Chai latte making an impact on Melbourne’s coffee culture

MELBOURNE is best known for its coffee culture, but for those who don’t drink the stuff chai popularity is rising.

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MELBOURNE is well known for its coffee culture.

Whether it’s a latte, cappuccino or piccolo — most places you go will serve up a delicious serving of the good stuff.

It all started in the 1880s, when we sipped coffee in coffee palaces — which were the pubs of their day — as the city turned its back on the harmful effects of booze.

Melbourne’s bustling coffee culture boomed in the 1970s, helped by post-war Italian migrants coming to town, bringing the almighty espresso with them.

Melbourne's coffee and laneway cultures collide on Degraves St.

Dominoes Espresso Coffee in Melbourne, 1956.

And now you can get so many different types of the coffee, cold pressed, rainbow and single origin roasted.

But what about those of us who don’t dabble in the dark brown stuff?

Cafe’s across Melbourne are coming up with inventive ways to make sure their coffee-free customers enjoy their experience too.

Chai lattes are becoming more and more popular — the spiced milk tea a growing favourite.

Originating in India, almost 10,000 years ago, is believed to have been first created as a healing beverage.

Now it comes as chai tea or chai latte and in many different forms.

And Melbourne’s chai latte drinkers are now moving towards the fancier “wet chai latte” or deconstructed chai.

Deconstructed chai lattes are growing in popularity in Melbourne's cafes — just like this one served up at The Joinery Elwood. Picture: Facebook

It’s served on a wooden cheese board with an empty mug, hot milk and dried spices and honey.

The customer then pours the warm milk over the dried spices (which are helpfully held together in a tiny strainer) and adds honey to their liking.

Those spices often include a mixture of black tea, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorns and sugar.

The spiced milk drink is so popular, it’s even made its way into a tour of Melbourne’s hidden food and coffee scene.

The warm milk spiced tea is growing in popularity in Melbourne.

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