first course

Arnold's Tea Brings Specialty Beverages and Pastries to the North Side

By / Photography By | August 25, 2015
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arnolds tea

Have you visited Arnold’s Tea yet? Pittsburgh’s tea lovers are flocking to the North Side treasure, newly opened this spring, for the café’s specialty hot and cold tea beverages and pastries. “I enjoy tea and I wanted to bring something different to Pittsburgh,” says owner Verna Arnold, who cites Chicago’s Argo Tea as a source of inspiration for her business concept. Sip classic cups with a twist, like a chai tea latte with masala, rooibos vanilla, chocolate, and matcha, or one of Arnold’s signature drinks crafted with uniquely blended premium whole leaf teas, fresh herbs, and spices. The creative concoctions, like the “Lavenade,” or “Orange Julep,” boast intriguing and delicious flavor profiles that complement the café’s fresh food pairings, such as the arugula salad with gorgonzola cheese, pear, walnuts, and a champagne vinaigrette, or the peanut butter and bacon sandwich.

Much like the tea served, the café’s airy aesthetic is calming and relaxing with bright light shining through the windowed storefront, natural wood elements, and exposed brick. It’s certainly a place to linger, and so, unsurprisingly, it’s become a popular place to rent for board meetings, showers, and community events. Recently, the café began hosting “High Tea” every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, and upon request. The increasingly in-demand event offers five levels of options — whether you seek scones, petite sweets, or sandwiches to complement your tea — and reservations must be made in advance online. As a teacher of 30 years, Arnold also incorporates an educational element into the family-run business. She offers tea classes where she speaks on the medicinal benefits and types of tea, as well as how to properly steep different varietals. Arnold says, “It’s rewarding to hear people say that there’s no place like this in Pittsburgh.”


Arnold’s Tea, 503 East Ohio St., North Side. 412.322.2494.