Cuppa Chai has claimed the first chai shop in a UK train station. The company has opened at South Western Railway’s Vauxhall station in south London – with a range of chaii, specialty coffee and juice alongside freshly prepared panini, parathas, pastries, and traditional South Asian snacks.
Cuppa Chai has had a presence in Karachu, Pakistan, since 1966, and came to the UK in 2022, opening a flagship location in Wimbledon. The company also has UK sites in Wallington, Bromley, and Manchester.
The company also says it has a “healthy pipeline” of locations including Birmingham, Shepherd’s Bush, Newcastle, Slough, and Edinburgh.
“Opening at Vauxhall marks a major turning point,” said owner Dawood Bush, adding: “Transport hubs are ideal for a grab-and-go product like karak chaii, and we’re proud to be pioneering this space.”
Author: George Shaw
Former BBC journalist and founder and CEO of an award-winning London advertising and PR company for 20 years, providing restaurant consultancy services. Spent a decade as the director of communications of the Asian Catering Federation in the UK and lead judge for its various restaurant and chef awards programmes. Now returned to journalism, specialising in food and travel and currently the Editor-in-Chief for Taste London, Taste Asia, the Good Curry Guide and CEO of International Culinary Guides.