Welcome to Dropout Chaiwala

“ Visited Dropout Chaiwala around 6:30–7 PM with my mum, who is visiting Melbourne for the first time ????????. I had heard so much praise about this place from friends, so I really wanted her to experience it too. The atmosphere was lively, colourful, and full of energy — exactly the kind of fun chai vibe you’d expect . I also absolutely loved the branding of their cans — super trendy, vibrant, and eye-catching! I ordered the Masala Chai, and it was honestly 11/10 — strong, perfectly spiced, warm, and incredibly comforting . My mum ordered Thandai, but unfortunately we were served a Mango Lassi instead . The lassi was nice, but she was looking forward to trying the thandai. When we mentioned it, the staff member acknowledged it was lassi but didn’t offer an apology or any reaction, which felt a bit disappointing. I do understand that there were a lot of orders coming through at that time, and it was clearly very busy, so mistakes can happen. Still, a small apology or acknowledgment would have made the experience smoother, especially since it was my mum’s first Melbourne café outing. Overall, the chai was outstanding, the vibe was great, and the branding is amazing — but the customer service could be improved. Still, worth visiting for the flavours! ”

“ For when you just want a (temperature) hot cup of good chai. This is the third outlet in the CBD - i have tried all 3, and the consistency is good. I particularly like the ginger chai - full of warming spice notes. There are a variety of Indian snacks available too. ”

“ Update: I’m a sucker for new experiences and I’d never heard of paan leaf before. Thanks Merusri for pointing it out, unlabelled in the fridge next to the Biscoff cheesecake. (She is quite the salesperson). Apparently it’s a traditional digestive post meal snack, in the form of a paan leaf wrapped around dried fruit or other filling (which I just googled to discover it is another name for betel leaf! So I have had it before in a Thai restaurant once) - but I digress. This slightly sweet mousse had fine leaf particles through it and the taste was surprisingly floral! Nice. Original: A category bending delight: the Bun Bhujia from Dropout Chaiwala, a “fruit bun with Aloo Bhujia, tasting spicy and tangy”. Is it cheese? No idea but it was good. Very sweet bun offset by a mildly savoury filling with a both a smooth and crunchy texture. Yum! ”