Charista

Featured reviews

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  tas mia

  ·2 months ago

  “wonderful, calming and reliably thoughtful and attentive service here. a repeat visit for myself and my friends. every dish we have tried has been impeccably well made and always delicious. Mahi always greets us with smile and always patiently guides us through the menu to make the most apt choice. a taste of home away from home. come and try it for yourself! you will not regret it truly :)”

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• E

  Elle Chen

  ·2 months ago

  “i’ve been coming to charista on & off for three years & the service, food, & atmosphere has always been fabulous. my fav item is the papri chaat but friends rave about the biryani. mango lassi & pistachio shake is to die for. it is a hidden gem of shoreditch. & a staple of any trip to bricklane x”

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  M Khaled

  ·5 months ago

  “Great tea, loved the atmosphere. Staff were friendly, service was a little slow considering there weren’t that many customers at the time. But overall cool place for some tea and snacks.”

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  Me Rodders

  ·5 months ago

  “Quick bite after work with the girls at Charista, which I was told was a calmer Bengali version of Dishoom. Our friend ordered and we got several dishes to share. The food, was delicious and filling. Chilled atmosphere and lovely, patient waiting staff. £70 for 3 of us. Def worth a try and don't forget to tip .”

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  Mr.Hussain

  ·5 months ago

  “I went here with my Mrs recently for tea and snacks, and it was a really nice experience. Food was fresh and tasty, although portions were a little on the smaller side. Drinks were nice and tasty and altogether the atmosphere was warm and cosy. Also the value for money was good. Will return when back in the area again for sure!”

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• A

  Alessandra Distefano

  ·1 year ago

  “Went for a quick lunch on a Thursday. It was quiet and really relaxing. The food comes in small plates. For the three of us we ordered two starters and two mains. Good size portions. Flavourful dishes. Especially the chicken byriani. Lovely staff. They don’t serve alcohol.”

• R

  R D

  ·1 year ago

  “15/05/25 Combination review from myself and my mother; Mum - Food: Lamb Kati roll was absolutely delicious. Chilli paneer had a great kick to it. Mango milk cake just delightful. Service: Two very polite gentlemen serving. All round a perfect experience. 5* Me - Food was delightful, absolutely delicious food. I would say portions are small, not a place to go to fill up Lamb Kati rolls (£7.95) are great, I could eat two easily, but was saving space for cake. The chilli paneer (£7.95) was delicious, of the best paneer I've had - not squeaky or chewy and with a thick chilli sauce opposed to a sticky sweet chilli you'd find elsewhere. Cakes are made on the day, we stopped for lunch and some were not available which was unfortunate as they were being made later so that is something to keep in mind. The mango milk cake, Dhooder cake, (£6.95) was perfectly balanced, but I would have preferred the coconut or pistachio - so will have to come back if we are in the area. Very polite service, apologetic about not having cake and quick with the food. There's lovely music playing for a relaxed atmosphere totally opposite to the busy road outside. Not wheelchair accessible, has several stairs on the way up. The chairs and tables are at a slightly odd height, with the table being a bit low for the taller person.”

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• E

  Eureka

  ·1 year ago

  “We went today, got the jhalmuri, fuchka, chilli paneer, tamarind sharbat and charista special chai. The food wasn't mind-blowing but it was alright. The atmosphere is cute and cosy. Unfortunately although the name is charista, we both found the cha to be the most disappointing part - seemed to be a bit lacking in flavour. I would have forgotten to mention if I hadn't seen another review but a more thorough clean of the tables would be better as ours was slightly sticky.”

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• S

  Sabina Ali

  ·3 years ago

  “Really lovely place with really nice food the service here was outstanding. Thank you to the gentleman who served us today, especially serving my fussy friend and making the tea as requested and making some recommendations. The snacks were really good, this is definitely my new place to work from in the weekends. Highly recommend this place, if you are looking for something a little more classy with less noise than chaiwala and better food options including a better environment, this place is just that.”

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  Tasnim Akhtar

  ·4 years ago

  “Ordered a variety of dishes and the lamb biriyani was hands down the best. Great flavours and not greasy at all. The dish size looks deceptively small but it comes with quite a lot. Masala chips were nice and so was the shingara plate. Tea was okay, not the best personally, but the fantastic service and general comfortable and homey vibes made up for that. Really nice place to sit and catch up with a friend!”

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