The Price of a cup of tea in JA?! (cause for concern)

One thing that remains still very British about me, despite being an ex-patriot presently, is the fact that I cant live without a good cup of Tea! There is something so relaxing and calming about the simple pleasures of a well brewed cup of Tea or even "Chai" preferably, well spiced with vanilla soya milk or almond/cashew milk when available!

I enjoy it also especially when the Tea is traditional black, strong brewed and milky with full cream, evaporated or condensed milk for an extra treat!

Along my journey over the last decade or more, I have lived in Jamaica mostly, and it often surprises me, in a country such as this, which is not a first world country. How expensive it can be for the simplest of things sometimes. In proportion to the rates of pay, cost of living and the cost price, somethings really do take the T! LOL (bad joke!) Bearing in mind that it is only a tea bag, come hot water and a little milk, in many cases or places I should say, it really shouldn't cost so much for a simple cup of tea!

I was in Montego Bay on the hip strip and found that it was almost impossible to get a good cup of tea there. Margaritaville only served Lipton Tea - with no milk, I believe I was only offered creamer and the price was ridiculous! With a similar experience at BIGS Barbeque nearby, I realized that Americans are all about Coffee and don't really cater to those who appreciate a good cup of tea!

Thanks to God almighty, for the Pelican, which serves up a great pot of tea, with Betty milk for the discerning tea lover such as myself. Still when I ventured out a little further I discovered a real treat, right in the heart of Falmouth!

Perhaps Falmouth, has preserved some of the traditions handed down by the colonial rulers. This pot of perfectly brewed tea is sold for only $120 at a small cafe right in the middle of the town, by the Montego Bay taxi stand. Club Nazz and Restaurant, is the name and you would never guess from this that it would be the best value and quality place in Jamaica for a pot of tea. The tea here is really good value for money, refreshing and enjoyable and served in traditional style with a cup and saucer. In fact for a tea addict like me, it left me well warmed up and wanting more.

In Ocho Rios there are a few places that cater to tourists, but none that I can instantly recall that really stand out as a worthwhile stop for a tea lover. However Madelaine, of Tower cloisters and Glenn's Restaurant in Tower Isle, has been catering to British expats and Tourists for a long as I can remember. Here you can find many English specialities, including a pretty good rendition of the classic Fish n Chips and other house specialties along with Jamaican dishes. This place is also another favourite pit stop, for a good ole English cup of tea!  And also very good value for money and the service comes with a smile and real, genuine hospitality

Ordinarily the best value cup of tea would be a toss up between Juicy Beef ($90 with milk) Tastee ($70 no milk!) and Captains Bakery ($80 with creamer only) and Mothers ($100 for tea with milk)

In Kingston of course the capital city, there are many more places to chose from for a really good cuppa. The Courtleigh hotel serves up a great pot of tea for only $200 also. However I have to say the best quality and value for money would probably be, Cafe Blue where you can get a good sized mug of freshly brewed, quality tea for just JA$200 with FREE wifi and a great rustic, wooden contemporary cafe design and ample spaces to plug in your laptop/tablet or phone and work this is my top choice for a cuppa tea!

So the average price for a good pot of tea would work out to between $120-200, if  you are discerning like me and don't include the exorbitant prices of those catering mainly to tourists, in the calculations. Whilst an 8oz regular cup of tea averages at about $80. Still with all of these cups of tea, and especially the pastries I love so much to accompany it with. I will also be needing to find a good dentist to help me fix my teeth!

If you are wondering what is my cause for concern, check out the cost of a mug of tea, on average in an English, workers class, cafe. The cost of a cup of Chai tea at Pret a Manger last time I was there was 1.50 and, that is comparable to the price of a cup here at Cafe Blue. If you research prices and compare, you will see that it really is expensive for some very little things in Jamaica, compared to the average salary. We pay about the same amount for many simple pleasures, so please dont be fooled into thinking as many people do, that the cost of living in paradise in the Caribbean is cheap!