Pandey’s Tea Shop is a 60-year-old saga that began on Madan Chatterjee Lane in Jorasanko, a north Kolkata neighbourhood. The stall was established by Navratanlal Pandey and his elder brother around 1962 and is currently managed by his sons Rakesh, 37 and Rahul, 28.
Over the years, the stall has grown in popularity and in the number of loyal customers. They sell over 1,000 bhanrs of piping hot tea daily. In 2006, they started running a tiny eatery along with it, providing street foods such as Maggi and vada pav in a room with two benches for six people to sit at one time.
The second-generation operators of the tea stall, Rakesh (left) and Rahul Pandey, say the main ingredient in their recipe for success is their father’s dedication
“When I was running the tea shop, we used to have three workers and they helped us in selling milk and delivering tea to nearby shops. After my children started managing the shop, the quality of tea has improved enormously as we stopped selling milk and narrowed our focus,” shares Navratanlal, wearing a striped shirt and winter jacket.
The grey-haired gentleman holds on to the handle of a large saucepan of tea with one hand, while stirring it continuously with the other. The result? A rich, milky bhanr of tea.
Chocolate Chai and other things to try
When it comes to tea variations, the Chocolate Chai is a hit among the youngsters teeming around Pandey’s establishment. It is available in small and medium sizes for Rs 20 and Rs 30, respectively.
This steaming chocolate-flavoured tea is unmatched by anything else you can get in and around the Girish Park area. (Right) seating space is for around six
“We began selling Chocolate Chai in 2008. The top layer of the chai has grated dark chocolate, which is our own way of crafting the cup and one reason that people repeatedly order it,” says Rahul, who started helping his father and uncle in running their tea stall from the age of nine.
The tea starts brewing at 5am, while the food is made available only after 10.30am. The pop picks include Milky Maggi (Rs 70), Macaroni (Rs 90) and Cheese Vada Pav (Rs 40).
(L-R) Milky Maggi, Cheese Vada Pav and Macaroni
While the Milky Maggi has a certain thickness that loyalists love, the Macaroni will put an end to your hunger pangs. The Cheese Vada Pav is another hit item that has just the right amount of flavour lying between two soft buns, making it an incredible vegetarian street food choice.
“After I shifted to Jorasanko, I started exploring the street food options and discovered this small stall. My friends and I usually order Chocolate Chai and Maggi,” said Divya Agarwal, a regular at Pandey Tea Stall. The clientele is a mix of office-goers, para residents and youngsters, dominated by the latter.
Friends Ridhi, Divya and Sana Jawed. ‘The Vegetable Corn Maggi option out here is fantastic,’ said first-timer Ridhi, while Sana enjoyed the Milky Maggi and the ‘heart design on top’
While there is no board mentioning the shop’s name, locals can easily point out where you can find the best tea and Maggi in the Jorasanko locality.
Pandey on the way
- Established: 1962
- Category: Tea shop
- Best known for: Chai, Chocolate Chai, Milky Maggi, Macaroni, Cheese Vada Pav
- Timings: Opens at 5am for tea. Snacks are available after 10.30am. Shop closes at 10.30pm
- Address: Madan Chatterjee Lane, Jorasanko. Click here to locate them on Google Maps