Pakistan's viral blue-eyed tea seller now owns a cafe in London

Remember the Pakistani chai seller who went viral for not just serving chai but also his good looks? The internet sensation has now gone international, as he has opened a cafe in London. The once-poor chai seller from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad started his own venture in a busy London street filled with Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis.

The chai seller, named Arshad Khan, has started his brand Cafe Chaiwala in East London’s Ilford Land,an area populated by South Asians. The billboard outside his cafe clearly mentions the brand name. ‘Cafe Chaiwala Arshad Khan’, so that customers are not confused and vividly remember his face and fame.

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As per ANI, the Chaiwala brand has been brought exclusively to London by three Asian brothers- Bahadur Durrani, Nadir Durrani and Akbar Durrani. The brothers are planning to expand and popularise the franchise across the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

Arshad’s rags-to-riches story

Arshad Khan’s story is that of a classic rags-to-riches one. Just seven years ago, he was a poor teenager selling some chai at an Islamabad roadside stall just to make ends meet. Not even in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that one day he will become a social media sensation, a fashion icon and a franchise owner in London City.

The photographer, Javeria Ali casually clicked his picture back in October 2016 when Arshad was only 16 years old. Javeria shared his picture on her Instagram account with the caption, “Hot Tea”. Arshad’s blue eyes, striking looks and model-like face shot him to overnight fame in India and Pakistan.

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After going viral, Arshad, who is originally from a conservative Pashtun family living in Mardan, was nicknamed ‘Chaiwala’.

The cafe serves 15-20 dishes along with tea in a modern-style tea stall that pays homage to Arshad’s roots.

In 2020, Arshad launched his own chai cafe in Islamabad. He owns three chai cafes, two in Lahore and one in Murree. Now, Arshad has opened a cafe in East London's Ilford Lane.

Regarding his visit to this cafe, Arshad 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."

(With inputs from agencies)

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