The Chai Shop in Shropshire

This was a revelation - a fantastic place to sample the real cuisine of the sub-continent, in an intimate and warmly-welcoming setting. An expanded version of a home kitchen - you are offered the dishes that are on the go that day, and what an experience they are! Be prepared to be very well-fed, and only to need the lightest of snacks later if you visit at lunch-time. Yes, it's unrealistic to expect any conversation you have on your table to be private, or for the wonderful host not to interject. But I think that's all part of the authenticity of visiting what is, after all, the personal domain of one very special person!

Fantastic authentic food. Freshly cooked by Tara in the kitchen while you watch. Basic surroundings but do not let this put you off. Will be back - and take friends too!

This is a small daytime restaurant with only a few tables. The curries are fresh and delicious. We like it so much that in the evening we eat early, 5pm, and then move on to a pub for a drink. It is run by a lady, mainly on her own, so don't expect fast food. Very convivial. We usually meet extremely interesting people who are also looking for a slow food experience. The cake is very tasty too.

Thankyou massively Tahira. We all aboustley loved the scrummy food you cooked up. Full of flavour and spice!!! I Loved your homemaid gooseberries jam! That tasted aboustley beautiful!! Along side your chicken masala. A large platefull that just hit the spot. Our colourful group of friends all sat at the delightfully layed tables. While we ate we had a enjoyable conversation with the beautiful tahira. Best dinner chat I have ever personally had at the table. Anyone thats walking past should most definitely enter this fragrant filled HOME Cafe.. as she said 'Make your self home' it certainly felt like it. It was a pleasure. Much love and hopes for your future. Liberty and the gang ❣️

My host Helen ordered a big Indian dinner from Tahira for our family gathering in Bishop's Castle. It was absolutely wonderful! Incredible curry, rice, samosas and pakora - and my favourite - naan - was done to perfection. Many thanks!

Lovely home cooked food in an intimate, friendly atmosphere. It’s great to be able to chat with Tara as she prepares the food. We were introduced to the folks on the other table and conversation included the whole room.

Drive out to Shrewsbury today. Had to visit The Chai Shop for amazing home made Indian food. Have to say it’s a way for us to come but never disappoints. Why not visit when you’re in the area. You will not be disappointed with the food or the hospitality.

It was my 68th birthday and I wanted to do something in Bishops Castle that I hadn't done before after living here for 4 & a half years. But what? Mmm...early February in Bishops Castle? I discounted the usual suspects as glad as I was to see them emerging from the dark days of a not-too-bad winter. It had to be.....The Chai Shop! So wandering hopefully past with the windows steamed I popped in to see Tahira Tara AKA and booked myself in for the week after. One week later I arrived with my bottle of beer where a wonderful welcome was given and it wasn't long until my plate of lamb rogon josh with pilau rice with a couple of accoutrements creme fresh & sweet relish and a bowl of salad arrived. It was delicious especially after my invigorating walk along Kerry Ridgway while dipping down on the Churchstoke side what a view!! 4 hours previously. With the Chai Shop to my own I had a great natter with 'Tara' about her life on the hills, her house, her passion for painting and the coming and goings of life in 'BC' in general. And then as if by magic...2 slices of birthday cake and a cup of chai arrived...gratis for my birthday! Wow! Anyway, I'd arrived at 4pm in the light and it was now darkened 5:30pm and if I'd outstayed my welcome I certainly wasn't made to feel it. Delicious food and engaging company had rounded off my day and I realised what Tara and her small chai shop adds to the life of my town that's taken a knock over the last few years. Answer...a lot! I shall be back, of that I'm certain. Tahira...I rename you Tiara!! ;-)

We called today for the first time. Food was excellent and great value. Service was also very attentive.

Popped in for a cuppa and two samosas and a slice of coffee and walnut cake later we felt right at home. Had been meaning to try as had read really good reviews and certainly didn't disappoint! All the food is homemade and Tara uses only locally sourced ingredients. Food was delicious, Tara was a delight and her paintings are pretty good too. We will definitely be back!

Wonderful lunch with delicious home cooked food in a warm welcoming atmosphere. It does credit to the town.

Cosy cafe in a wonderful market town. Great host serving wonderful home cooked food with vegetarian options. Will definitely visit again.

Amazing food! Authentic, homemade and cooked in front of our eyes by Tara (the friendly and interesting owner)The smell from outside lured us in, and the taste will bring us back. We had delicious Bhajis and Samosas to take away. Couldn’t have been more perfect for me and my two kids. Thank you!

This was our first time at the Chai Shop - and it certainly won't be our last!We arranged for an evening meal for our party of eleven. from the welcome on arrival everything exceeded our expectations - the samosa starters, the marvellous selection of main dishes and the sweet cake and coffee were all delicious. Throughout the meal Tahira hosted the occasion with care and professionalism - and she seemed to enjoy it as much as we did! The Chai shop is a small, quaint venue, with the walls adorned by the owner's paintings. It's not the place to go if you want fancy decor or discreet surroundings, but if you like quirky ambience, a friendly atmosphere and great food then you will love it.Please bear in mind that it is only open in the evenings for pre-booked parties of six (?) or more and that she does not take card payments.

Food was amazing!, staff friendly, dog friendly, everything was perfect! will be returning if ever in the area!

This is an amazing place to eat, you order and watch as it is cooked for you, the intimate nature of the place and Tara your host will mean you will chat to everyone around you.

Responding to LJTrom & Jaybee48's response, I totally endorse the latter. What a peculiar complaint - that eating here felt like 'paying to eat in a friend's house'! That is exactly what Tahira's is. As for sniffy comment that this seems to be a 'daily haunt for some residents of the town', yes - that too is exactly what it is! I don't live in BC, but visit regularly cos my 100-year-old dad lives there. (He first introduced me to Tahira, and despite claiming he doesn't like spicy food, he loves this.) If you drop into Tahira's you know you're in for friendly & stimulating chat with her and assorted locals. The food is also excellent, and v good value. LJTrom & partner perhaps don't appreciate real curries. I suggest: stick to your bog standard 'Indian' restaurants if you don't know how to appreciate home cooking - or friendly chat. Maybe you didn't have anything to say to each other??

Our annual visit to Bishop’s Castle always starts with a visit to the Chai Shop for Samosas and Bhargies .. freshly cooked and with chill jam to accompany them they are absolutely delicious. Tahira cooks amazing curries and told us the recipes were passed down to her by her mum so are the real thing.. when we arrived she was busy putting the finishing touches to a lamb curry and the aromas had our mouths watering . The Chai Shop is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a tea or coffee with cake , and the local clientele who call in for a takeaway will pass the time of day and chat while waiting for their order to be put together which creates a nice atmosphere The prices are very good and the portions are generous so whatever you’re preference - vegetarian/vegan or meat you’re sure to be back for more , we will !!!

Tucked away, you could almost walk past it without noticing, but its one of Bishops Castle best little venues for absolutely fantastic fest and authentic food, great real coffee and a range of teas. It also happens to be a great meeting place for meeting people, be them locals or visitors. The atmosphere is chilled and relaxed and the discussions always fascinating, informative and amusing. Great place

On Friday, I didn’t feel like cooking dinner, so popped into the Chai Shop for a delicious aubergine curry with steaming, fluffy rice. As always, it was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed a chat with Tahira Two locals popped in and we all had a good chat. Then a Montgomery resident came in with two London houseguests to pick up a takeaway meal and we all talked with each other. Altogether, a most satisfactory visit.As I was preparing the review, I noticed - next but one down - a three star review. Surprised at this, as the other reviews for this small, unprepossessing place are 95 five star and 1 four star, I took a look at it.Immediately, I was reminded that one of the possible weaknesses of Trip Advisor reviews is that they can be based on culinary ignorance.They had come in for a “late lunch”. They praised the bhajis and samosas which were prepared in front of them (the kitchen is open to the dining area) but then complained that the curry dishes were not cooked to order. However, they added that the mutton curry was “delicious” and “cooked to perfection”.Don’t these people realise that the mutton curry could NOT have been cooked to order because you CANNOT prépare à mutton curry in under, I’d say, 4 hours. That is precisely why their dish was “cooked to perfection”. I wonder what these people would have written in their review if they’d had to wait another 4 hours for their late “lunch”! Do they not realise that curries in other Indian restaurants they visit are not prepared from scratch to order, but - in their hidden, behind the scenes kitchens - merely assembled by adding pre-cooked sauces to pre-cooked meats and given a quick stir? You can be sure that anything Tara serves has been prepared correctly, with all the ingredients being imbued with the favours of the spices as they cook slowly together.They complained that they saw food being taken from the fridge and heated. Do they not realise that hygiene procedures demand that when you’ve cooked a meat dish, it should be chilled immediately - not left out at room temperature? This must be one of the reasons why the Chai Shop has a 5-star food hygiene rating.Finally, they went on to complain about the owner and the “locals” talking to them, and each other, too much. Well, all I can say to this is stay away from any cafe, restaurant or pub in Bishop’s Castle or the surrounding area because this social intercourse is one of the reasons why we dreaded locals go out in the first place and why so many visitors (many from far afield) make a beeline for the Chai Shop and return each time they visit the area. If you don’t want to talk to the owner or the locals, use the private, two-person nook provided in the Chai Shop or, even better, have a takeaway or go to a burger chain where your tasteless burger, bun and special sauce - all pre-prepared in a number of distant factories - will be cooked to order (or come from beneath a heat lamp) and nobody will talk to you, apart from a possible “hi” or an insincere “have a good day”. Fortunately, there are no chain restaurants, pubs or cafes in Bishoo’s Castle.

I enjoyed another perfect meal with Tahira on Saturday evening - much needed after a trip to Shrewsbury Flower Show. We were lucky to find her open as she had a group who had booked for private dining (a very special experience which I heartily recommend). That group were happy for us to have a table. My mother loved the chicken curry and I had the most delicious mutton rogan - both accompanied by a range of freshly prepared vegetable curries and rice. Uplifting and delicious.

Planning to visit Bishops Castle on our way to stay at Rorrington Hall and reading various reviews on TA, we decided to stop into the Chai Shop for a late lunch. After reading all of the rave reviews, we were so excited to experience some freshly cooked authentic Punjabi food in an intimate setting. Sadly, the reality did not live up to our expectation. Tahira was very welcoming and advised us on which items to try from the menu, so we went for bharjis to share and one vegetable curry selection and one meat selection (which also includes the vegetable curries). The bharjis were freshly cooked to perfection, especially the aubergine one which we particularly enjoyed. From reading the reviews we expected that all of the food is cooked freshly whilst you wait, and whilst we appreciate that curries cooked from scratch are time-consuming, we were disappointed to see that previously cooked curries and rice were spooned out of tupperware on to the plates and then placed in the microwave. It wasn't quite the assumption that we had made from reading the reviews. The mutton rogan was delicious and the mutton cooked to perfection and whilst the other curries were nice, they weren't anything to write home about. The setting whilst enjoyable at first did become a little tedious after a while. It's always nice to be welcomed somewhere, but there's a fine line between paying to eat out somewhere and feeling like you're paying to eat in a friend's house. We felt like we couldn't enjoy the food or talk to one another because we were constantly being talked to by the owner and other (daily regulars) customers. It seems that the Chai Shop is a daily haunt for tea for some residents of the town. (It would be important to also note that for some customers the Chai Shop would not be suitable as the food is not Halal.) We're glad we tried it, but unfortunately it won't be somewhere we return to, for fear of over-familiarity between the owner and customers (verging on intrusiveness) and the lack of freshly-cooked food. If that's what you like, then give it a try, but this just wasn't for us on this occasion.

Nothing is too much trouble! Tara was brilliant. Stopped for coffee and had a wonderful warm welcome.

As we were staying next door we thought we would try some of the food for our lunch. What a treat it became.

We just could not resist it. After a morning at Telford shopping centre we were wondering where to eat. Plenary of very good High Street Franchises. No we wanted something special. So it was an hours drive to Bishops Castle to visit our friend Tahira & to taste her exquisite Chai and a plate full of authentic Indian cooking. We were met with a big hug and a lovely Chai. We come 3-4 times a year as it’s quite far away from our Wednesbury home.

An amazing tiny little place. Some totally authentic well cooked dishes, served with love! Super local mutton and the dal was perfect! A great friendly atmosphere is created by this artist/chef. Will definitely visit again.

The Chai Shop catered a private dinner for a Hen Party at a local B&B; we had rented.

The Chai Shop is a small Indian food cafe on the high street. Tahira cooks your food in front of you and chats to you and her other customers while she is doing it. The walls of the cafe are lined with the owner’s colourful paintings. She does take-out too!

Great experience, Fantastic Indian food produced with fresh local ingredients. Tara is a lovely lady and has a vast local knowledge. Will definitely return again in the future .

I have been here a couple of times now and had an excellent vegetarian lunch. Read all the other reviews and then go !

So lucky to have this nearby to us, great staff and yummy food. From the minute we walked in everything was perfect and attentive. Can highly recommend for a great night out. Atmosphere relaxing and friendly.

This review has little to add to the high praise heaped on The Chai Shop by other reviewers. The Chai Shop is open at times and on days when the other teashops in Bishop's Castle have closed their doors. Tara is always delighted to see the people who drop in for tea (or cake or a samosa or an amazing vegetarian curry or, there are so many other delicious food dishes on offer). The cafe is simple and simply great. It's not to be missed

Wonderful food, we had the vegetable and meat medleys so we could taste it all and it was all fabulous. Lovely friendly atmosphere. Already planning to visit the town again just for a chance to eat here!

We have now eaten here twice, in this tiny cafe. The owner makes a small fresh men u of Indian food (of Punjabi derivation) for a small number of customers - the place is tiny. The food is simple and wonderful and the owner - Tahira - is also wonderful. The vegetable hajis are magnificent, slightly edging the samosas. The dhal and vegetable curries are delicately constructed with seasonal ingredients and sensitively spiced. I have eaten a mutton curry on both visits which has put an enormous smile on my face. This is happy food in a happy place.

Love the huge onion barges & Samosas. Everything cooked to perfection! The lady who cooks will leave you in peace or chat to you & tells you her secret ingredients. I once saw her bring the girl who sells the Big Issue in, & give her free food & a drink. Her art works is on display & for sake too. A woman of many talents. Try her homemade chutneys too! Also takeaway

Tara makes the food to order and if the cafe is quiet she chats to customers. Surroundings are interesting in this very old building.

To be honest I've been craving one of Tahir's curries since we last ate at The Chi when we were last holidaying near by.We had chicken curry,sag and bhargies to take out.It was delicious but we did miss the friendly atmosphere you get when eating in

When we are in the area (We live in Wednesbury). We always come back to Tahira’s place for delicious food & a warm welcome. Today was no different. Greeted with a hug. The tiny place filled up & you can’t help but all start conversing.

I've never eaten anywhere like this before! A tiny place, where Tara cooks right next to you. Fresh, healthy, superb food. But what made it for me was the ethos of the place, the conversations and the stories. I enjoyed hearing about Tara's own story, and also hearing and joining in with the conversations of every other person who stepped through the door, was welcomed and drawn in. Tara is warm, friendly, interesting and interested in the people who eat here. (And yes - lots of people stepped through the door! Though the 'eat in' part is small, people were also calling in to ask Tara to cook food to take away, or calling back in to pick up what she'd cooked earlier.)

What an absolute gem! A unique little shop providing healthy food drinks and freshly made proper chai tea! The shop also has pictures and cards by local artists and seems to be the centre of a community spirit not found elsewhere very often these days

Simply The Best! I am well travelled and veggie, Tara will cook whatever you want (If it is healthy) I cannot recommend The Chai Shop enough - a pleasure always! Diana

All so tasty. Freshly made in front of you and to your own specific tastes if needed. We had delicious samosas, bhajis and dhal. Can not recommend highly enough.

Tahira made a wonderful meal for my parent's wedding anniversary while we were staying at Bank House. Main course was a delicious roast chicken with a great array of vegetables.

Known Tara for years and have enjoying her delicious food for years. Highly recommended. Wish she was a little closer to me so I could go there more often

If you are in Bishops Castle you must go there. Exceptional food excellent service and run by a lady who deserves to succeed..

Just popped in out of curiosity & WOW !

We did not expect to find a place like this in a small rural town, but very pleased we did....

This is an unusual find in the high street of a country town. Run almost single handed by an Indian...

Really excellent food, freshly cooked that day with home grown vegetables. The owner and chef is a lovely friendly woman...

Lovely place to eat spme great Indian food and have a nice chat with Tara the cook and owner. Her...

As we we walked passed this little place the smells coming from the kitchen float out of the doorway and...

Fresh, homemade and much healthier than usual Indian cuisine. Excellent food and friendly service. We went for the platter option...

Frescos y comida india casera, buena taza de chai y compañía es siempre interesante. Muchos visitantes regulares con comentarios interesantes y de historias y un gran lugar para reunirse e intercambiar información.

Si te gusta la casa India auténticas platos, este es el lugar. Un ambiente hogareño, de tamaño modesto, habitación donde el propietario prepara ingredientes frescos y les prepara para usted. El edificio está cargado de historia con techo de vigas y una genuina bajo buen ambiente acogedor. Es un lugar ideal para tomar un tentempié y chai recién hecho, hechas mientras usted espera de baja especias mientras espera. Comida para llevar están disponibles

Have eaten here before and it's always the first place we visit when we're in Bishops Castle . Excellent tasty amosas and delicious bhajis, great selection of curries freshly cooked each day, The cardamon cake is tasty and good with a cup of tea or coffee. Always get a warm welcome and it's lovely that the local people are happy to sit and chat while having their own quick cuppa! a very friendly environment which is really welcoming.Lots of original paintings on display , all done by the owner Tahira who is also a fount of knowledge about the area, always a friendly smile and greeting from her..Looking forward to our next trip to Shropshire soon !

Authentic Indian food that isn't swimming in fat. The choice for vegetarians is great - we had a bit of everything. The great thing about this shop is that it closed at 6 pm, so, at 5 pm, we were able to order something to eat. I highly recommend it.

Managed to get in before the shop closed. Nothing was too much trouble for the owner , who prepared some of the nicest Indian food I have ever had..wish we lived closer in order to visit again

My partner and I first visited the Chai Shop a few months ago, when we got a delicious takeaway selection of vegetable curries to take back to our holiday cottage. While we waited we got chatting with a group of walkers who had stopped to refuel. We went back on our most recent visit to Bishops Castle and ordered another takeaway (we would like to eat in, but are prevented by having a dog that we don't want to leave in the car). Once again, we got talking with other customers and the lovely owner, and very much enjoyed our food when we got back to the cottage. We will definitely be back!

Called in to buy a takeaway meal to reheat in our holiday cottage this evening. The owner was very friendly and helpful and said she'd give us three vegan curries to share which wouldn't be too spicy as we don't like very hot curries. The cafe was busy and the other customers, who were there for tea and cakes, invited us to sit with them while we waited, so it was a very sociable experience! We'll definitely be going back duuring our week's stay in Bishop's Castle.

We dropped in on spec and had a great lunch. Owner/chef couldn't have been more gracious.Meals change daily i think.

We always try and pop in to this delightful and querky venue. If you don't have time to stop ask to take your food out.The owner also paints the most beautiful pictures.

We really regret having not gone in earlier. We popped in and had a lovely mug of chai. Sadly no food available. The cardamon cake sign, a piece of paper pinned to a post left me craving this delicious sounding combination and the blackboard menu of simple sounding Indian dishes which you just know are going to be good. Its ironic that this is my second review in succession when I havnt actually managed to buy any food. This time it was because they weren't actually open when we entered. We had however been lucky enough to try the onion and vegetable bagee the day before so my enthusiasm for this place is not based purely on instinct. We are going to go back to this great little place in this great little town in September and frankly I cant wait.

Possibly my most favourite place in the world. Tahira runs a wonderful little outlet with the walls covered with loads of her paintings. I always come here whenever I can. Brilliant curry, samosas and homemade chutney. In fact everything is home made. The Chai is amazing and made absolutely from scratch. A rare find. Tahira's character makes the place even more special. We'll be back again soon. Josh and Sarah.

Superb authentic Indian HOME cooking. Small but very friendly and relaxing. Tahara is so friendly & does all the cooking herself. Food is totally different to what you get in a balti restaurant. Don't expect frills and fussiness or a quick bite to eat. Everything is cooked to order. The Chai is superb and everything is cooked with fresh ingredients. Well worth a visit. See you soon Tahara

We only popped in for a quick coffee whilst looking round this lovely this lovely town/village and were made very welcome. Tara was very friendly, making suggestions about places to visit and then a local arrived and we spent ages discussing bee keeping. Food smelt delicious.

Wow. There are not many places like this, The Chai Shop is special. From the moment you enter the door, you will be hosted by the most wonderful proprietor you could ever meet - Tahira. It's rare to walk into a cafe and be made to feel so at home, but that is the environment fostered here. The customers strike up conversations across tables and Tahira shares a wealth of local knowledge!The chai was great, I wish I'd been hungry enough to try some cardamon cake!

Where else but in Bishop's Castle could you find delicious Asian food served by Tahra in a building which is over 500 years old? I've read the other reviews and can only agree that the food is absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. Whether you are ravenously searching for a full meal (portions are generous!) or you just want a cup of tea and perhaps a cake then this is the place to head for. It's the only place in Bishop's Castle that is open until 6.00 p m and you won't find chairs being upturned on tables to send you on your way. Tahra welcomes each and every customer like an amiable British Asian cook with many friends in need of refreshment. I'm looking forward to my next visit

I stopped by while staying in Bishops Castle and loved getting some delicious Indian/Pakistani food while on holiday in the countryside. The owner and her daughter make everything fresh and were so friendly and accommodating. I got to town late but needed something to eat. They were gracious enough to put together a mixed plate of three dishes because I just couldn't decide what I wanted. I can't for the life of me remember what they were but they were fantastic. After being on the road for over 24 hours it was so lovely to have such a wholesome and delicious meal. I loved chatting with the two gals while I waited for my food. Highly recommend a stop if you like Indian/Pakistani food!

Great for pre ordering take out meals if you are staying self catering nearby, but you can eat in if within opening hours (up to 6pm). Tara is lovely and goes out of her way to give you good service and amazing food. Best Bhajis ever eaten! You must try the food as you won't be disappointed

I spent an hour here chatting over a cup of tea, you can't come in the Chai shop without a fun chat, the owner is a very friendly lady and also an artist who displays her work in the shop. I didn't have time to eat on this occasion but the food is well recommended, not everywhere that you can have cake or curry! The Chai shop is cosy and just the kind of place you might expect to find in this quirky little town, inexpensive and popular with the locals.If in Bishops Castle then the Chai shop is well worth a visit.

Lunch at the Chai shop was a revelation. Simply the best Indian food we have ever tasted. (And we have tasted planty) I would recommend a visit here without reservation.

I have eaten lunch at the little shop in April as a test for a Birthday party I was organising for 11 ladies. The food was very tasty and we asked Tahira if she would provide a take-away delivered to Bank House across the road where we were staying. Everyone loved the food, the quantity provided was generous and the price was great value too.

This is my third visit and all have been good. Had starters and a medley of curries lovely to have a sample of all on the menu. So reasonably prices and all very tasty. Such a shame the town was so quiet.

Had a freshly cooked lamb samosa & a cup of chai. Very friendly British Asian proprietor.Lots of interesting books on the Indian subcontinent to read.

Chai are delicious.... But somosas aren't tasty enough.... Good and friendly staff... Hopefully come again

Popped in for a light lunch and ended up with a tasty vegan curry prepared while I waited. Delicately flavoured & spiced - absolutely delicious. The cafe is homely, welcoming and decorated with the owner's art. It's easy to get comfortable & stay far too long.

a lovely selection of spicy foods made while you wait and a lovely chat with the owner. Such a nice change from all the tea shops there

We had passed this little shop and thought because of the name was a shop selling tea. I looked on trip advisor to see and found all of these wonderful reviews. We popped in for snacks, lamb samosas and bhajis they were just so delicious, definitely best I have ever had. Just the right amount of spice and pastry so light and crispy. I need to try curries now.

Can't recommend this shop enough. Have visited a few times for just coffee, tea and some takeaway treats. Today visited for a light afternoon snack with coffee. Lovely lady owner and a local artist we found out today. She is always up for a quick chat or you can gain some local knowledge or what is on in the local area. The smells of food should tempt you in from the High Street anyway. Open more days and hours than the rest of High Street.

Just a lovely tea shop / cafe/art gallery with lovely home-cooked food, delicious drinks (try the chai!) all run by a lovely friendly lady and her daughters. Definitely one of the delights of Bishops Castle

Would have liked to eat there as it smelt delicious, but didn't fit in for us. Lovely smells of curries and traditional Indian cuisine.

We ate in at the Chai Shop, The place is very unpretentious. The decor is very simple and basic, but the food is excellent and the service very friendly.

We came across The Chai on a rainy April Monday. We went in initially to warm up with a cupper but ended up staying for lunch. Both meat and veg dishes were very tasty.The vegetable bhajis are a must.Very good value. Left felling warm and happy.

A regular lunch spot when we visit this area. Very welcoming and good food. Good vegetarian options.

A complete gem, we have been enjoying takeaway dinners from here since it opened and have also eaten in. Absolutely delicious food with a really friendly atmosphere. The food is wholesome and tasty and is sourced from local suppliers and no sign of the pools of oil you have over much bought indian cusine. I bought all the food for a cheats indian dinner party the other week and it was all fantastic, well packed and fantastic value. I did confess it wasnt cooked by me when the compliments were flying. I look forward to having a cookery lesson soon!!

Found this lovely place in the rather sleepy Bishop's Castle in mid-February. Brilliant communal atmosphere with great food and great conversation too.

We visited the Chai Shop in February 2016, we had seen the great reviews and had been dying to try it for ourselves.We were not disappointed! The hosts Tahira and Rosie are wonderful and the smell of spices just hits you as you walk in - heavenly!The food, as others have described, is all home-cooked unlike your typical indian takeaway which is a huge bonus.The interior of the restaurant is quite rustic but hey who cares when the food tastes so nice! We will definitely be back when we visit the area again.Thank you!

Delicious, homecooked indian food. We couldn't wait to return for another meal! Highly recommend the Thali and the Pakhora

Tahira and Rosie provide superb food with ingredients sourced locally including veggies grown themselves in season. Difficult to say what a favourite is - everything is so delicious. A regular spot for lunch or just a cuppa but Tahira can also offer private dining in the intimate surroundings of the Chai Shop or bring the food to you. We had a banquet for 21 over New Year!

A wonderful place, nestled in the heart of Bishop's Castle. The food is all home made and utterly delicious. The range is great and I particularly loved the onion bargees.

Chai: delicious and not overly sweey, perfectly aromaticFood: Indian sweets and cake were to die for and a completely new taste for meAtmosphere: very welcoming, like visiting family you haven't seen for a while

This tiny cafe is convivial and unconventional. We breakfasted on veggie samosas with yogurt dip and damson chilli jam, accompanied by cups of tea. It's not cheap – four samosas and two cups of tea came to £11 – but it is very good quality and a real experience. The kitchen area is open, and the mother-daughter team who run the place chat with guests while they prepare food and drink. The cafe is so small that you can't help but join in with the conversation, which we were very happy to do, though if you wanted somewhere for a private chat or to read or write, you might fare better elsewhere. There is work by local artists for sale, and if we'd been planning to have a take-away during our visit to Bishop's Castle, we would certainly have chosen something from their short but appetising menu. Definitely worth a visit.

The smell drew us in as we approached. The food did not disappoint. The flavour and variety were excellent and the Indian desserts finished off the meal beautifully. The proprietor was welcoming and friendly. Well worth a visit.

Excellent food. Lovely welcome. Wonderful conversation. Vegetarian options. Relaxed and homely. They also do take aways, which is great news! Take gorgeous 'home cooked' food home. A

My wife visited here first and insisted that we both visit. So dutifully we returned. I'm so glad we did as we were greeted warmly and curtiousley buy the owner and her family. The food was fresh and absolutely delicious.

As regular lunch time visitors, this is a consistently excellent find in Bishops Castle. There is always interesting conversation, yesterday it was a hotbed of left wing politics!!

My husband and I enjoyed a fantastic lunch here whilst visiting Bishop's Castle. The food is so tasty, and freshly prepared in front of you. Tahira is such a friendly and interesting host and the tiny chai shop has a wonderful relaxed atmosphere. Before you know it, everyone is chatting away happily to the other diners and faith in humanity is restored. We took a take out home too and returned a few days later for more.Whole heartedly recommend.

Dont miss Tahira's authentic Indian Chai Shop: the beautiful smells wafting out the door should lure you in!home made,healthy ,Asian cuisine: eat in or take out. Samosas,curries and delicious cakes; try the rose and cardoman! Enjoy Tahira's art,too.Outside catering available,as well.

5 of us descended upon the small chai shop for no othe reason than we needed a break on our way to Wales, it was past 4 o'clock, and they were open. What a find !! Everyone was so welcoming, and even swapped tables so we could all sit at one - Tahira is a sweetie, so obliging, with great coffee. She even sold us some cake as well (which was delicious). OK - so we made a special detour on our return journey to visit again and this time had some home-made samosas. Tahira is no mean artist either check out her art on the walls. Village life is all there - you could easily stay there for hours, unfortunately we had to move on. Ah well, maybe there's a next time.

We found it very easy sitting in The Chai Shop, surrounded by Tara's art. With the smell of bhajji and samosa filling the room, the unencumbered conversation with Tara on just about any topic made us feel welcome. The food was well priced, authentic, superb and plentiful, with all ingredient sourced locally.We highly recommend a visit to both Bishop's Castle and The Chai Shop - we will be going again.