Milk Tea vs Black Tea in Nepal: Which Should You Order?

Walk into any tea shop in Nepal and you'll face the first big choice: dudh chiya (milk tea) or kalo chiya (black tea). Both are everywhere, and both have loyal fans. Here's how to choose.

Milk tea (dudh chiya)

Milk tea is brewed with tea leaves, water, milk and sugar boiled together.

• Taste: creamy, sweet and comforting
• Body: full and rich
• When people drink it: mornings, afternoons, and whenever a guest arrives

If you want the classic Nepali tea experience, start here.

Black tea (kalo chiya)

Black tea is brewed without milk, usually with sugar.

• Taste: brighter, lighter and slightly bitter
• Body: thin and refreshing
• When people drink it: after meals, on warm days, or when someone wants something lighter than milk tea

Black tea is also the base for lemon tea, which adds fresh lemon for a tangy finish.

Side by side

Which one is stronger?

People often assume black tea is stronger because it looks darker. In terms of flavour, black tea tastes sharper, while milk tea tastes rounder because milk softens the bitterness. Both can be brewed strong or light.

Our suggestion

• First visit? Try a cutting milk tea to get the classic taste.
• Just had a big meal? Go for black tea or lemon tea.
• Want spice without milk? Try black masala tea.

Prices at Chiya Table

From our menu board: Cutting Tea Rs. 30, Masala Tea Rs. 50, Black Tea Rs. 25, Black Masala Tea Rs. 30 and Lemon Tea Rs. 30. See the full menu and come and taste the difference on Kotdevi Marg. Here are directions.