Lahore is undoubtedly a magical city. It is worldwide famous for its rich taste and food. Where one can find traditional dishes to eat like Siri Paye, Nehari and Takka Tak, Lahore also offers delicious beverages to its visitors. Lahore is also famous for traditional Lassi, decades old tea stalls and now the lemon soda and slushes as well.
FEEKA LASSI WALA — Chacha Feeka provides the best Peray Wali Lassi in Lahore that attracts a lot of customers from outside the city as well. Situated in old Lahore near Gawal Mandi, the shop was established in 1947 at the time of partition as the Kashmiri family of Chacha Rafeeq alias Feeka migrated to Lahore from Amritsar. “It is the fifth generation of our family that is running the shop now,” said Ijaz Butt, whose great-grandfather started making the famous Peray Wali Lassi first. He gives one glass of Peray Wali Lassi at the cost of 150 rupees these days. We use special Khoya for lassi that is made in a huge jar, he said and added that every customer doesn’t afford one glass at the rate of 150 because the purchasing power of people has been decreased since Imran Khan came into power. “Our business was going very good when Mian Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister but the situation changed when this government came,” Butt said. Tahir, a customer, enjoying the glass of Lassi, told this scribe that he lives in Dubai and visits Lahore every year and he always comes to this shop every time he is in Lahore to have the famous Lassi. “I have lot of childhood memories associated with this Lassi shop as I once used to come here daily,” he said.
YAKOO CHAI WALA — the Yakoo Chai Wala is the most famous tea place of Lahore situated at Temple Road that is a very unique tea stall for many reasons. The tea here is served in a simple glass where dumb and deaf people of Lahore come in droves on weekends to enjoy tea and gossip. This tea place is also known as Goonga Chai Wala and it remains open 24/7. This tea shop consists of just a small room where hardly eight to nine persons can sit on just three wooden benches as most of the customers sit outside the shop on roads and footpaths. Although the small shop doesn’t have enough seating capacity but still people throng to it due to its strong taste and attraction. This tea shop was established by two brothers Yaqoob (Yakoo) and Hameed in 1947 and now Yakoo’s grandson is running it. One cup of tea is offered in just Rs 25 here.
KASHMIRI CHAI — the Kashmiri Chai of Lakshmi Chowk becomes the ultimate choice of many people after having the dinner in winters. This road is known for delicious taste where families come in droves and throng to the Kashmiri Tea stall after dinner of winters. The Kashmiri Chai was established here at the time of partition when this area was the hub of cultural activities as all the leading cinemas and theatres were there at this road. One can also find the taste of almonds and pure milk in the traditional Kashmiri Chai that is prepared by special tea leafs. One cup of Kashmiri Chai is offered in Rs 40.
SUPPER SLUSHES OF SHADMAN — the Supper Slush of Shadman market offers a respite to visitors in the scorching heat of June and July. Situated in the Shadman Market, this shop is credited to introduce the taste of Slush in Lahore for the very first time around more than a decade ago. A special flavour is added in the slush with some ice in it becomes the best drink of summer. This shop provides slush in 12 different flavours including lemon, orange, pineapple, mango, peach and strawberry. One glass of slush is given in Rs 40.
LEMON SODA — Lemon Soda Water helps in digesting the food and therefore many people love it. The ISB (Islamabad) Soda Water situated at the Main Bazar of Krishan Nagar engages half a dozen workers in peak hours of summer to deal with the customers because of too much rush there. The owner Abdul Razaq himself prepares the Lemon Soda during the rush hours while customers sit on the roads and some chairs near the shop. “We add a special homemade flavour in it while desi lemons are used for every glass,” said the owner, while citing the reasons of too much rush of customers in his shop. Around 30 crates of bottles are used in peak season where every crate has 24 bottles each and one bottle is used for one glass. A glass is offered in Rs 30 but they said that the price will be increased by Rs 10 in upcoming season due to the inflated cost of ingredients. The customers are seen drinking lemon soda with their families in the summer season where children and women also enjoy it.
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