Bradford Chaiiwala churns it out on Great Horton Road
SPONSORED CONTENT HALAL STATUS Fully HalalIt seems like yesterday when the UK’s leading Halal street food brand Chaiiwala made its big Bradford debut in 2019 with only its 17th cafe at the time.
Perfectly located in the centre of Great Horton Rd
Fast forward to the present and the ‘Indian Starbucks’, as they’ve come to be known, now reign supreme with 80 stores worldwide and the recent launch in Bolton of their very first drive-thru.
This particular site on Great Horton Road – the first of two in Bradford; the other being on Leeds Road (BD3 9TX) – is a single detached café with seating for 20 diners, as well as two entrances that includes wheelchair access.
Although Chaiiwala requires little introduction, some may not know that their roots actually extend back to 1927 and the streets of New Delhi in India.
Inspired by almost a century of history and tradition, the family of the original founders drew on their spirited past to establish the brand here in the UK back in 2016.
What a spread! Innovative dishes you won’t find elsewhere
Constantly innovating, Chaiiwala remains ahead of the curve…
Stunning choice of beverages…
It is not for nothing that in 2019, Chaiiwala was voted the Readers’ Choice: Best Beverage of the Year during the annual #FtLion awards.
Often imitated, but never surpassed, what keeps this franchise ahead of the curve is that tenacious drive in keeping things fresh and innovative.
Chaiiwala fandom are well aware that visiting them in spring, for instance, will not be the same as visiting them in winter given their constantly evolving seasonal menu.
Just take these intriguing trio of bun sandwiches as examples, with the Chilli Chip Butty (‘butty’ being a term used regularly by Bradfordians to describe a hot savoury filled sandwich) having recently been introduced.
How many other chai places can masterfully pull off freshly fried chips – tossed in a zingy chilli powder, before being topped with onions, tomato, and cheese garnished with relish – served in a toasted bun?
The other pair are just as exciting, with the Aloo Tikki Burger containing a thick and crispy, fried potato croquette, whose gentle heat is effortlessly balanced by the addition of the house slaw and imli sauce; and the Bun Omelette, which houses a fresh masala omelette that hits way above its perceived simplicity.
It’s the addictive nature of the classic Pani Puri dish that makes Chaiiwala’s a best seller
We were told by the effervescent manager that their Pani Puri (also known as Gol Gappe) were an extremely popular sell.
And we saw why, with perfectly spherical hollow balls of pastry accompanied by a chana mix bowl of chick peas and onions, as well as a punchy cup of tamarind pani.
But opening early as they do at 8am, ultimately, it’s those quintessential desi breakfasts that are the big draw, with the Halwa Puri – only one of seven to choose from – being highlighted here for your pleasure.
What’s comparable to the traditional Halwa Puri breakfast of semolina pudding & puri bread?
If you’ve never tried Halwa Puri before, especially the above, then you’re missing out on the classic combo of a lightly sweetened semolina pudding, with that distinct nutty-cum-cardamom undertone, and a freshly fried, puffed-puri chapati, made even better when paired with a spicious bowl of their chickpea curry.
In short, theirs is such an elaborate menu, that you’ll be returning to this charming little cafe time and time again; and before knowing it, you’ll be a part of the Chaiiwala fandom.
Chaiiwala
337 Great Horton Road, Bradford BD7 3HN.
+44 (0)1274 507918 | W: @chaiiwala | E: [email protected]
Opening Hours: Sun-Thur 08:00-23:00 | Fri 08:00-00:00 | Sat 09:00-12:00
