Who Is Arshad Khan, The Blue-Eyed Pakistani 'Chaiwala' Who Got Global Fame For His Striking Looks And Now Owns A Cafe In London?

Pakistani Chaiwala Arshad Khan: The blue-eyed Pakistani 'chaiwala,' who became an overnight internet sensation in 2016, is back in the media spotlight for opening a cafe in London.

NEW DELHI: In 2016, a blue-eyed Pakistani tea seller with striking looks had become an overnight sensation after his photographs selling tea at his small team stall at a Sunday Bazaar in Islamabad went viral. Back then, the man in question, Arshad Khan, grabbed a lot of attention after a photographer named Jiah Ali shared his photos on social media. Khan was then flooded with several modelling and acting offers. However, he preferred to remain a ‘chaiwala’ a moniker which he got from social media.

Why is Arshad Khan Making News Again?

The blue-eyed Pakistani 'chaiwala' is back in the media spotlight for opening a cafe in London now. Yes, you got it right, Khan has now opened a café - Cafe Chaiwala - on East London's Ilford Lane. Ilford Lane is home to many Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. 

His London café is designed to promote South Asian culture, featuring traditional elements such as truck art, hand-decorated Vespas, and desi paintings. 

Khan has been personally sharing news about his journey as an entrepreneur on his Instagram account. Sharing updates about the London café, Khan wrote on his Instagram account that he plans to visit London to brew tea for his fans. 

Besides the London café, Khan also operates similar Café Chaiwala brands in Islamabad, Lahore and other locations in Pakistan.

According to a press release, “the London café boasts traditional and cultural South Asian elements, from truck art and a hand-decorated Vespa, desi paintings on the wall and the interior that is modern and Dhabba at the same time.”

Sharing details about the cafe, Khan said, "My visit is being planned and I would love to brew tea for my loving fans. I have received thousands of requests for a London visit. Our first international Chai shop is now open on Ilford Lane and the response is massive already. With the Durrani brothers, we decided to start from Ilford Lane due to the fact that it's home to a large number of Pakistanis and Indians who love Chai. I will be in London soon in person."

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Despite being flooded with several modelling and acting offers in 2016, Khan was not carried away by the instant global fame and attention he got back then. He instead decided to sharpen his language skills and learn the nuances of business. He readily embraced his new identity as a ‘chaiwala,’ and used all the limelight as a stepping stone in his career with the launch of a café named 'Cafe Chaiwala Rooftop' that opened in Islamabad in 2020.

In his previous interview with Urdu News, Khan recalled that the name 'chaiwala' holds a special place in his heart, as it is an integral part of his identity and his entrepreneurial journey.

Surely, Arshad Khan has come a long way from being a modest daily wage tea seller to a budding entrepreneur.