.Elaichi Co. is a Labor of Love

With a modicum of food-service experience, Muhammad “Mojo” Joyo brought elaichi co. from concept to fruition. As a co-owner, he thought of a name that rolled off the tongue while describing the ethos. “Elaichi” is the Hindi word for “cardamom,” a recurring flavor at the cafe. 

But Joyo describes “elaichi co.” as a form of yearning—not only yearning for a more tea-attenuated culture, but for a space where people can drink, talk, commune and relax in the late hours. It is also a place to keep his family together.

At elaichi co. the karak chai is sweet, but avoids becoming saccharine. It is different from that offered at other South Asian restaurants, which focus on the food and let the chai seem like a nice supplement to the end of a meal.

“It’s made in really large batches, like very early on in the day,” Joyo said of other restaurants’ chai. “It’s sitting around for much longer. They also don’t prioritize the ingredients that much. We spend a lot on good ingredients for the chai, making sure the tea is phenomenal. The milk is really expensive … [a]nd the spices are really top quality.”

At conventional Western coffee shops, chai is an elixir of syrups, concentrates and powders, whereas elaichi co.’s chai is a collection of labeled pots, the right ingredients and 30-minute brews. The process is, in Joyo’s estimation, a true “labor of love.”

But chai also needs accompaniment, and finding dishes that pair well is challenging. The restaurant’s namesake, the elaichi bun, is a continuous wrapping of pastry with cardamom nuggets present throughout each layer. Joyo found the inspiration for it upon visiting Fabrique Bakery in New York City, where he tried the kanelbulle, a Swedish cinnamon bun. He immediately fell in love. The kanelbulle didn’t hold back on the spice, while still remaining punchy and buttery.

Beyond offering the namesake bun, elaichi co. offers a pistachio loaf cake, cake rusk and the paratha quiche. Joyo sometimes also offers limited-run items when partnering with other South Asian businesses. One such collaboration involved Babos Concept Kitchen and included chaat, chicken puff, shahi bread pudding and a pistachio kulfi bar.

Joyo wants to continue such partnerships. “Give people a platform,” he said. “And make this a salvation for everyone to kind of reconnect with their own culture, but also for people to experience a new culture.”

Located in Berkeley off Allston Way, elaichi co. is a manicured space that makes Pakistani flavors “approachable” to guests, and not just by virtue of its menu. Customers sit beneath Kloe Rattan pendant lights while the chai sits under Bondrup and Thorup semi-hanging lamps.

The color green, present from the logo to the pillows, establishes the environment; wall decals and punny interfaces transform wifi into “chai-fi.” Yet the café attempts to not look too stylized, with boxes piled high beneath the industrial ceiling.

It’s designed with a specific comfort, but this is not the only way elaichi co. offers customers some reprieve in a dismal economy. Joyo, while concerned with inflation and its effects on many small businesses in California, believes the tea shop’s novelty saves it in a way.

But the novelty comes with some caveats. The first is that not enough customers try the coffee. Joyo wants people to know that he gives the coffee the same attention as the chai.

The second exception is that customers not familiar with South Asian chai culture often don’t try traditional food-and-chai pairings. Joyo invites visitors to dip the hard cake rusk into their chai, allowing it to soften so they can eat it piece by piece.

Elaichi co. is expanding its consumer-packaged products, which include house tea blends. Joyo also entertains the prospect of building a catering program for weddings, events and more, but doesn’t want to expand too quickly. But if the calls from customers imploring him to open locations in Palo Alto, San Francisco and L.A. mean anything, there is more to come from elaichi co.

Elaichi co. is open Sun-Thu, 8am to 10pm; Fri-Sat, 8am to midnight. 2161 Allston Way, Ste.C, Berkeley. 510.291.8464. elaichico.com.