Tarik is a Singapore café specialising in Teh Tarik, the traditional pulled milk tea, located on Arab Street. The business was founded by Shaikh Ali Redha, a former flight steward of 15 years who started what began as a humble home business in 2020 when the pandemic halted global travel. Drawing on years of exploring tea cultures around the world, Shaikh brings authentic brewing methods and premium global ingredients, including Iranian saffron, into every cup, and now runs two successful outlets in Singapore.
At the heart of Tarik's menu is the traditional 'tarik' pulling technique, a method invented by early tea merchants to rapidly cool tea while aerating the milk for a lighter texture and frothier, more complex flavour. Tarik holds an excellent rating based on 821 reviews, with customers praising drinks like the Teh Tarik and Teh Zaffran, along with food items such as Hainanese bread with sambal ikan bilis and a sausage cheese roll. The Arab Street outlet is open daily and features live pulling demonstrations, card and Apple Pay payment options, and a mural-adorned building with outdoor seating.
Tarik brings the centuries-old craft of pulled tea to Arab Street in Singapore, built on the story of founder Shaikh Ali Redha — a former flight steward who traded 15 years in the skies for a tea puller when the pandemic grounded global travel in 2020. What began as a humble home business has since grown into a Singaporean staple, with Shaikh now running two successful outlets known for blending tradition with modern creativity.
At the centre of Tarik's identity is the 'tarik' — meaning 'to pull' — technique, a method invented by early tea merchants to rapidly cool tea for immediate enjoyment. Beyond cooling, the repetitive pulling action aerates the tea, lightening the milk and creating the café's signature frothy head, while also thoroughly mixing the tea and condensed milk to unlock a complex flavour profile that a simple stir simply can't achieve. Tarik describes the pull not merely as a method, but as a ritual — every arc poured between vessels carrying centuries of tradition, transformed into something distinctly their own.
Tarik's tea menu spans a spectrum of styles. The Teh Tarik itself is the classic, perfected — using traditional pulling to create a lighter texture and deeper, frothy flavour. The Teh Karak takes inspiration from Arabian tea culture, offering a strong, cardamom-spiced brew simmered for those wanting a bolder kick, whether morning or midnight. At the top of the range sits the Teh Zaffran, described as the café's crown jewel — a smooth, aromatic blend infused with cardamom, cinnamon and premium Iranian saffron, gentle on the palate yet rich in character. Beyond these, the menu extends to Teh Pandan, Rose Calamansi, and both hot and iced versions of the signature Zaffran blend, alongside straightforward Iced Coffee, Iced Pandan and Iced Tea options.
Alongside its tea programme, Tarik also serves food, with customers specifically praising the Hainanese bread served with sambal ikan bilis, the Sausage Cheese Roll, and the Kaya Butter Bun — comfort food pairings that complement the tea menu well.
Shaikh's approach to Tarik is shaped by 15 years spent sampling brews across different countries and cultures during his time as a flight steward. That global perspective shows up in the café's ingredient sourcing — premium spices and Iranian saffron sourced from around the world — and in its stated mission: to craft exceptional tea experiences by honouring time-honoured techniques, sourcing premium global ingredients, and delivering warm, genuine service that shares the richness of Asian and Arabian tea culture, one cup at a time.
Tarik holds an excellent rating based on 821 Google reviews. Customers have highlighted the iced Teh Tarik as a good pick for a hot day, praised the design of the space, and enjoyed the taste of the Zaffran tea specifically. One reviewer noted that ordering the traditional milk tea comes with the pull performed in front of you — a nice touch that brings the craft to life for customers. The same review noted that card and Apple Pay are accepted, that there's a beautiful mural on the building, and that while there's no indoor seating, a few outdoor spots are available to sit and enjoy a cup.
Tarik's Arab Street outlet is open daily from 8:00am to midnight, making it a flexible stop whether for an early tea or a late-night pull. Customers can reach the team by phone, email, or WhatsApp, and the café maintains an active presence on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for those wanting to follow along with new products and the story behind the brand.