Cebu moves fast. Between work, school, and daily errands, finding time to slow down often takes intention. For Chai Tea House, a small cup of Indian chai offers a reason to pause.
Located along Don Mariano Cui Street in Cebu City, Chai Tea House brings Indian tea culture to a local audience through bold flavors, colorful branding, and a space designed for quiet moments. For owner Aulga Llamas, the experience goes beyond serving tea. She wants customers to understand the tradition and feeling behind every cup.
The menu leans into that boldness. Chai Tea House brews with pure Assam CTC tea leaves, crushed, twisted, and cured for a rich aroma and deep color. The Classic Chai, smooth, milky, and a bestseller, sits alongside more layered options like the Adrak Chai, spiked with fresh ginger, and the Elaichi Chai, fragrant with cardamom. The Adrak Elaichi Chai blends the two, while the Masala Chai goes further still, adding peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon for their most complex cup yet. Each one is also available iced, for those who’d rather have their chai cold.
Chai Tea House draws from India’s vibrant culture through its bright pink-and-blue branding, illustrated cups, and merchandise. Aulga explains how the visual identity reflects the energy she associates with India while also representing the Filipino side of the business.
“Filipinos are known for being friendly, expressive, and full of personality, which actually blends beautifully with the vibrancy of Indian culture,” she shares.
The brand extends beyond its drinks through merchandise, which Aulga designed as a souvenir for local and international tourists visiting Cebu. Customers have something to take home after their visit, along with a reminder of their experience at the tea house.
Before opening Chai Tea House, Aulga encountered a challenge closer to home. Her sister had tried Indian chai in Cebu and disliked the experience, raising questions about whether Cebuanos would enjoy the drink.
Aulga saw an opportunity to show her a different side of chai.
“Chai may look simple, but finding the right balance of tea, milk, and sugar makes all the difference,” she explains. “Everyone can make chai, but not everyone can make a good chai.”
For her, introducing Indian chai means offering an experience rooted in tradition, rather than focusing solely on ingredients from its country of origin.
“Authenticity isn’t only about using ingredients sourced from the country of origin. It’s also about bringing the experience, tradition, and feeling behind the food or drink,” she says.
Aulga hopes Chai Tea House becomes a space for people to step away from Cebu’s busy pace. She wants customers to enjoy their drinks, listen to music, and spend time without feeling pressured to rush.
She also hopes to change a common perception about chai. In India, people enjoy the drink throughout the day, including during warm weather. For her, chai does not follow a strict time or season.
Through each cup, Chai Tea House invites Cebuano customers to experience a small part of Indian tea culture.
“I want them to discover that in India, chai is more than just tea. It’s a reason to pause, connect, and have a conversation, and enjoy a simple moment in the middle of a busy day,” Aulga shares. At Chai Tea House, the experience begins with tea, but the purpose extends to the moments people share around it.
Photography Kyrra Kho
