Chaiiwala — Restaurant in London

Dear Chaiiwala Customer Services,

I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding a disappointing experience at your Wood Green branch, which I feel no longer reflects the high standards associated with the Chaiiwala brand.

As a regular, almost daily customer, I have always enjoyed Chaiiwala’s food and ambience. However, my recent visit has compelled me to voice serious concerns about the declining customer service and hygiene at this location.

During my visit, I observed that tables were not being cleaned between customers. The lack of basic cleanliness created an unhygienic and unpleasant atmosphere. In any food establishment, maintaining a clean and safe environment should be a minimum expectation, and in line with food hygiene standards in the UK.

Even more concerning was the poor attitude of the staff. Most appeared disinterested and unprofessional. One staff member in particular—a woman wearing black glasses—was especially rude and dismissive in her manner. Her approach lacked courtesy and basic customer service etiquette. This is not the first time I’ve experienced this type of behaviour, but I had previously chosen not to raise it out of patience and goodwill. However, this pattern is now affecting the overall customer experience.

As a paying customer, I believe I am entitled under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to receive service delivered with reasonable care and skill. Unfortunately, the experience I encountered did not meet those expectations.

I value the Chaiiwala brand and the quality it stands for, but this branch urgently requires improvement in both customer service and hygiene standards. I respectfully request that you look into this matter and advise on the steps being taken to address these issues.

Thank...

Chaiiwala offers a cozy & vibrant spot for Indian street-food and, of course, its signature chai. From what I gathered, here’s a review you can use:

Chaiiwala blends casual charm with bold flavours, creating a welcoming space where chai lovers and street-food fans alike can relax and eat well. The décor is warm and modest, with touches that hint at its South Asian roots without feeling overstaturated. It’s the kind of place you can drop into midday or linger over a drink and snacks.

One of the strongest draws is their chai—especially the Karak chai, which many reviewers say is rich, aromatic, and true to style. The menu is broad: expect breakfast items, wraps, rotis, masala chips, and fusion street-style snacks. I tried their masala chips: tasty, but a bit soft, which made them harder to pick up without breaking. Their breakfast platter, with paratha, channa, shami kebab and dessert, is hearty and satisfying, though on my visit the shami was slightly dry.

Service is polite and friendly. On quieter visits, things move steadily. But during busier periods, it can slow—some orders take longer than hoped, and sometimes reminders are needed for drinks. Staff generally aim to be helpful and accommodating.

Atmosphere leans casual and lively. Because the place is modest in size, it can get a bit cramped and noisy when lots of customers are in. But that bustle also adds to the street-food vibe.

In summary: Chaiiwala is a solid pick when you’re craving good chai and flavorful, affordable street food. It’s not perfect—some dishes are a bit inconsistent, and waiting times can vary—but the strengths (tea, menu variety, warm service) make it a...

Very disappointed in the service of this cafe. Firstly made a mistake with my order, the short south asian looking lady with dark hair from last night abruptly said to me when something was missing it would cost extra. Because of her tone I walked away disappointed saying the service was bad. Poor communication, showed no empathy or wiling to resolve the issue in a nice way. This happened when the shop was not busy so could not even excuse the staff of being stressed or able to cope. She then compounded her bad service with incorrectly informing us they only allow the extra cream on cold drinks not hot drinks, this is inaccurate as had this in many other chaiwala cafes and then she said she could not provide a refund when the other staff member contradicted her and said she could and did so in the end. I have never experienced such bad service from any other chaiwala in London and I have been to many over the last few years. What made it worse is they allowed for an argument with other customers to develop, they did not do anything to help defuse the situation. I was there with with my elderly mother too. I would never ever go back to this chaiwala as staff are clearly untrained to provide good customer service. The service is terrible and to allow customers to abuse each other and become hostile in a shop is unacceptable. I have never experienced this ever...