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1990s-present - South Asian tea traditions and American coffee-shop chains adapting masala chai for cafe menus
Chai latte is an American coffee-shop adaptation of South Asian masala chai. Starbucks introduced a chai tea latte in 1999, and the sweet, milky, cinnamon-cardamom drink became a standard cafe order even as it differed from everyday chai made in South Asian homes and stalls.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
10 minutes
Cook time
10 minutes
Total time
20 minutes
Servings
2 drinks
Region
United States coffee shops and Indian American kitchens
Era introduced
1990s-present
Introduced by
South Asian tea traditions and American coffee-shop chains adapting masala chai for cafe menus
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The phrase chai tea is redundant because chai means tea in several languages, but the American menu term chai latte has stuck. The cafe version often uses a sweet concentrate and steamed milk; a more direct home version simmers black tea with ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, milk, and sugar. This entry treats the drink as an American cafe adaptation while clearly naming its South Asian roots.
Drafted with American chai latte context from Eater Chicago (https://chicago.eater.com/2023/11/10/23945800/masala-chai-america-diwali-south-asia-tea-evolution-vendor-cardoz-spiderverse-taylor-swift-starbucks), masala chai history from The Spruce Eats (https://www.thespruceeats.com/the-history-of-masala-chai-tea-765836), and Western cafe adaptation context from The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/feb/19/chai-latte-the-all-conquering-beverage-causing-a-storm-in-a-coffee-cup).
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