I can not drink coffee. Every time I do, 10 minutes into sipping, my hands start to shake and my brain feels fuzzy. I just cannot handle the caffeine. While the idea of coffee sounds great, my inability to function after drinking one is never worth the taste. So, instead of suffering through post-coffee jitters, I drink chai lattes. As a result, I have tried all the iced chai lattes, to my knowledge, available on campus. Here is my ranking in order, based on my preference, the cafe’s consistency, and general ambiance. For reference, I like my chai with the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.
- Dough Joe’s (not technically on campus, but deserves a spot on the list)
An iced chai that consistently satisfies my needs. It does earn brownie points for its adorable shop and amazing donuts.
- Campus Grounds
A decent chai latte. I would be happy with a bit more cinnamon flavor, but other than that, no complaints.
- Smith’s Cafe
Inconsistent. Some days, my iced chai is perfect, and others, the cinnamon overpowers the entire taste profile. If you like a good spicy chai, this is the place for you! The baristas do work very quickly, and you never have to wait for long, which I very much appreciate.
- Pete’s Coffee
A little too sweet for my liking, but still hits the spot. Extra points for the kindest baristas! If you need to get homework done, though, this shop has a quiet ambience that is just right.
So, there you have it! Next time you visit Wake Forest University, you know just where to go for a chai.