Hastings Tea and Coffee, White Plains
As befitting its name, Hastings Tea and Coffee is popular for its many tea and coffee offerings.
While the business will continue to provide tea and coffee, a new feature is being added this month – wine and beer served in a laidback setting.
Hastings Tea and Coffee co-owner Joan Jia, who resides in Hastings, explained the name of her business last week “The whole idea and concept started from Hastings,” Jia said. “I love the Village of Hastings. We named the store after Hastings.”
The business, which opened in 2013, is located in White Plains because “it’s definitely a much more vibrant city compared to Hastings,” Jia said. The Main Street location is the “perfect site,” close to many residential areas, a block from City Hall and across from the City Center, she said, adding that Mayor Tom Roach is a regular customer.
Jia, who is a tea drinker herself, said the concept of her business is a teahouse. “That’s my passion,” she said. There are few teahouses in Westchester and the idea was for a teahouse where the public has the option to take their tea to go, she said. Jia said she sought to bring the tea culture to the county.
A wide variety of teas are available including black, green, Oolong and herbal. “Everything is organic and natural,” Jia said, adding only loose-leaf teas are offered. “We insure the quality of the tea,” she said. Jia said she has chosen teas from 30 vendors.
The business also offers a full coffee menu. “I think it’s fantastic,” Jia said. “It’s a little bit different than Starbuck’s coffee.” The coffee is roasted locally and less bitter than Starbuck’s, she said. Light, medium and dark roast, decaf and the very popular cold blew coffees are available, she said.
Food choices at Hasting Tea include sandwiches, wraps and a variety of baked goods including scones, croissants (the top seller), apple turnovers and monkey bread prepared at a variety of prestigious New York City bakeries, Jia said. Most food, which includes some vegan and gluten free bakery options, is delivered from New York City to her business at 5 a.m. every day, Jia noted.
The new feature that began on Feb. 1 is the serving of wines and beers. Jia said there are extended hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with the normal closing time moved from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Jia said her shop will have a “cozy wine bar feeling” on the extended nights with the lights turned down and the encouragement of quiet chats in contrast to a typical bar atmosphere.
The wines include five reds, four whites, one sake, one sparkling wine and tea infused wines that her business has created, Jia said. Hastings Tea is working with craft beer makers to come up with tea infused beer, she said. Jia said she was introduced to tea wine and tea beer at a trade show in New York City several years ago.
There are benefits to tea infused wines and beers, Jia said. They have unique flavors, smells and colors, she said. “To me it’s really very attractive. You actually get the benefits of the tea,” she said. “Every tea has a lot of health benefits.”
Hastings Tea and Coffee is located at 235 Main St. in White Plains. For more information call 914-428-1000 or visit hastingstea.com.
