Hailey Lane

Hi! My name is Hailey and I'm from Carrollton, Texas. I'm going into my junior year this fall, continuing a major in Public Relations and a minor in Business. I wrote my article to share my journey to find the best chai tea in Italy and as a guide for others looking to do the same!

Chai O'Clock

One of my goals during my time in Italy was to find a good chai tea. Back in Dallas, I’ve been to coffee shops from McKinney to Arlington to find the best chai tea with the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor.

Chai tea originates from India, a type of black tea brewed with a variety of spices and then combined with milk. Good chai tea has the perfect ratio of tea to milk, isn’t too watery, has a gracious amount of cinnamon and leaves the drinker wanting more. After hearing about Italy’s lack of iced coffees and teas, as well as previous bad experiences with other OU in Arezzo students, I started to lose hope. When I walked into Coffee O’Clock, nestled on a corner of Corso Italia, I didn’t know what to expect.

Coffee O’Clock looks like any modern coffee shop, with small black tables and a long wooden coffee bar spanning into the back of the shop. Behind the counter was a surprisingly large menu with a variety of cappuccinos, hot coffees, teas, baked goods and my main target: chai tea.

I quickly learned that all of the naysayers have clearly never tried Coffee O'Clock's hot chai tea. It was the perfect balance of sugar, milk, cream and spices and definitely one of the best hot chai teas I've ever had.

Not only was the service time quick and easy, making it perfect for a midday pick-me-up or someone on the go but it was also served at the perfect temperature, preventing my tongue from burning.

I just knew that I would have no trouble finishing my 1,80 euro drink by the time I walked back to class. I left Coffee O'Clock with my tea in hand and intentions of returning the next day to see what else the little coffee shop has in store.