The recent chill in the air has brought the promise of fall and winter to campus, reminding students to prepare for the upcoming months. The Walnut Street Tea Company provides the perfect cozy escape for anyone to enjoy.
In 2022, The Walnut Street Tea Company expanded from its downtown Champaign location to include a second location at Village Green in southwest Champaign. The new location features a café and drive-thru in addition to its signature tea supply store.
The serving menu available at the Village Green location boasts a variety of hot and iced teas as well as select daily blends of coffee. To accompany their famous beverages, they also offer a selection of baked goods sourced from RegCakes Gluten Free Bakery.
Right off the bat, the store’s atmosphere immediately relaxes and comforts customers. With limited seating of only six tables, the setting is intimate and inviting.
Faintly overheard in the background was instrumental music to add to the store’s ambiance. The music was very softly playing, which, in a large and loud setting, would be beneficial to stimulating conversation. However, in this quaint tea room, a louder volume would help provide extra warmth to the area.
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The peaceful atmosphere is an excellent place to enjoy the offered teas and baked goods.
The gluten-free banana muffin was a perfect morning treat. Although it was clear the muffin was gluten-free, in no way was it dry or lacking flavor. The spices perfectly balanced the banana flavor so it did not overpower the treat. The brown sugar topping was easily the best part of the muffin and provided an excellent flavor and texture contrast.
As a classic fall beverage, the hot chai is an obvious choice for the serving menu. When it’s ordered with oat milk, it provides a tasty, creamy drink for customers. However, without sugar added, the chai flavor itself was very muted and slightly watery.
On the other hand, the peach oolong ordered with 2% milk and sugar was bursting with a refreshing peach flavor. The added sugar and milk ensured the drink was perfectly sweet and creamy without taking too much away from the tea.
The Nutcracker Rooibos ordered with 2% milk and sugar was a beautifully rich and unique blend of caramel and vanilla flavors. Unlike most teas, this tea’s flavor was anything but subtle. Its boldness makes it a perfect sweet treat — the flavor profile lends itself well to the fall and winter seasons.
The most unique aspect of this tea room is all blends are available to purchase in either loose-leaf or bagged form to recreate their beverage at home. This makes the coziness of The Walnut Street Tea Company accessible to anyone at any time.
