23 hours ago - Food and Drink
First Sip: Iraqi-owned Midtown cafe delivers on natural light
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Chai Khana at 3574 Second Ave. Photos: Annalise Frank/Axios
👋 Annalise here with a new favored spot for tea, writing and natural light in Midtown.
The vibe: Chai Khana opened this winter in a long-vacant, window-lined storefront, bringing with it pleasant decor, murals and ample seating.
- Staff are helpful and the drink menu is packed, alongside a limited food menu with pastries and sandwiches.
Dig in: I ordered Karak chai ($5) — a strong spiced tea popular in the UAE and other Gulf countries — and the well-flavored meat lover's sandwich ($10) with beef salami, beef bacon, cheese, veggies and house sauce.
- But it was a tough choice, with other beverage contenders like traditional Iraqi chai, Arabic coffee (Qahwah), flavored lattes, matcha and fruit refreshers.
Workability: Lots of space, enough outlets, long hours and a relaxed vibe.
- My only notes would be that the gorgeously ample sunlight can become distracting in the eyes or glaring on a laptop screen in the evening, and that the chairs are a 7/10 on comfort.
- I'm picky about chairs.
If you go: 7:30am-10pm Monday-Friday and 9:30am-10pm Saturday and Sunday.