In 2016, the Internet broke down because of a tea seller from Pakistan. His mesmerizing blue eyes and looks left the world in surprise. He became an overnight sensation after a photographer named Jiah Ali shared a picture of him on social media. Now, Arshad Khan, the famous tea seller is making headlines again as he now owns a cafe in London, yes you read it right!
Arshad owns a cafe named Cafe Chaiwala in an area populated by mainly Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshismon East London’s Ilford Lane. According to a press release by the cafe, the restaurant boasts traditional and cultural South Asian elements, from hand-decorated Vespa, truck art and desi paintings on the wall and the interior that is modern and Dhabba simultaneously.
Sharing details about his cafe in London, he said, “My visit is being planned and I would love to brew tea for my loving fans. I have received thousands of requests for a London visit. Our first international Chai shop is now open on Ilford Lane and the response is massive already. With the Durrani brothers, we decided to start from Ilford Lane since it’s home to a large number of Pakistanis and Indians who love Chai. I will be in London soon in person.”
The café’s billboard displays the name “Cafe Chaiwala Arshad Khan.”
Bahadar Durrani, Akbar Durrani and Nadir Durrani, the Durrani brothers spearhead the brand in London and are planning to open multiple franchises of Cafe Chaiwala Arshad Khan across the UK, North America, Australia, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The now-popular tea vendor from Pakistan started selling tea at the age of 12 to support his family, which consisted of his 17 siblings and parents. After his viral breakthrough, Arshad landed several modelling contracts and has been sharing updates of his journey on social media platform Instagram. He also received global popularity. Arshad opened his first cafe, ‘Cafe Chaiwala Rooftop,’ in Islamabad in 2020, while he dabbled in the entertainment industry.
