Definition:
Chaikhana: A Central Asian teahouse. Chaikhanas first sprang up along the Silk Road, the legendary trade route between China and the Middle East/Europe.
At a time when restaurants had yet to be invented, chaikhanas offered weary desert travelers a place to stop for tea and a meal. In fact, chaikhanas seem to have served a similar function to traditional British pubs; many had guest rooms for travelers to stay in, in addition to the tea and food service.
Note: The word chai means "tea" throughout most of Asia.
Pronunciation: "chayk-HANA"
Examples:
"The caravan stopped at a chaikhana high in the Hindu Kush Mountains. Weary traders unloaded bolts of silk and crates of porcelain from their camels, then trooped inside to relax over cups of tea and fresh-baked bread."
