Viral blue-eyed chaiwala from Pak now owns a cafe in London, details here

Arshad Khan who became an instant sensation for his striking looks and blue-eye gaze in 2016, has opened 'Cafe Chaiwala' on East London's Ilford Path

The blue-eyed Pakistani tea vendor Arshad Khan, who grabbed eyeballs with his striking looks back in 2016, has opened his cafe in London. In a bustling London street full of Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis, the once-poor chai vendor from Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, has launched his own business.

He began his brand Cafe Chaiwala at East London's Ilford Land – a region populated by South Asians. The board outside his bistro clearly makes reference to the brand name – ‘Cafe Chaiwala Arshad Khan’ – to remind the customers of his identity. 

According to ANI, the three Asian brothers Bahadur, Nadir, and Akbar Durrani brought the Chaiwala brand exclusively to London. The brothers intend to promote the franchise in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East.


 

Pakistani Tea vendor story: Overview

It’s a typical rags-to-riches story. Arshad Khan was a poor tea seller, seven years ago, who had set up his stall at an Islamabad roadside to earn a living. Little did he know that one day he would be an online sensation in the entire subcontinent, and end up as a style symbol and a franchise owner in London City. 

The photographer, Jiah Ali, casually clicked his image back in October 2016 when Arshad was just 16 years of age. Jiah shared his image on her Instagram account with the inscription, "Hot Tea". Arshad became an overnight celebrity in India and Pakistan due to his striking looks, blue eyes, and a model-like face.

After becoming an online sensation, Arshad, who hails from an Orthodox family living in Mardan, was nicknamed 'Chaiwala'. The cafe serves 15-20 dishes alongside tea in a modern style tea stall that gives homage to Arshad's roots. In 2020, Arshad launched his own chai cafe in Islamabad. He claims three chai cafes, two in Lahore and one in Murree. Presently, Arshad has opened a cafe in East London's Ilford Path.

Concerning a visit to this cafe, Arshad said, "My visit is being arranged and I wouldn't want anything more than to brew tea for my caring fans. I have gotten a large number of requests for a London visit."