The coffee culture has seemed to take America by storm. Most college students seem to survive midterms and finals by running on coffee. However, there’s a similar yet smaller tea culture that is also present in Shepherdstown.
The two tea houses on German Street are the Lost Dog and Shaharazade’s. These are both places students go to get out of the chilly, fall weather to enjoy seasonal teas such as pumpkin spice, cinnamon plum and other chai spice teas.
At the Lost Dog, there are two impressive walls of different kinds of tea. The laid back atmosphere of this tea shop is a place where both students and residents go to enjoy steaming cups of tea during the colder months.
Baristas mix together unique tea blends based on the flavors you tell them at the Lost Dog. Lost Dog also has a wide selection of herbal teas for whatever is ailing you. They have Stomach Ease to help with digestion, powerful herbal blends to boost your immune system and to get you back up to speed during cold and flu season and many others.
“If customers come in and say they need a pick-me-up, the girls behind the counter will ask them a few questions and fix them something to fit their symptoms to get them through the day,” Garth Emery, the man who established the Lost Dog 18 years ago, said.
Emery says that the tea culture in Shepherdstown is pretty well-rooted. For every 60 cups of coffee he serves, he makes about 40 cups of tea. “It’s pretty neck-and-neck,” he said.
As expected, seasonal flavors are also very popular right now. There’s a seasonal flavor for everyone: cinnamon plum, gingerbread, pumpkin spice and lots of maple flavors. Despite the seasonal favorites, Garth says that the most popular tea is Pu-Erh, a Chinese tea that comes in both green and black varieties.
A local resident named Doug said that, although he himself is an avid coffee drinker, the tea served there can have many benefits. “I mostly drink the herbal remedy tea they have,” he said.
Lost Dog isn’t the only tea house, however.
At Shaharazade’s tea room, you walk in the door to find a cozy, red space. Lisa Olney, the owner of Shaharazade’s, says that they have over 70 teas for customers to choose from as well as 17 in reserve. One of their most popular teas is a green jasmine dragon tears blend. Their most popular black tea is monk’s blend.
Samantha Lewis, the chef at Shaharazade’s, said that they definitely sell more tea than coffee. However, most of the restaurant’s customers are residents and not students.
Despite the success these tea shops have experienced, not many students seem to drink tea.
Charlie Donelan, a sophomore political science major says that although he doesn’t drink tea often, he recalls having a Yerba Mate at the Lost Dog once. “It was pretty good,” he said.
There really isn’t a clear answer on where the best tea in Shepherdstown can be found, but students have many options.
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