Best Starbucks Tea Drinks and How to Order Them

Starbucks is known for coffee, but its tea menu (built partly on the Tazo brand it acquired in 1999) is worth a look too. Here are the standout drinks, how to customize them, and how to make a few of the classics at home. If you'd rather stock up for home, our best tea brands guide compares grocery-store and loose-leaf options.

Tea Blends Worth Trying

• Earl Grey: a black tea infused with bergamot, giving it a citrusy edge. Good with a splash of milk or a slice of lemon.
• Green tea: light and grassy on its own, or sweetened lightly with honey.
• Chai: a spiced black tea blend, typically brewed with milk and sweetened.
• Passion Tango Herbal Tea: a caffeine-free blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, and apple, with a tangy, tropical flavor.

Popular Starbucks Tea Drinks

• London Fog Latte: Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, and vanilla syrup. Cozy and creamy.
• Matcha Green Tea Latte: finely ground green tea powder whisked with steamed milk.
• Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade: green tea, peach syrup, and lemonade over ice.
• Chai Tea Latte: spiced black tea with steamed milk, hot or iced.

Caffeine in Starbucks Tea Drinks

Caffeine varies a lot by base tea and cup size. These are rough figures for a grande (16 oz):

Ask your barista for the exact number on a specific size, since it scales with cup size and how many tea bags go in.

How to Customize Your Order

Starbucks tea drinks are easy to adjust:

• Sweetness: ask for extra or less syrup, or request a sugar-free syrup.
• Milk: swap in a dairy-free option like oat, almond, or coconut milk for a different texture.
• Strength: ask for extra tea bags for a stronger brew, or request it "kids' temperature" if you want it less hot.
• Less sweet London Fog: ask for half the vanilla syrup. The Earl Grey still comes through, it's just not dessert-level sweet.
• Iced version of a hot-only drink: most tea lattes can be made iced on request, just ask for it shaken or over ice.
• Plain option: if you'd rather skip customizations, hot water and a tea bag is always available.

Lower-Sugar Options

If you're watching sugar intake, unsweetened iced teas, herbal teas like Mint Majesty or Peach Tranquility, and green tea lattes made with a lower-sugar syrup and non-fat milk are reasonable choices.

How to Make Popular Starbucks Tea Drinks at Home

London Fog Latte: Steep an Earl Grey tea bag in hot water for 3–5 minutes. Warm milk with a splash of vanilla extract, froth it, then combine with the tea and sweeten to taste.

Matcha Green Tea Latte: Whisk 1 teaspoon of matcha powder with a small amount of hot water into a smooth paste. Warm and froth milk, then combine with the matcha paste and stir well.

Iced Peach Green Tea Lemonade: Steep green tea bags, let cool, then combine equal parts green tea and lemonade over ice. Add peach syrup to taste.

FAQ

Are Starbucks tea drinks caffeinated?

Most are, since they're built on black or green tea bases. Herbal blends like Passion Tango or Mint Majesty are caffeine-free.

Are Starbucks tea drinks vegan?

Some are; others contain milk or honey. Ask your barista for a dairy-free milk swap, and check whether a specific syrup contains honey.

What's the healthiest tea drink at Starbucks?

Unsweetened iced tea or a plain herbal tea have the least added sugar. A green tea latte made with non-fat milk and less syrup is a lighter option if you want something creamier.

Can I order Starbucks tea drinks through the app?

Yes, and you can apply the same customizations (milk, sweetness, extra tea bags) through the app as you would in person.

The Bottom Line

Starbucks' tea menu covers a lot of ground, from straightforward Earl Grey to fully customized lattes, and most drinks can be adjusted for sweetness, milk, and strength. If you like a specific drink, a few of the classics, like the London Fog, are simple enough to recreate at home.

For more on the teas themselves, see our guides to jasmine green tea benefits, milk tea, and what is matcha.