He quit his govt job to start a street-side tea shop: Now runs 50+ cafes across India

This is the story of India’s fastest-growing café brand—and it all began at a modest tea shop on a Kerala street corner. What started in Thanneermukkam, Kottayam, with a steaming kettle, wooden benches, and a pinch of nostalgia, has grown into one of the country’s most exciting homegrown café chains. With little fanfare but a bold vision, Old School Tea set out to reinvent the humble tea shop for a new generation of India.

Fast forward a few years, and the brand now operates over 50 outlets across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Hyderabad—with Mumbai and Dubai next on the map. Its charm lies not in chasing global café trends, but in staying rooted to local tea culture while reimagining it for a new generation.

At the heart of this expansion is Syam K Sasi, a former government employee who traded a secure job for an idea steeped in simplicity: make premium teas, coffees, and community spaces accessible to everyday people.

What started as a humble hangout spot is today one of South India’s fastest-growing café brands: Old School Tea. With more than 50 outlets across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Hyderabad, and new launches coming up in Mumbai, the brand is inching toward a century—100 outlets by the end of the year. And yes, international expansion is part of the plan. Dubai might just be the first stop.

But this isn’t your average café success story. There’s no polished corporate playbook here. Old School Tea was born out of a simple, almost nostalgic idea: to bring premium tea and coffee culture to everyday people, in everyday places.

“You don’t often see premium European coffees on the streets of Kerala. They’re mostly limited to upscale cafés like Starbucks or CCD. The goal of this venture was to bring those coffees into the everyday lives of Keralites.” says Syam.

Syam wasn’t trying to chase a trend. He was chasing a shift. He saw a gap—premium teas and coffees were mostly limited to urban cafes, out of reach for most people. So he brought them to the street.

Walk into any Old School Tea outlet today and you’ll notice two things right away: the look, and the feeling. The interiors feel like a page out of the past—wooden chairs, tiled counters, radio sets, framed photos that could belong in your grandfather’s living room. It’s familiar, warm, and oddly comforting.

“Our lives have become fast-paced and hectic. That’s why each of our cafés is designed as a space where customers can pause, unwind, and truly live in the moment,” says Syam.

The menu too reflects this balance between quality and comfort. Alongside classic chaya, you’ll find cold brews, filter coffee with a twist, house specials, and quirky takes that are unique to the brand, all priced to be accessible, not aspirational.

This philosophy is what’s fuelling the rapid growth. Franchising has become a key pillar of Old School Tea’s expansion. With investment packages starting from just ₹3 lakh, young entrepreneurs—many of them first-timers—are stepping in to run their own outlets. In Tamil Nadu alone, the brand is planning 50 new openings, aiming to give a facelift to the state’s local tea culture.

“We didn’t just want to introduce a variety of beverages to the streets. We wanted to create places where people could spend time differently, connect, and make memories. At Old School Tea, you're not just buying tea; you're experiencing the vibe.”

At its core, Old School Tea is about much more than tea. It’s about memory, community, and slowing down just enough to enjoy both.