Chaiwalla & Sons (Original Chaiwalla) is a Wellington-based Indian street food business founded by Rahul, who was born in Punjab, India, and grew up in Delhi, where he first fell in love with food among the city's bazaars, food carts and spice stalls. After moving to New Zealand in 2006 and completing a culinary arts degree, Rahul worked as a bakery manager in Waikato before relocating to Wellington. In 2015, after an unsatisfactory chai latte at a local café, he decided to show Wellington what proper chai tastes like, buying a small food cart and starting to brew chai at local markets.
Original Chaiwalla quickly became a staple at Wellington markets and events, as well as major events around New Zealand such as the Night Noodle Markets. The business is known not just for its chai but for classic Delhi street food recreated by Rahul, including bhaji, pakoras and tikka, served with chutneys made entirely from scratch, right down to the date and tamarind and mint and mango varieties.
Rahul's approach is simple: he makes food the way it should be done, and if he wouldn't eat it himself, he won't serve it. That passion for Indian culture and food comes through in flavours that guests describe as addictive, and the business has since expanded into a Street Eats dinner service alongside the original food truck and an online chai shop.
Original Chaiwalla began with a bad cup of chai. In 2015, Rahul — the man behind Chaiwalla & Sons — was sipping an unsatisfactory chai latte in a Wellington café when he realised he wanted to show the city what proper chai actually tastes like. He bought a small food cart and started brewing chai at local markets, and it didn't take long for Original Chaiwalla to become a staple at Wellington markets and events, as well as major events across New Zealand, including the Night Noodle Markets.
Rahul's connection to food runs deep. Born in Punjab, India, he relocated as a child to Delhi, a city famous for its colourful bazaars filled with food carts, sweet shops and spice stalls — and it was there that his love of food first took hold. He moved to New Zealand in 2006, completed a degree in culinary arts, and worked as a bakery manager in Waikato before eventually settling in Wellington, where Original Chaiwalla would later be born.
While chai is at the heart of the brand's name, Original Chaiwalla is just as well known for its classic Delhi street food: bhaji, pakoras, and tikka, all recreated by Rahul just as you'd find them in Delhi — right down to the chutneys, which are made entirely from scratch. The food truck menu includes bread pakoras, spinach bhajis, and a traditional bhaji made with potato, cauliflower, spinach, onion and coriander, served with date and tamarind chutney alongside mint and mango chutney. There's also a more indulgent option in the butter chicken sauce loaded fries. On the tikka side, paneer tikka and chicken tikka are both served with mint and mango chutney.
Drinks go well beyond the classic masala chai, available with either dairy or soy milk. The menu also includes mango lassi, iced chai (dairy or non-dairy), iced tea in peach or lemon, and masala soda — a full lineup for anyone looking to cool down alongside their street food.
What drives the business is a simple rule Rahul holds himself to: he does it the way it should be done, and if he wouldn't eat it himself, he won't serve it. That standard, paired with a genuine passion for his Indian culture and food, comes through in flavours customers describe as addictive — the kind of food that leaves people wanting more.
Reviews shared on the Chaiwalla & Sons website consistently single out specific dishes: the bread pakoras paired with chai, juicy chicken tikka, and a turmeric chai described as a beautiful blend of subtle spices and sweetness. One reviewer called it undoubtedly the best masala chai they've ever had, while another admitted to nearly eating the plate the pakoras came on. A parent's review sums up the mango lassi's popularity best, describing wrestling it out of their son's hands as being like trying to get a steak from a rottweiler.
Beyond the original food truck, Chaiwalla & Sons now runs a Street Eats service with dedicated dinner, drinks, and takeaway menus. Street Eats operates Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 5pm until late, Saturday and Sunday from 4pm until late, and is closed on Tuesdays. Customers can also shop for Original Chaiwalla's chai online, and payment is accepted via American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Mastercard, Shop Pay, Union Pay, and Visa — making it easy to get a taste of Delhi street food and proper chai, whether that's from the truck, at Street Eats, or delivered to your door.