What is the difference between karak chai and masala chai?

Karak is strong black tea brewed with evaporated milk and cardamom, so it is thick, sweet and milky. Masala chai is the Indian spiced milk tea, flavoured with a blend of whole spices. At Cha Cha Chai the Masala Karak is karak with a garam masala kick, AED 14.

Is karak just milk tea?

Not quite. Plain milk tea is tea with milk added. Karak is brewed strong with evaporated milk and cardamom and simmered, which gives it a heavier body and a sweeter, more aromatic cup.

What goes into a karak chai?

Strong black tea, evaporated milk, cardamom and sugar, served hot. At Cha Cha Chai the tea is Assam. Ginger, masala and saffron are the variants. Our exact blend and ratios are not published.

Which should I order first at Cha Cha Chai?

If you are new to karak, start with the plain Karak Chai at AED 14. If you like spice, try the Masala Karak or Ginger Karak, also AED 14. For a treat, the CCC Special Karak is AED 16 and Saffron Chai (Zafrani) is AED 20.

How much is a Masala Karak?

AED 14 dine-in at Cha Cha Chai, the same as the Karak Chai and the Ginger Karak. Delivery prices vary slightly on the apps.

Where can I try karak in Dubai?

At our four stores: Deira and Dubai Silicon Oasis are open 24 hours, every day; Sheikh Zayed Road is open daily, 7 AM – 11 PM; Dubai Science Park is open Mon–Fri 7 AM – 7 PM and Sat 8 AM – 5 PM, closed Sunday. Order on Talabat, or search for Cha Cha Chai on Deliveroo, Noon Food and Keeta.

three cups, one question

Karak vs masala chai: what is the difference?

Karak chai is strong black tea brewed with evaporated milk and cardamom, thick and sweet. Masala chai is the Indian milk tea simmered with a blend of whole spices, and plain milk tea is simply tea with milk. At Cha Cha Chai, Karak Chai, Masala Karak and Ginger Karak are AED 14, the CCC Special Karak is AED 16 and Saffron Chai (Zafrani) is AED 20, dine-in.

A plain-words guide for first-time visitors: the three drinks side by side, what makes karak its own thing, and which glass to order first at our four Dubai stores.

Menu prices as published on our menu and menu pages, 13 October 2026 (dine-in, AED). The differences described are the general, widely known ones; our own blend is not published.

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Six quick answers

What is the difference between karak chai and masala chai?: Karak is strong black tea brewed with evaporated milk and cardamom, so it is thick, sweet and milky. Masala chai is the Indian spiced milk tea, flavoured with a blend of whole spices. At Cha Cha Chai the Masala Karak is karak with a garam masala kick, AED 14.
Is karak just milk tea?: Not quite. Plain milk tea is tea with milk added. Karak is brewed strong with evaporated milk and cardamom and simmered, which gives it a heavier body and a sweeter, more aromatic cup.
What goes into a karak chai?: Strong black tea, evaporated milk, cardamom and sugar, served hot. At Cha Cha Chai the tea is Assam. Ginger, masala and saffron are the variants. Our exact blend and ratios are not published.
Which should I order first at Cha Cha Chai?: If you are new to karak, start with the plain Karak Chai at AED 14. If you like spice, try the Masala Karak or Ginger Karak, also AED 14. For a treat, the CCC Special Karak is AED 16 and Saffron Chai (Zafrani) is AED 20.
How much is a Masala Karak?: AED 14 dine-in at Cha Cha Chai, the same as the Karak Chai and the Ginger Karak. Delivery prices vary slightly on the apps.
Where can I try karak in Dubai?: At our four stores: Deira and Dubai Silicon Oasis are open 24 hours, every day; Sheikh Zayed Road is open daily, 7 AM – 11 PM; Dubai Science Park is open Mon–Fri 7 AM – 7 PM and Sat 8 AM – 5 PM, closed Sunday. Order on Talabat, or search for Cha Cha Chai on Deliveroo, Noon Food and Keeta.

Three cups, side by side

Plain milk tea, masala chai and karak: the general differences
	Plain milk tea	Masala chai	Karak chai
The tea	Black tea	Black tea	Black tea brewed strong
The milk	Milk added to the tea	Milk simmered with the tea	Evaporated milk, for a thick body
The spice	Usually none	A blend of whole spices, such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger	Cardamom, with ginger, masala or saffron as variants
The feel	Light and simple	Fragrant and spiced	Strong, sweet and milky

These are the general differences people describe. Recipes vary by home and by café.

What makes karak its own thing

Karak comes from the Hindi and Urdu word for strong, and that is the point of the cup. The tea is brewed hard, so there is a lot of tea in the pot. Evaporated milk gives it body and a gentle sweetness before any sugar goes in, and cardamom is the spice most closely tied to it.

Masala chai leans on its blend of spices. Karak leans on strong tea, thick milk and cardamom, and then adds ginger, masala or saffron to change the glass rather than replace the tea. If you want the full method, read how karak chai is made.

What Cha Cha Chai serves

Karak variants at Cha Cha Chai (dine-in prices in AED)
Glass	What it is	AED
Karak Chai	The original: strong, sweet and milky	14
Masala Karak	Karak with a garam masala kick	14
Ginger Karak	Fresh ginger warmth in every sip	14
CCC Special Karak	The house blend: saffron meets masala	16
Saffron Chai (Zafrani)	Karak made with real saffron strands	20

Prefer something other than karak? Chai Latte is AED 22 and Mango Lassi is AED 18. See karak chai price in Dubai for the full price ladder.

Common mix-ups

"Chai tea" is a repeat: chai is the word for tea, so the plain name for the drink is just chai or karak. "Karak" is not a spice blend either. It describes how the tea is brewed, strong and thick, and the plain Karak Chai at Cha Cha Chai is the cardamom version with nothing else added.

Karak is also not always sweet-spiced like masala chai. The variants add ginger, garam masala or saffron on top, and each one is priced and named on the menu, so you can order exactly the glass you mean. Karak is poured hot in small glasses and is meant to be sipped, not gulped.

If you are comparing prices, the whole range at Cha Cha Chai sits between AED 14 and AED 20 a glass, dine-in. Delivery prices vary slightly on the apps.

Which one to try first

If this is your first karak, order the plain Karak Chai. It is the baseline the other four are built on, so you will know exactly what the ginger, masala or saffron is changing. If you already love spiced tea, the Masala Karak is the closest bridge from masala chai, with the strong, thick karak body underneath.

Want a snack with it? Vada Pav is AED 11 and Samosa Pav is AED 12, and the full list of glasses, snacks and combos is in what to order at a karak chai cafe. For the pairings, see karak and street food pairings, and for the saffron glass see saffron karak (zafrani chai).

Our stores: Deira (Business Village), Sheikh Zayed Road (Blue Tower), Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Science Park.