Chai N More — Restaurant in Bellevue

I’ve been coming here since they opened in April 2025 and have probably visited more than 15 times by now. Not once have I left disappointed. The consistency is honestly one of the best parts of this place; every single visit feels just as good as the last.

It’s run by two owners, one of whom is the head chef, and the other manages the front. She’s super kind, always greets you warmly, and if you chat with her for a minute or two, you’ll see how passionate she is about food. The menu has also grown a ton since they first opened, and you can tell that’s because they really listen to what customers want.

AMBIENCE: Cozy and casual with clean interiors and bright colors. Dessert counter is inviting and fun, though items rotate a bit depending on the day. Great spot for a casual chai break or to sit down for a proper meal.

FOOD: Poori & Keema: My personal favorite. The chicken keema is very rich, flavorful, and the pooris are always spot on. This is the one dish I’d bet nobody can dislike. Palak Poori & Aloo Sabzi: Extremely rare to find Palak Poori in the US. Once you start, it’s tough to stop. Matar Kachori & Aloo Sabzi: Super soft crust, and the sabzi is a perfect match. Comforting and well-made. Vegetable Cutlet (2 pcs): Loved this. Crisp outside, beet and potato balanced really well inside. Keema Pav: Extremely good, using the same keema from the Poori & Keema. The pav itself is on the sweeter side, which isn’t my preference, but others might enjoy it. Bombay Sandwich: Quite close to what you’d find in Mumbai. Brings back memories. Vada Pav: A really good version. Not Mumbai-style, but they never claimed it was. For what it is, it’s an amazing generic Vada Pav. Pav Bhaji: Decent, flavorful, and filling. Nothing extraordinary. Pepper Chicken: Extremely good, packed with flavor. I wouldn’t recommend it for takeout, but fresh at the café, it’s fantastic. Egg Hakka Noodles: Really good, but Pepper Chicken is the star of their Indo-Chinese. Same deal here, better fresh than to-go. Samosa Chaat: Fine, nothing too special, but still tasty. Paani Poori: Decent, fresh, and crisp. Fun to share. Bread Pakoda: Just okay, not one of the stronger items. Kesar Chai: Good and enjoyable. You can see the saffron and actually smell and taste it.

DESSERTS: I should mention upfront that I’m not a big connoisseur of Indian desserts, so these are pretty personal takes. Mango Shrikhand: Really good once, just okay another time. A little inconsistent. Tiramisu: Surprisingly good, probably seasonal. Definitely worth trying if it’s available. Rasmalai Cake: Below average for me, but I’m not a Rasmalai fan in general, so Rasmalai lovers might enjoy it more. Mishti Doi: Didn’t fully suit my taste buds, but it’s a rare dessert in the US and could be enjoyable if you like traditional Bengali sweets.

FINAL THOUGHTS: "Chai N More" is one of the rare cafés that gets it right. The food is made with care, the menu keeps evolving, and the people behind it make you feel welcome every time. If you’re in Bellevue and craving Indian café-style comfort food, this place should be...

I want to give some honest feedback because I had some pretty high initial expectations, and I can see the potential.

Service was rough. My mom and I visited between 6-7 and it was packed to the brim. As someone who has worked behind the counter before in busy cafes, I understand how stressful it gets. However, the cashiers are the people who dictate the flow of the business. There were often multiple parties at the counter, some wanting to order, some needing to pick up their food, and some needing help. There needs to be clear communication and order, assertiveness. Some things that would have helped would be designation for a line to form. The order line did not exist, it was simply a crowd. Items that were not available on the menu were not made clear. My mom wanted aloo kachori and when we tried ordering it, we were only told that they were not making it. so we tried ordering daal kachori. that was when we were told they were not making any kachori. There needs to be a sign if a menu item is not available, or the bare minimum of clearly informing people ordering. use the laminated menu or the chalkboard menu to cross off menu items that are temporarily not being made. We ordered a few different items but each item was called out individually. Had to get up to get each item. It would be much more fluid, and reduce the number of people at the counter, if cashiers kept track of food items and only called out numbers when an order was fully out. for example, calling out the order number when all of the food or drinks were ready. it also seemed like some customers were having a hard time hearing their order numbers being called out because multiple numbers were repeated many times, and we saw some people asking for the status of their order and being told that their order was called out a while ago. If you've ever been to YGF, they have a nice audio system and digital sign that displays and reads out a number. i think that system would be extremely useful. Also, communicate to the customer when one of their items will be delayed. We received our entire order, including my mom's chai, before my chai came out (15 min after food came out). The expectation that customers need to bus their own table needs to be communicated on a sign or something. We almost walked out leaving our dishes on the table until we noticed a small bus station in the corner with no signs. The food was ok. ginger chai was very watery. Like it was made with no fat milk or mixed with water. otherwise, the flavor was good and you won't find other indian businesses selling ginger chai. poori and Chana masala was ok. not enough poori to chana masala. it was good, but you can find great elsewhere for a similar price. dahi poori was pretty good.

Overall, this would be a lovely cafe to chat with friends. I would not come back for the food or service so I hope for improvement. I would be a bit embarrassed to share this cafe with my...

Kapow! Right on the palate! Stopped in for the first time to try chai with a friend. We were both delighted with what we found. I ordered the Taazgi Chai and my friend had the Chai Malai Maar Ke. We waited maybe 5 minutes which seemed entirely appropriate since the chai is not produced by pressing a button on an automatic machine with a chai 'pod'. First impression with both cups was the wafting aroma of the spices as we popped off the lids. The chai was very hot and we both appreciated this. We let them cool just slightly before indulging. The ginger and mint of the Taazgi were well proportioned. No one likes understated spices and this tea did not disappoint. The same could be said for the Malai Marr Ke.

Worth noting is the teas are unsweetened or minimally sweetened so provided sugar packets let you sweeten to your liking. We both loved this. No sicky sweet syrup to have to drink through if, like me you like less sugar in your drinks. Despite the fact that my friend does really like sugar she agreed that both were perfectly wonderful as they were served. However a touch of sugar did seem to enhance the cardamon and ginger in the respective drinks.

The price point is a bit high for me. However, this was a nice treat and all the extra care that I felt went into the drinks left me with no reservations about the price or returning again to try another drink.

The only thing I did not like is parking but that is not the fault of the establishment. SUV parking is annoying in a parking garage. However the ceiling height is 8'2'' so no problem getting in and there were plenty of spaces at the time we arrived around 2:15pm.

If you driven by this place like I had multiple times without stopping do yourself a favor and stop in for a chai.

Lastly, we only had tea but the menu looked great and smelled absolutely worth investigating...