Blended Cultures; Signature Blends
Raised in Glasgow and settled in Edinburgh with his Scottish wife Anna and their son Leo, blended cultures is nothing new to our co-founder, Harjinder Singh Atwal.
Harjinder Singh Atwal - Pictured Above
“As a first-generation Punjabi Sikh growing up in the UK in the 70s, blending cultures was a necessary part of my everyday life. Less so about ‘standing out’ or ‘fitting in’. These days, Gen-Z is such a multicultural generation. Diversity is part of their identity, and it shapes their values; it’s become an aesthetic.”
- Harjinder Singh Atwal, Singh Street Cha
Our signature Punjabi Masala Cha being poured into a cup
“Coming home from school to the aroma of my mum’s freshly brewed masala cha, was so comforting. That was home to me. And yet still today, despite the growth in multiculturalism in the UK, most people here won’t have experienced a proper Indian cha. Coffee shops these days have still only gone as far as creating a ‘chai tea latte’ by adding a ‘chai’ flavoured syrup or powdered ‘chai’ blend into a latte. But it’s not the real deal; it’s not even tea!”
- Harjinder Singh Atwal, Singh Street Cha
And it was with this in mind, that Singh Street Cha was born. Created together with their own differing cultural influences by Harjinder and Anna Atwal. A local neighbourhood café with traditionally brewed, authentic Indian cha as the headliner - alongside artisan roast coffee, ceremonial grade matcha and locally sourced baked goods and pastries.
Founders of Singh Street Cha
At Singh Street Cha, we celebrate the culture of traditional Punjabi cha and blend it seamlessly into your busy everyday life in Edinburgh. Whether you’re unwinding after an intense Pilates class, getting energised before an important meeting, or meeting a friend for a catch-up cha is the perfect complement to your day.
But let’s face it, as Winter trudges on, duvet days, sundown at 5pm, and optional office hours mean that “stay at home” is as much of a vibe as a spontaneous run to the Cha shop in Stockbridge! We have had many requests from customers since we opened about being able to make our Cha at home. And we are so excited to finally announce the launch of our Signature Cha Blends for home brewing!
Our Punjabi Masala Cha Blend
Our Fennel & Cardamom Cha Blend
Our Kashmiri Saffron & Rose Cha Blend
Retail Cha pictured in store (blend of real and AI imagery)
The secret behind why our cha tastes so homely is simple, it’s because our R&D was done on our founder’s kitchen table before bringing it to our cafe counter.
Our warm toned interior hits the perfect balance between contemporary and welcoming warmth, as designed by Anna Atwal
“By retailing our cha we make cha culture even more accessible for people who want to bring the ritual home. We’ve spent over a year in our family kitchen trying out various teas, herbs and spices in order to curate our perfect range.”
- Anna Atwal, co founder of Singh Street Cha.
The “CTC” Secret
What makes our cha so beautifully rich is the use of CTC Assam black tea as the base for each blend. “CTC” stands for “crush, tear, curl”. This method results in a tea with bolder flavour, it quickens the brewing process, and achieves a darker colour. The perfect match for creamy whole milk and jaggery for sweetness.
Tea Fields in Asaam
Now here’s an overview of our three exciting loose leaf cha blends available for purchase today:
Punjabi Masala Cha (our signature house blend!)
This blend is the Singh Street Cha origin story! Inspired by Harjinder’s mother’s spicy cha and the coveted cha wallas (tea vendors) of Punjab. With a blend of 8 perfectly balanced spices to hit the ideal mix of richness, warmth and flavour.
A fan favourite for our customers at Singh Street Cha, it was mindfully created to exist as a standalone cup but also to perfectly complement our sweet and savoury bites.
True to tradition, our cha is delicious, but most importantly, it’s also health-forward. This blend is built for the entire year; it energises, kicks inflammation, and is full of vitamins and minerals that boost immunity.
Get a taste of tradition with our Punjabi Masala cha and if you like it extra spicy add some freshly chopped ginger.
Ingredients:
CTC Assam Tea
Fennel
Black Pepper
Ginger
Cardamom (Green)
Cardamom (Black)
Clove
Bishop’s Weed
This blend is luxurious, fragrant and exudes pure royalty. The perfect cha to serve when entertaining guests to impress, or treat yourself too for a decadent self-care session. This is another very popular cup at Singh Street Cha!
With an intriguing and fashionable mix of rose petals, the highest quality saffron from Kashmir and cardamom, this blend invokes bustling markets and chic European high streets.
Rose petals are rich in antioxidants and vitamins C and E, meaning they’re the perfect addition to your skincare routine - hydrating your skin, for a younger, brighter complexion.
The subtle flavour of mood boosting saffron transports you to the East during the colder Winter months, while the gentle addition of green cardamom brings a grounded bassline to the cup. At Singh Street Cha we add a touch of organic Rose Water which adds to the relaxing nature of the blend.
Ingredients:
CTC Assam Tea
Rose Petals
Saffron (from Pampore’s golden fields)
Cardamom
This blend is refreshing, soothing and quietly powerful, the kind of cha that feels like a deep breath for the mind and body. Built on a bold, antioxidant-rich CTC Assam base, it layers the subtle sweetness of fennel with the warm, aromatic lift of green cardamom for a cup that feels both light and revitalising.
Ginger adds a gentle heat that eases digestion and melts away inflammation, making this an everyday wellness staple. It’s the perfect afternoon cha to reset, rebalance and support your system, and pairs beautifully with both sweet pastries and savoury snacks.
Ingredients:
CTC Assam Tea
Fennl
Cardamom
Ginger