Maya Restaurant on Fatehabad Road serves what every serious tea drinker dreams of — Proper masala chai brewed fresh with whole green cardamom pods, grated ginger, and loose leaf Assam tea (none of that powdered CTC rubbish they serve tourists). The spice balance is perfection: warming without overwhelming, the way chai should taste before Starbucks ruined everything.

The real magic happens when they have clay kulhads in stock. These unglazed terra cotta cups impart an earthy, mineral undertone that transforms the entire drinking experience — Something you'll never get from those soul-crushing glass tumblers. The porous clay also cools the chai to the perfect sipping temperature naturally.

Located exactly 12 minutes by auto-rickshaw from the Taj Mahal's east gate (₹40-50 fare), Maya opens at 7am and serves until 10pm daily. It's where local taxi drivers congregate during breaks — Always your best indicator of authentic food. The chai costs ₹25-30 per kulhad, and their full beverage menu includes excellent filter coffee if your travel companion is one of those coffee people.