The second I open my eyes in the morning I can only think of one thing: matcha. Honestly, I would consider myself a matcha connoisseur at this point. From the extravagant coconut milk and almond milk combination to the occasional splash of vanilla extract, I know how to make a good matcha latte. No matter what day of the week it is, my smile immediately widens when I see the green pigment from the matcha slowly seep into the white sweet cream in my cup. Matcha is gaining so much traction on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram for a reason. Frankly, it is the best. Have you ever in your life heard someone say, “Let’s go get a chai tea latte?” No, absolutely not. You may be thinking why you have never heard that phrase and it is because a chai tea latte doesn’t have any substance, it is just simply a chai tea latte. In comparison to this dull creation of a beverage, matcha is more than a drink. It is a bond. Imagine you are in a cafe and someone gets the same order as you. Boom. Instant connection. In less than five minutes you are already closer to a stranger than you were before. You see, matcha is not only an excellent drink but a gateway to connecting with other matcha lovers. My fellow matcha enthusiasts, for lack of a better word, it is time to roast chai tea lattes. 

As someone who absolutely cannot stand coffee, a delicious chai tea latte is my drink of choice. Whether it be iced in the morning or warm in the evening, chai lattes are grossly underrated. While coffee may be a more popular counterpart, chai offers so many great attributes. In my opinion, the spicy, sweet and cinnamon-y flavor of chai is second to none. Another benefit of drinking chai lattes is that they contain about one-fourth of the caffeine in a normal cup of coffee. The full glory of chai tea lattes is that they don’t have to be decaffeinated if you want to drink them at night, like some other, less adequate, drinks. The superiority complex of coffee, while not unearned, has run rampant. Coffee is simply a vehicle for milk, sugar, creamer or any other flavors. Very rarely, unless you are a black coffee enthusiast, can coffee stand on its own. However, as we turn to chai the flavor and experience speak for itself. Tell me, why do people drink coffee: either for the caffeine or to add other flavors inside of if? The coffee itself is drowned in a cup of creamer, milk or sugar. I say it’s time for chai tea lattes to shine and receive the recognition it deserves.