News / Street food
Bristol gets a new Indian street food shop
Little Chai has opened on Princess Victoria Street, blessing Clifton with “mouthwatering vegan Indian street food in a cosy, colourful setting”.
Squeezed in between an opticians and Clifton Library, visitors can expect to find freshly made chai, chickpea curry and crispy onion bhaji wraps.
A sign outside jokingly claims Isambard Kingdom Brunel finds owner Niraj’s award winning samosas “the best samosas in town”.
A quirky sign invites you in to try their “award-winning samosas”
Perfect for “a quick lunch or a tasty snack on the go” Little Chai currently has two outdoor seated tables, with plans to expand to seven once Princess Victoria Street undergoes permanent pedestrianisation.
After the success of his first store in Bath, owner Niraj hopes to bring to Clifton “the same community spirit” he spent eight years building in Bath.
He added: “There’s always people hanging around, there’s chairs, and you can see [some of] the people living around here have not seen anyone all day so they come here, they chat, and they have a Chai. I want more of that!”
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Despite his expansion, Niraj recognises now is not the perfect time for an independent business to move to a second location. “It’s really scary doing this now, some of my friends are going bust, and I’m out here starting a new place.”
Although when speaking to Bristol24/7, it was clear that he relishes the challenge. “It is nice to meet new people and build something new because I think there’s a challenge in trying to make a place busy and popular.”
Little Chai is open Tue to Sun, midday to 6pm and already sees queues throughout the day.
All photos: Seun Matiluko
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