Tea drinking is an activity every Indian cherishes. It not only adds a great point of conversation in social setting but also is a refreshing pick me up in the evenings to jar one’s senses. Delhi NCR has come out of it’s coffee loving phase and has newly become enraptured by tea culture. People have come to appreciate their Darjeeling and Nilgiri rather than Robusta and Arabica. Several tea houses have popped up all over the city seeing this new fascination for teas. Leading the pack is ‘Chaayos’, a popular chain of cozy tea parlors tucked throughout New Delhi. There are more than a fair share of Chaayos outlets in Delhi, however, our preference lies with the one in SDA Market, South Delhi. It’s quite aptly located and is a sought after hangout with college going students.

If you are someone who knows his teas well then you will feel right at home at Chaayos. This brand comes out with an excellent tea selection and makes available to you everything from your classic ginger tea to healthy green tea. Those whose tastes runs rustic with a hankering for desi masala chai will be happy with their menu. Some of their popular teas are, God’s chai, honey ginger lemon, adrak elaichi chai, kulhad chai, aam papad chai, shahi chai, pahadi chai and hari mirch chai. To cool down you can opt for homemade iced tea, shakes or lemonades. An assortment of dry homemade snacks, chivda dry fruit mix, methi matthi and gur para can be nibbled on along with your tea. Tell them how strong you want your tea to be. They will be happy to adjust.

Those in mood for something more substantial can happily munch on a variety of tea pairing foods. An egg white chaat, spinach corn cheese sandwich, mom’s poha, baarish wale pakore, samosa matar chaat, keema pav, kadhai chicken sandwich, bum omelette, thepla tacos paneer, palak patta crispies, kulhad pav bhaji, homestyle aloo sandwich, vada pav and bun maska, presents a dazzling selection. Kids get their own menu. A cup of tea pairs well with their kulhad wali jalebi, chocolate factory cake and banana walnut cake. Chaayos is one of the pocket-friendly places. Interiors are kept casual and homely to encourage diners to hang around longer. If you don’t mind a bit of liveliness while working, Chaayos could be a great spot to sit with your laptop.