Beat the winter chill with ‘Tandoori chai’ in Hyderabad

Hyderabadis will always swear by their faithful Irani chai, but Tandoori chai is fast becoming a hot favourite.

Hyderabad: With winter’s chill being felt at all hours of the day now, the best way to warm up is by sipping on a hot steaming cup of chai. Hyderabadis will always swear by their faithful Irani chai, but Tandoori chai is fast becoming a hot favourite.

Tandoori chai, as the name suggests, is chai with a smokey flavour to it. Matkas are arranged in a tandoor for a few hours, which are then taken out and half-boiled chai is poured into them. Once it bubbles over and settles down, it is poured into a clean kulhad (mud glass) and served piping hot. The difference lies in the taste since the milky tea is literally fresh from the tandoor.

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Save these places for whenever you want a hit of delicious Tandoori chai in the city.

IDL Lake, Kukatpally

These roadside stalls serve delicious Tandoori chai near the IDL Lake. Usually, the stall owners set up shop during the early and evening times. Catch him around evening so you can catch the sunset while sipping on the smokey tea for just Rs 25.

CLUBS Madhapur

A popular spot for the techie crowd in the area, the roadside kiosk, which has limited seating options, serves a mean cup of Tandoori chai. Wash down some buttery bun maska along with this tea, we suggest. Cost is Rs 30.

Chowrastha chai

This is a tiny, unassuming stall near Nexus Hyderabad (formerly Forum Sujana Mall) in KPHB 9th phase, they not only sell Tandoori chai, but also other flavours of tea, milkshakes and coffee here. They don’t offer anything to eat, only chai. They also sell Tandoori coffee, which is made using the same method as their chai. But, it’s best to go with their Tandoori chai since it’s reasonably priced at Rs 20.