Teahouses

Chaikhana (ﭽﺎی ﺨﺎﻨﻪ)

The chaikhana or tea-house (also known less formally as saemawat), is a public gathering place found throughout Central Asia. In Afghanistan, typically only men patronize tea-houses, where they go to eat, relax, and catch up on news.

A typical chaikhana will have a rotating menu based on what food are seasonally available but kebabs are standard fare. Usually a plate of uncooked vegetables (سبځي sabzi - onions, tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley), as well as bread (نان nan), is provided with kebabs. A carousel with various types of spices (مرچ mrech - pepper – red and black, salt, and oregano) for the kebabs complements the meal.

Upon entering, it is typical to announce how many people are in your party and what you would like to eat. The majority of conversation occurs after the meal, as everyone reclines and drinks tea (ﭽﺎی chai). Nowadays there is often a television blaring in a corner and people are more focused on it than on talking.