LONDON –Known for having enriched spices, aromas, and a plethora of colors in its food, Pakistani cuisine hold a significant position in Britain’s food scene, thanks to the sizable Pakistani diaspora living in the region contributing much to the culture.
With galore go-to places already offering a pure taste of Pakistani flavours, another U.K. based couple has strengthened the presence of brown community with Cha Sha, a desi restaurant run by a Pakistani couple.
Imran Gulzar and Iqra Zahoor, the UK-based couple who hailed from Karachi, are setting a new standard of Matka Chai — a tasty twist on regular tea where the beverage is smoked by pouring it into a hot mud pot.
Gulzar graduated from Karachi University spending years in the media marketing sector, and then moved to London, where he met Iqra Zahoor — a Criminologist by profession. The couple did not struggle with marketing as Cha Sha soon becomes a household name and demand for the Matka Chai increased over time.
Vowing to bring the rich flavours and diverse culinary traditions of the South Asian nation to British streets for everyone to enjoy, Cha Sha is the latest eatery to become part of the vibrant food scene in London, and Britain.
Apart from cultural food, Cha Sha also offers quality time to families and friends to reunite and rejoice. The eatery’s conducive environment is heaven on earth for the desi community to engage in hours-long conversations, connections, and form new ties.
The traditional design of their place is inspired by desi truck art design and the décor of the cafes truly depicts the spirit of local dhabas. From sitting furniture to background music, everything at Cha Sha will remind you about your back home.
Besides regular meals, people spend special occasions here like Independence Day celebrations, Ghazal singing, New Year’s Eve countdown, and many more events over the best cup of Chai.
The idea behind Cha Sha stemmed from the thought of having a unique kind of business for people living in Britain, and Iqra and Imran ended by selling Chai, as there were hardly limited placed selling it in the capital.
Sharing the rationale behind the move to opening in Wembley, Gulzar said they targeted the audience at Wembley as it was a neighbourhood known for its significant South Asian diaspora, also crediting social media and the support of locals behind huge clientage.
As of mid-2023, the couple is running 4 Cha Sha franchises across the UK while ten more are at completion. Gulzar revealed that each of his branch has at least 8 members, and he is excited to expand with the opening of new branches in months to come.
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