“I tried three competing chaika cafes on the same street and found the best”

As a South Asian and certified tea addict, chai is something I associate with my home and community. I have many fond memories of bonding with my family, sharing funny stories and laughing until my stomach hurts over a hot cuppa.

With tea so synonymous with British culture, as well as having historical roots in South Asia, it’s no wonder that London has become a melting pot of many Chai franchises in recent years. There is no better example of this than Acton High Street, in Ealing, west London, which is home to three competing chains – all next door to each other.

I spent a morning drinking a lot (and I mean a lot) of tea! I ordered the same drink (Karak Chai) and the same meal (Chicken Kebab roll) from each chai place to find out which one is really the best on the high street.

READ MORE: The London restaurant where people line up outside the door for their famous Karak Chai

Karak Chai

Decor – In terms of ambiance, Karak Chaii had the best decor of the three tea rooms! It lights the way with an array of stunning bulbs that catch your eye as you walk down the high street. Inside the shop, you’ll find neon wall art and a perfectly Instagrammable mirror, which reads ‘Hindede på Karak Chaii’. There’s also a booth table under a sign that says “Love at first sip” to really set the scene. The gray seats are comfortable, padded and decorated with green plants to give it that fresh color. On the ceiling you can also see the phrase “Karak Chaii” written in several languages.

Service – Chai was delivered so quickly when I ordered it and was the fastest of the three locations.

Presentation – The presentation continued with the linguistic theme with the paper packaging emblazoned with the words ‘Karak Chaii’ in multiple languages.

Taste – The chai had a creamy consistency and was the milkiest of the three I tasted. However, unlike the other two competitors, I was disappointed to only be served one kebab instead of two in my roll. Also, there weren’t many sauces to compliment the taste and so the kebab was quite dry. But the paratha and chicken sheekh kebab itself was very tasty!

Award – £6.75 (the cheapest of the three)

forget it

Decor – When you enter you are greeted by a vibrant neon sign promising to give you “A Sip of the East”. The tea room follows a black and white minimalist aesthetic, adorned with green vines and hanging light bulbs to give it that modern, chic look.

Service – Living up to ‘fast food’ expectations, my plate arrived promptly to the table and the staff were also friendly. However, I have to admit that out of the three places, the metal chairs in Chaiiwala were not the most comfortable to sit on.

Presentation – In this category though, Chaiiwala wins for the best presentation of the three! The food was wrapped in a uniquely designed ‘Chaiiwala Times’ newspaper, celebrating India’s independence. I was also really impressed with the design of the cup which included a stencil-like drawing of the Chaiiwala shop and street. The attention to detail and level of effort put into this was amazing!

Taste – This chai was the most cardamom rich and the texture was very smooth. The paratha roll was packed with two chicken sheekh kebabs and served with mint sauce and fresh onions. Although delicious, the taste of the sauce somewhat overpowered the taste of the kebab and after a while it was the only spice that came through. I noticed that the kebab was not as fresh as the other two I ate and had a slightly greasy taste and smell.

Award – £7.60 (the most expensive of the three)

Chai Spot

Decor – This place had a unique aesthetic reminiscent of the 1920s Art Deco movement married with a modern and fresh style. The place was decorated with quirky trinkets including a fun light box that spelled out ‘Spill the Chai’ and some homely books on a shelf. Unlike the other two franchises which both similarly used a black and white color scheme, this café opted for a fresher green color, embellished with gold and wooden elements.

Service – Even though it was quite busy in the morning, the food was cooked and ready within a few minutes after it was ordered.

Presentation – The presentation was a little less interesting compared to the other two. The food came wrapped in paper with just the chai spot’s logo pasted over it. I appreciated the cleverness of the logo but with the steam coming from the tea creating the shape of a “CS” for the Chai Spot.

Taste – The chai itself was a strong and dark colour. The taste was as sweet as you would expect Karak chai to be. However, I don’t like the texture of malai (cream) on my chai and this one had a lot of it on top and it left a slightly bitter aftertaste. The kebabs were full of spices and flavours, complemented by several sauces and were therefore in no way dry! This paratha stood out as much crispier and more flaky than the other two I had, which were more on the softer and doughy side. This is how an authentic paratha should be!

Award – £7.00 (decent price in the middle of the three)

Overall judgment

Best food – Chai Spot, the most underrated and dark horse of the three, came out on top in my opinion in terms of the overall taste of the food. The paratha was nicely cooked and the flavors were mouthwatering!

Best tea – Chaiiwala had the best tea in my opinion, you could really taste the cardamom and the texture was smooth and lovely!

Best decor – Karak Chaii excelled in its aesthetic atmosphere and is a good place to hang out with friends or do study sessions.

As you can imagine, I was very caffeinated and very full at the end of this delicious experiment.

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