ISLAMABAD: On a chilly winter evening in Pakistan’s capital this January, friends and families gathered around steaming mugs of a pale pink tea, its surface dotted with almonds and pistachios, as conversations stretched late into the night at a popular café.

The drink is Kashmiri chai: a slow-cooked tea known for its creamy texture, delicate saltiness or sweetness, and distinctive pink hue. Made from special tea leaves, milk and warming spices, and finished with dry fruits, it has long been prized as a winter beverage in colder regions of the Himalayas.

Once closely tied to homes in northern Kashmir and to ceremonial winter weddings, Kashmiri chai is now steadily becoming part of Pakistan’s urban café culture.

“Earlier, people used to drink Kashmiri chai at home, mostly in Kashmir,” said Muhammad Safeer, a Pakistani government employee from Azad Kashmir who works in Islamabad. “Now it’s common in big cafés too, and warm dry fruits are used in this. Its taste is very different and the toppings give you warmth naturally.”

Kashmir is a mountainous region in the northern Himalayas, disputed between Pakistan and India since the partition of British India in 1947. Known for its harsh winters, the region has developed food traditions centered on warmth and nourishment, with Kashmiri chai occupying a central place in daily life during colder months.

Traditionally consumed in winter, the tea has long been associated with hospitality and sustenance. Its preparation is time-consuming, and for decades it remained largely confined to Kashmiri households or served to guests on special occasions.

“This beverage is consumed in Kashmir during winters because it brings warmth,” Safeer said. “I also believe natural and traditional foods are better for us than artificial juices and colas.”

Beyond homes, winter weddings played a key role in introducing Kashmiri chai to wider audiences across Pakistan. Served in large quantities, its creamy texture and generous garnish of dry fruits made it a symbol of generosity and celebration.

“I have been working in wedding catering business since 1990 and Kashmiri chai has always been popular,” said Naeem Abbasi, a wedding caterer. “It is a staple winter beverage, especially in colder areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.”

VARIETY AND TRADITION

As Pakistan’s café culture expanded over the past decade, particularly in major cities such as Islamabad and Lahore, Kashmiri chai followed. Its unusual color, rich preparation and seasonal appeal helped it stand out on menus otherwise dominated by black tea, green tea and coffee.

The shift is noticeable even in regions with deeply rooted tea traditions. In Swabi, a district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa historically known for green tea, Kashmiri chai has become increasingly available.

“If you look at Swabi’s history, we’ve always had a culture of drinking green tea,” said Syed Sadeeq, a doctor from the district who practices medicine in Islamabad.

“But now I’m observing changes, people are considering other beverages too, like Kashmiri chai. It wasn’t as readily available a few years ago, but now it’s easily available in Swabi too.”

Behind its growing popularity is a preparation process far more demanding than that of regular tea, café workers say.

“There’s a lot of difference between how you make black tea and Kashmiri chai,” said Mubashar, a barista at an Islamabad café who gave only one name.

“First, you prepare the qehwa by adding Kashmiri tea leaves, star anize, nutmeg, black cardamom, cinnamon and fennel. Then you cook it for at least three to four hours.”

Once the concentrated brew is ready, it is strained, milk is added, and the tea is topped with chopped dry fruits. Traditionally prepared with salt, many cafés now also offer sweetened versions to suit modern tastes.

“Earlier, it was popular only at weddings,” Mubashar said, adding that cafés in Islamabad began introducing Kashmiri chai to their menus about six to seven years ago as demand grew. “Now cafés have it because customers are actively asking for it.”

The labor and ingredients involved come at a cost. Compared to black or green tea, Kashmiri chai requires significantly more milk and dry fruits, making it noticeably more expensive.

“If you compare it with green tea, pink tea costs almost 50 percent more,” Abbasi said. “But despite being more expensive, people still prefer it in winters.”

For younger consumers, the appeal lies in variety as much as tradition.

“Pakistanis love tea but drinking the same kind every day can get a bit boring,” student Amna Abbasi said as she sipped a piping hot cup of pink tea at an Islamabad café.

“Kashmiri chai is different because it’s garnished with dry fruits, so people are moving toward it.”