So this is actually my dream… opening a tea shop akin to the lovely TPot at Fort Kochi. I can possibly sit at this place for hours on end, surrounded by kettles, pots, mugs, and memorabilia – all related to tea. And of course, a steaming cup of the brew in front of me to keep me company.

Somebody seems to have beaten me to it – which is just as well because it would have probably taken me a while to realise this particular dream. I am not too fast in the implementation department. So it’s been a long time coming, and it’s a welcome addition to the city’s beverage scene. After all, there’s a lot of options for coffee drinkers with Cafe Coffee Day, Barista, Costa Coffee and Cuppa, but what happens to us tea drinkers?

Well, tea lovers can rejoice – we have options now!

Chai Point: A friend lugged me to this compact, no frills chai place, which is designed more like a roadside tea shop, but with a little more shine. Everything looks fresh and clean. The kettles are large and shiney and the equipment all looks rather interesting.

They serve chai in the traditional glasses and you can opt for tea in any way you prefer – kadak, masala, lemon or kali – and enjoy it along with an egg puff or a quick snack. Chai Point has standing space and a few stools – at least the one I went to in Ulsoor. But it’s more of quick stand and enjoy your chai and move on kind of a joint. And price point is very reasonable – you can get your chai between Rs 10-20 bucks, which is quite reasonable. Chai Points are at around 9 different locations in the city.

In this interesting article, the founder and CEO Amuleek Singh talks about how the whole idea of Chai Point came about and gives an insight into the start-up story.

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Chaipatty: I heard about this new place through friends and finally dropped in the other evening. It has a bit of a college hang out atmosphere – whether it’s the low “mudhas” (bamboo seats usually made in Assam), or the bamboo mats lying on the floor. The shop is very close to the main road – maybe also one reason why the music is kept so loud.

Chaipatty serves chai in traditional glasses and “kulhars”. And there’s a variety of tea to suit your taste and mood. There were also snacks like pakodas, momos, chicken sausages and nuggets and Maggi, which goes quite well with a cup of tea. We whiled away quite a few hours there and the owner, Chirag Yadav, was nice enough not to throw us out. The location works well for Chaipatty, it’s on the main road and it has a steady flow of customers, as we witnessed.

The store also wants to host activities and already has a corner dedicated to showcasing different products. So there’s jewellery, art, paintings, clutch purses and knick knacks you can browse through and pick up while waiting for your tea.

While the disadvantage is the noise from 100 feet road – it will be difficult to have a meeting here for example – the location also seems to be an advantage.

Tea prices start at Rs 50 and snacks are between Rs50-100. And there are also enough baked items to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Check out Chaipatty.