Another Chai, Another Place
Written by: Terra Bitan
To chai or not to chai? Matcha lattes may be all the rage, but to an avid chai drinker like myself, nothing beats the basics.
Chai tea, also known as masala chai, is made by boiling tea in milk and water with a mixture of herbs and spices, including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, fennel, and star anise — it’s an exceptionally versatile beverage. Various cold foams and syrups can be added to personalize chai, and coffee drinkers can even add a shot of espresso. Using my go-to hot chai with oat milk as the baseline, I’ve identified some of the Philadelphia area’s best and worst places for chai. I prefer a strong spice combination, sweet taste, creamy consistency, and a $5 threshold.
Green Street Coffee | $5 | 1101 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA
Green Street Coffee is small but personal, with tables outside to enjoy your drink. I ordered a classic hot chai with oat milk, and as soon as I took the first sip, my mouth started watering as aromatic spices greeted my tastebuds. The ginger and cinnamon were very present and got stronger with every sip, and the consistency was very creamy.
White Horse Cafe | $5 | 700 West Ave, Jenkintown, PA
White Horse Café is very quaint in the heart of Jenkintown, a suburb right outside of Philly. I tried my go-to order as both the hot and iced version. The iced version at White Horse is good, but I prefer the hot version much better because of the thicker consistency and the spices; the ginger, specifically, is much more prevalent. The oat milk at this location completely transforms the drink because of its sweet, snickerdoodle flavor.
Good Karma | $5 | 2319 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
I got my usual, but this time iced, and my friend got a hot chai with oat milk. Mine was bland, I couldn’t taste the spices at all, and the consistency was light and watery. On the other hand, my friend’s hot chai was filled with spices, and the consistency was creamy. Definitely go with the hot chai at Good Karma.
Greek from Greece | $5 | 107 N 33rd St, Philadelphia, PA
A new addition to Drexel’s campus, Greek from Greece has a great cozy and exciting vibe. Unfortunately, their iced and hot chai weren’t as exciting. Both were very sweet, but every spice was missing in the flavor. Greek from Greece's chai could be a good beginner chai if you’re not into spices, but like a drink with a sweet flavor and creamy consistency.
Saxby’s | $5 | 65 N 34th St, Philadelphia, PA
Saxby’s holds a special place in my heart since it was where I had my first chai latte! At first, I loved the taste of an iced chai with almond milk, but it was not sweet enough for me, so I opted for oat milk. The spices in the iced drink were not present, but the spice balance was the opposite in the hot version where ginger and cinnamon were very present. The consistency was creamy, and the taste was quite sweet.
The Board and Brew | $5 | 3200 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA
This café is located right on campus next door to Drexel’s bookstore. The hot chai latte with oat milk was spicy with a strong ginger flavor, and the sweetness was also high up on the scale. I enjoyed this latte and the environment within the location. They have seating upstairs which is their restaurant and seating downstairs which is their café setting. They also have tons of board games to play with your friends!
OCF Coffee House | $5.11 | 2100 Fairmount Ave, Philadelphia, PA
I was excited to try chai from OCF Coffee House since I already love their food and inviting space overlooking Eastern State Penitentiary! I ordered my standard hot chai with oat milk. The first sip I took was nice and warm, the flavors were sweet, and cinnamon was robust throughout the drink. The spice levels besides cinnamon were very low, almost non-existent. I prefer my chai sweet but also spicy, so I was a bit disappointed!
BONUS: At-Home Pumpkin Foam to Top Your Chai Latte!
Grab your choice of milk, along with pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice seasoning, and sweetened condensed milk. Mix in a blender or froth to create an easy at-home pumpkin cold foam!
