Flyby Tries: 4 Fall Drinks to Give a Chance This Season

It’s officially time to start bundling up in scarves and walking briskly to class. With midterms taking their toll, staying caffeinated and maintaining normal levels of body heat has never been more important. Here are a couple of places to waste your most recent paycheck in order to stay awake and optimistic as winter makes its quick approach.

Cardamom Latte at the Art Museum

I could write an ode to the powers of cardamom. From its floral scent to its earthy undertones, the spice’s deep flavors truly encapsulate the spicy warmth of early autumn. Sipping this surprisingly bodacious beverage in the Art Museums Atrium reaffirmed my love for the cafes carved into nooks of my alma mater. Mild enough to celebrate the rustic charm of the latte but strong enough to evoke smells of bakeries in the early morning, this latte may be the very best Harvard-sponsored beverage on campus.

Peppermint Tea at Bluestone

I only dare to enter Bluestone in my sharpest peacoat and chunkiest scarf, but if you are up to the challenge, the eclectic coffee shop serves caffeinated beverages of every variety for every taste. As a dairy-free darling, I have recently found myself drawn to the electric blue kettles and tea cups. You can easily spend two hours evading November chills on the cafe’s second floor as you refill your teacup with the freshly steeped, revitalizing tonic. Made from organic Egyptian peppermint picked at peak season, this aromatic cup of tea is sure to settle your nerves and warm your heart.

Turmeric and Honey Latte at Tatte. By Laasya N. Chiduruppa

Turmeric & Honey Latte at Tatte

I know that turmeric as a concept is a polarizing take, but the health benefits of consuming the plant have become institutionalized. Having grown up taking turmeric baths and mixing the pigmented powder into hot water at the behest of my Ayurvedic grandmother, I can speak firsthand to the antioxidant’s legendary ability to reduce inflammation, soften cramps, and heal joints. The obvious caveat of ingesting a turmeric anything is its taste: I can’t argue with the fact that the substance on its own can go down like a mouthful of quicksand. Tatte, however, has managed to master balancing the perfect amount of turmeric and honey with dairy, concocting the perfect drinkable dessert to keep the doctor away during flu season. From the yellow froth to the hint of honeyed sweet, this drink will keep you fiending for more.

Dirty Oat Chai at Faro Cafe. By Laasya N. Chiduruppa

Dirty Oat Chai at Faro Café

My life changed after I stepped in Faro for the first time. No cafe I have ever entered — and I make a habit out of entering many — has quite grasped the concept of elegant quirkiness in the same way. Taken away by the beauty, I feared that the beverages wouldn’t be able to maintain my awe — boy was I wrong. My dairy-free, caffeinated tea perfectly combined the rustic savory of cinnamon with the mild sweet of chai. Layered on top of nutty oat milk, the caffeine and the spice ascended me to latte heaven. The chai, while not nearly as layered as my family recipe, conveyed its New England Pinterest charm leagues above Starbucks or Peet’s.

There you have it, four drinks that’ll help you gaslight yourself into thinking cold weather is actually kind of slay as you seek caffeine and the leaves change color. Cute beverages solve a lot of problems in college, so let these fall beverages scare the midterm heebie-jeebies away.