Woo!Food | Argo Tea in Chicago's Loop (Dearborn & Madison)

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JUN
15
2012

Pleasant Discovery No. 2: Argo Tea

What a pose(r).

Last Sunday, H, L, and I were in downtown Chicago to spend the day worshiping God (at least I was) and to see the sights. After our lunch at O'Callaghan's, the three of us went to a comic book store, then we strolled over to Millenium Park to see the Cloud Gate. On our way to these destinations, L noticed a tea retailer that piqued his interest: Argo Tea. It was a hot day and we were worn out, so a stop at a tea cafe was in order. As at O'Callaghan's, I didn't expect much from Argo Tea, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found there.

Argo Tea was founded in Chicago in 2003. It has since expanded to NYC, Boston, and St. Louis. (Sorry, no dice for you Angelenos.) According to its Wikipedia article, Argo Tea "set out to be the Starbucks of tea." From what I saw, it definitely had that kind of setup and vibe as well. Same same, but different.

This display at the rear of the cafe makes me want to buy some tea. Come to think of it, next time, I will buy some tea. (I'll let you know - either here as an update or on my FB - what I get and how that purchase turns out.)

What I drank:

Tea Sparkle, 16 oz, Armenian Mint & Peach (4.50 USD): Mixed with soda water. In two words, this drink was "deliciously refreshing." The mint and peach flavors worked together well and the fizz of the soda water heightened the inherently refreshing qualities of the drink.

* There's this really nice digitized menu board at the cafe on which the items update seamlessly. I could just sit and stare at it for some time.

Parking: H, L, and I took the train into downtown; therefore, I can't give you a good idea of the parking situation. Nevertheless, from what I observed, there are plenty of parking restrictions and limited options on the street. It's probably best to park your vehicle in a pay ramp nearby. Or you can do what we did: take the train!

The Bill: 4.50 USD.

My Rating: one and a half stars

out of four stars (good to very good). Open Monday to Friday, 6 AM to 8 PM, and 9 AM to 7 PM on weekends. Credit cards accepted. www.argotea.com

Last Word: This guy, L, has an uncanny knack for walking into the right restaurants and cafes. And I thought I was a pro.

Update

So I went back to Argo Tea several weeks ago (in mid-June). I bought a container of Darjeeling Champagne - a black tea. Wow, it has turned out to be a real winner! I brew a canteen-full of it every chance I get.

After a day in Chicago with my buddy D, I found out that the Darjeeling Champagne has antioxidant properties - a wonderful surprise. I carried my canteen of tea in my backpack all day and it was hot out. Consequently, when I looked at the canteen at the end of the day, the liquid was a near brown color! I was shocked but D told me that the tea had just oxidized, which meant that the tea was good for me. Imagine that!

I also purchased a Mojitea (photo above): Cool mint & fresh lime juice. The ideal refreshment on a hot day, I tell you.

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