small roadside stalls in India are known as Chaiwallahs.
According to the Chaiiwala website they make tea “using base materials of water, milk, tea leaves that are brewed to perfection with a skill and art that is passed down generations. The chaiiwala perfects the art of a tea”.
A spokesperson for Chaiiwala said: “The popularity of Karak Chaii has spread from its Indian heartland to the Gulf States, where it is now one of the most popular daily beverages and served in diners everywhere.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing this unique dining experience to Birmingham.”
Alongside specialist teas, the cafe serves masala chips, Bombay sandwich - potato grilled sandwich with coriander mint chutney, and special masala, chilli paneer as well as paranthas and rotis including butter chicken roti.
But the chai remains supreme. The most distinctive tea on the drink menu is the Karak Chaii - ‘a strong tea also known masala chai’ - a blend of black tea, milk, sugar and spices boiled in a pan on a low flame.
According to the company website, Chaiiwala ‘use a 90 year old secret family recipe’ for their Karak Chai. If you’re not a tea fan, try Karak coffee - the coffee equivalent of masala tea.
Other hot drinks include cinnamon chaii or chaii latte.
Chaiiwala at 410 Ladypool Road, B12 8JZ is open weekdays 8am - 12am and weekends 9am -12am
