For Muhammad “Mojo” Joyo and Zainab Joyo, the chai commonly found at cafes across the U.S. bears little resemblance to the beloved drink they grew up with.

“I think pretty much any South Asian person you talk to is very frustrated with the landscape of chai,” Mojo said. “Going to a cafe and asking for chai — what you get is always very disappointing.”

So the young married couple, who both were born in Pakistan, decided to take matters into their own hands. In 2024, they opened their own chai cafe in Berkeley, called Elaichi Co. Unlike the chai lattes found in many cafes across the U.S., Elaichi Co. doesn’t add a premade chai concentrate to steamed milk. Instead, the proprietors brew their chai directly with the milk, creating a more tea-forward, creamy drink that highlights the boldness of the spices. 

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The concept was a hit — so much so that on Saturday the Joyos are celebrating the grand opening of their second Elaichi Co. location in San Francisco. Through the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program, they are opening in the Yerba Buena neighborhood at 360 Third St.

Co-owner Muhammad Joyo holds a cup of chai tea during the soft opening of Elaichi Co. on Third Street in San Francisco on April 29, 2026. The cafe is San Francisco’s first dedicated solely to chai.

Packages of chai tea are available for purchase during the soft opening of Elaichi Co. on Third Street in San Francisco on April 29, 2026. The cafe is San Francisco’s first dedicated solely to chai.

Customers dine during the soft opening of Elaichi Co. on Third Street in San Francisco on April 29, 2026. The cafe is San Francisco’s first dedicated solely to chai.

Unlike the Berkeley cafe, which also serves coffee, the new SF cafe plans to only serve chai — potentially a first for San Francisco. (SF’s David Rio, which no longer has any storefronts, specialized in chai, but also served coffee.) Mojo said that despite serving some of the better coffee in the area at their Berkeley cafe, it’s only about 20% of their sales. 

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