Chai Village — Restaurant in Canton Township

I recently visited Chai Village and tried their chai, bun maska, and vada pav, and wanted to share my honest experience.

Long wait time on the order, we had to remind the host for chai.

Chai: The chai was honestly disappointing. The menu lists multiple variations and says they can make it exactly how you want, but the actual preparation felt nothing like authentic Indian chai. They serve a tiny cup of plain chai, and then the owner comes around with a small bottle of “essence,” adding a drop of ginger, cardamom, or whatever flavor you ordered. It felt strange and definitely not how chai is made back home, where the ingredients are boiled together to bring out real flavor. Adding essence afterward just doesn’t create the same taste or experience. Overall, it didn’t feel like real chai to me.

Bun Maska: This was okay, nothing special. It would taste a lot better if they used a sweet bun instead of a plain one to get closer to the classic bun maska flavor.

Vada Pav: The vada pav had all the usual components, but the red peanut chutney was added in excess. It overpowered the vada and made the whole thing...

⚠️ Service Issues Overshadowed What Should Have Been a Simple Meal

I want to share this experience because it was shocking and genuinely upsetting. We waited around 35–40 minutes for our food, and when it was finally ready, the staff member snapped his fingers at us to come collect it. That alone felt extremely disrespectful, but what made it worse was the clear difference in how he treated other customers.

Throughout our visit, we saw him being polite and attentive to North Indian groups who were accompanied by men. But with us, two South Indian women - the tone, body language, and level of courtesy were completely different. The contrast was so obvious that it made us feel singled out and uncomfortable.

No customer should be treated this way, especially in a restaurant that claims to value hospitality. The food also did not match the menu description - the “benne dosa” had no butter and was just a regular masala dosa.

We left feeling disrespected, disappointed, and sad. I truly hope the management takes this seriously and ensures that all customers are treated with equal respect...

Chai Village in Canton has quickly become my go-to spot. As someone who always looks for vegetarian places, this one truly has everything: amazing hospitality, tasty food, and a warm, homely ambience. The management couple is wonderful. They make it a point to visit each table and get into a friendly conversation with everyone. During peak times you might have to wait a little, but the food is always fresh, flavorful, and worth it. The ambience has a cozy, traditional vibe that gives me the same homely feeling I usually had to drive to Windsor for. Now I don’t have to go far to get that khattiya (Indian cot) charm. I have decided I am going to try everything on their menu. So far, I have had the bhel, Bombay veggie sandwich, paneer chilli sandwich, chat papdi, special samosa, paneer paratha, sugarcane juice, and gajar halwa, and I have zero complaints. Everything has been delicious and reasonably priced. Honestly, I get excited every time we plan to go. I could eat here every day. Chai Village...