Tiffin & Chai has been open for less than a year but is probably the most popular food stall in Stoke-on-Trent. The stall is located in Stoke Indoor Market and I am lucky enough to live just a few minutes drive away! The photos you see in this post are from three separate visits. The business is owned by two sisters who learned all their recipes from their mother and are now sharing their fabulous food with the world! Even in 2020, it’s still quite unusual to see British Asian women setting up a business here in Stoke, but these sisters are breaking the mould and empowering women everywhere with this highly successful venture.
Tiffin & Chai is open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, serving food from 11 am… but you’ve got to be fast: by 1pm, all their food is usually sold out! Although Tiffin & Chai is not an exclusively vegan establishment, you will find at least one vegan option there every day, plus vegan accompaniments. Vegan naan is available every day, with vegan rice also available on select days. The handmade samosas are the best I’ve ever tasted, with the perfect combination of crunchy pastry, soft filling and spicy flavour. You can find pakoras there most days, with various varieties popping up including Brussels sprouts and aubergine and spinach! Another Tiffin & Chai speciality is their spicy battered wedges. These hot wedges and pakoras are not for the faint hearted, but within the heat lies a gorgeous blend of flavours any lover of Indian food will fall in love with.
Vegan mains vary as Tiffin & Chai operate a rolling menu. Dishes range from tarka dal, to chana masala, to banging bombay potatoes… and they really are banging! Every dish is delicious. Every mouthful is an explosion of flavours! This is homecooked food, made with love, at restaurant quality and market stall prices. What more could you wish for?
As well as all this incredible food, Tiffin & Chai boasts beautiful decor and customer service that is second to none. All this makes for a fabulous atmosphere that customers travel from far and wide to experience. Food is freshly made on the day it’s served and is available to take away until sold out! A table service is also operated whenever possible. Eating in is a joyous experience. You will be surrounded by colour from the vibrant and quirky decor, which ranges from hanging umbrellas, to colourful artificial flowers, to brightly painted tables and chairs. All of this gives the stall a cheerful and unique atmosphere that you’ll want to come back to again and again.
To find out more about Tiffin & Chai, and to see what they are serving today, follow their Facebook page and do pay them a visit if you can… you won’t regret it! Keep scrolling down to see more mouthwatering dishes…
