Meet Retired Army Capt VK Mehra and his wife Kukku, who run the oldest and busiest tea stall in Noida-NCR

Beyond the rich aroma of Dhaba Chai, a tea stall in Noida turns up the caffeinated drink. Visit this tea stall in Sector 37, Noida, and you will be reminded of the leisurely evenings from your college days. As the sun goes down, the shop fills with young people in faded jeans and sunglasses, chatting and sipping hot coffee. Teesta The Tea Shop, established 25 years ago by Capt (Retd) VK Mehra (80) and his wife Kukku, serves mouth-watering appetizers and beverages in NCR.

Teesta Tea Shop

Taking up only a small amount of space, the shop is still hidden among dozens of other restaurants. No matter what time of day it is, it always seems busiest, with patrons flocking to tall cups of tea and coffee and delicious appetizers like gammon and cheese sandwiches, burgers, momos, muffins and cookies . Even with a cashier and cooks, the tiny shop could only hold about 10 customers at a time! Vintage kettles, a porcelain teapot, and hand-painted teacups are just some of the vintage collectibles that line the interior’s shelves and countertops. On shelves throughout the store are several kettles, a porcelain teapot in the shape of a Laughing Buddha, and several painted tea cups that Mehra has collected over the years from his travels to South Asian countries. A small sofa serves as a waiting area. Small stools are scattered over the seating area, which is a narrow corridor outside.

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16 different types of tea

Teesta offers 16 different types of tea, including the soothing Tibetan herbal tea that can be found in Dharamshala, as well as some fantastic filter coffee blends. A neat assortment of hot and cold beverages is presented on the three-leafed menu, along with a list of delicious snacks such as grilled sandwiches, baked muffins and cookies. Have a cup of cool green tea, crisp eucalyptus, or a cool cup of lemon tea; Each emits a subtle aroma and mouth-watering taste. Caribbean Coffee, a combination without milk, is one of those cold coffees that is pleasant to sip on.

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garage to market

For Mehra, starting a business focused on tea was not an outrageous idea. He was already an expert on tea and talked about it, its benefits, and how to make the ideal cup of joe in army clubs and other settings. Every step in the complex process, he claims, from the growing conditions for the leaves to manufacturing and packing, affects the final flavor. The couple operated their business out of their garage for about eight years, before moving to Godavari Bazaar. Even though it is now a popular spot in Noida, things were very different in the early 2000s. Most of the other eateries were only able to establish themselves for four or five years before other potential businesses began to take notice as the tea shop progressively gained prominence and began to see more and more customers. Had done it.

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Makaibari Connection

The Makaibari Tea Estate in Darjeeling is the source of the tea leaves used in Teesta Tea. Before selecting a sample for his cafe, the Mehras make sure to taste it. Mehra opened the tea stall’s second location in Sector 46 a few years back. He often lectures here on the tea manufacturing process, to make customers understand the effort and commitment that goes into making just one cup of tea. He claims that, in the absence of a personal visit to the tea gardens or plantations, it is not always possible for one to know exactly how the final product was made. Instead, he gives them these lessons.

What makes Teesta stand out among the many big-brand tea shops that have opened up in the NCR is how this establishment serves delicious food at reasonable prices; Tea and snacks cost between Rs 40 and Rs 60, but their quality never dips. All teas and coffees are brewed in-house with less milk, bringing out the flavor of the beans or leaves while maintaining healthy levels of caffeine. The momos are provided by a third-party provider, while Koyal makes its own muffins and cookies. There are about 16 different types of tea, including Darjeeling, CTC (crush, tear, curl), Kashmiri Kahwa, Sor-tib-tea, Ginseng, Jasmine, and Saffron. The iced tea they serve is a favorite among customers.