Pune, the city is known for quite a few unique things that you won’t find anywhere else. One of them being the century old tradition of Amruttulyas, famous for serving piping hot chai for decades! Baarish aka Monsoon is at its peak in the city and there can not be a better time to explore these chai institutions named Amruttulyas.

But mind you, we are not telling you about the new wave amruttulyas that have flooded the city. These are old and hidden gems sticking to the traditional format. Very few such Amruttulyas are left now. Let us tell you all the new age Punekars, that these were the OG happening cafes where youth used to hang out or go on their first dates in the old times. So what sets these OG places apart from the new age ones? Let me tell you below

1. The Maharaj making the chai, the ‘Karta Dharta‘ of that Amruttulya, can be found sitting at this counter right at the entrance!

2. You can sit inside and ‘aaramse‘ sip the chai on those wooden tables & benches.

3. All India Radio channel frequency 101 would be playing at all times!

4. Tea is served in ceramicware or glassware and not in the unhealthy paper cups.

5. Chai is usually strained and stored in brass kettles.

6. Elaichi is freshly pounded for every round of chai and no readymade masala packets are used.

7. Aroma of freshly pounded elaichi fills the entire ambiance and the vibe is unmatched!

8. They usually have one more food specialty on the menu like Pohe, batata wada, bread pakoda or samosa, but it gets sold out in a flash!

Here’s sharing with you 7 such OG Amruttulyas from Pune serving the original and hot cup of chai this monsoon!

Aadya Amruttulya: Officially, Pune’s very first Amruttulya, Aadya is located on Laxmi road near Sonya Maruti Chowk. You get a royal feel of Pune’s old wada style architecture at this century old legit place!

Vaijnath Amruttulya: A crowd favorite located in Shaniwar Peth, is always flooded with youth from the surroundings. The aroma of elaichi goes almost upto 200 metre and helps you identify this tiny establishment inside a small lane. Vaijnath is located inside the lane right opposite Ahilyadevi Girls High School.

Laxmi Bhuvan: This one is a legend but still can not be found on Google maps! Visit Laxmi Bhuvan not just for chai, but for their unique display of kettles of varsious sizes and an array of cups and saucers. Laxmi Bhuvan is located near Lal Mahal in Somwar Peth.

Ambika Amruttulya: Though Ambika is bang opposite Chitale Bandhu on Bajirao Road, locating them is quite tough. Only the cardamom aroma can help you find the way. And once you find Ambika Amruttulya, it gets you addicted to their hot chai! Their Dosa is also worth a try!

Shri Jangli Maharaj Amruttulya: The beautiful typography of the nameboard of this Amruttulya catches your attention first and then the chai aromas! Located next to Shiv Sagar on Jangli Maharaj road a.k.a. JM Road, Shri Jangli Maharaj Amruttulya has two entrances. One only for chai and another for those who want to sit and munch a bit. We heard fans of their Poha are the same as the fans of their tea!

Hotel Tilak: Now this one is a famous and favorite to many for their bread pakoda and wadapav, but Tilak ke Chai ke deewane us se kai jyada hai! When in Sadashiv Peth, it is mandatory to grab a cup of chai at Tilak. The super friendly owners of Tilak Hotel are a matter of a complete new article altogether!

Panchaleshwar Amruttulya: Panchaleshwar is actually the closest to Urbanly’s office and is our personal favorite. One of the reasons why we actually selected our office space, we need a good cup of chai, that’s a mandate! Right next to Sagar Sweets on Karve road, Panchaleshwar is an OG gem waiting to be discovered. Again, the Elaichi aroma will guide you to the exact place.

This is our list of the original old school Amruttulyas in Pune. If any place is missing, feel free to write to us on our Instagram handle.