My favorite beverages come from all over the world.
Being a traveler, I have discovered some truly wonderful and amazing beverages from abroad. I’ve discovered them in various places like local grocers, tea rooms and street side cafes in Italy…
And then I get home. And I absolutely miss these beverages. It seems that when I travel, more of my favorite things come from everywhere… else.
Fortunately, I recently realized that most of my favorite beverages weren’t exclusive to their place of origin. In fact, many of them could be found on Amazon!
Without further ado, here is a List of My Favorite Beverages from Abroad that can found on Amazon.
TEA
Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Gold Tea
Tea is my hug-in-a-cup. (Now before you get all coffee-is-life on me, I used to be a twice-a-day-plus-shots-of-espresso kind of gal!)
But my last trip to London converted me into a tea-in-the-morning gal. There is something about tea that doesn’t leave me feeling sluggish. I have such great sustained energy without the crash or the foggy feeling. And this tea is my cup of tea. I discovered this beverage, Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Gold Tea at our cozy AirBnb in London. It’s a full-flavored black tea that is so perfect in the morning. You get that focused and sustained energy.
On our night of arrival in London, we decided to put a pot of tea on…not the smartest idea. But we loved it. And the tea was the perfect start to our morning in London. Every cup feels like a new beginning.
Fortnum and Mason’s Royal Blend Tea
As a keen black tea drinker, this is one of my absolute favorite beverages. In London, we were able to have Afternoon Tea at Fortnum and Mason’s Diamond Jubilee Tea Room, which I talked about in my Fortnum and Mason Review. I chose Royal Blend for my tea which was my first time trying it! Full flavor, the Royal Blend is strong and delicious.
F&M called the Royal Blend the “Queen of All Teas.” (Anyone else get GOT vibes?) The Royal Blend tea was crafted in 1902 for King Edward VII and Fortnum and Mason’s blends span a century back. You can find the Royal Blend’s history on their website. My favorite feature of F&M teas are the history behind it! One blend called Wedding Breakfast is a blend crafted for Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding. That is another one of my favorites and it blends the couple’s preferences to create a tea for special occasions.
Fortnum and Mason’s Afternoon Tea Blend
Okay, I have a thing for afternoon tea… and the afternoon tea blend is absolutely delicious. It is light and refreshing and so perfect for breakfast. The blend of teas uses Ceylon and Assam tea leaves. The tea blend is full of flavor, full-bodied, but light. It pairs perfectly with scones and tea sandwiches. (Um yes, and thank you!)
Whittard’s Afternoon Tea
Like many tea shops, Whittard has their own blend of “afternoon tea” tea! Whittard tea, like their hot chocolates, are fantastic! They are well-blended and full of flavor.
If you are looking for some more Whittard favorites, you must try their Covent Garden blend! Now, I’m not a fruit tea or floral tea person AT ALL, but this is a delightful black tea blend with Ceylon tea and hints of fruits such as peach and apricot. It has hints of floral flavors but nothing overbearing. Almost like a mix between a floral earl grey and a traditional black tea. Seriously so comforting and scrumptious. This tea can be found on the Whittard website.
HOT CHOCOLATE
Cadbury Drinking Chocolate
Cadbury Drinking Chocolate is Cadbury’s version of Nestle Hot Chocolate, or Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa. And it’s absolutely delicious. If you’re looking to try some hot chocolate from England, give this a go. I was on a hot chocolate KICK in London. It might’ve been the cold Winter weather but hot chocolate is one of my favorite additions to a Friday night.
Galaxy Hot Chocolate
Another popular English brand of chocolate other than Cadbury is none other than Galaxy! Galaxy has its own version of hot chocolate.
Whittard of Chelsea Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate
We were able to sample several hot chocolate varieties at the Whittard of Chelsea in Covent Garden in London.
The Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate is super, super delicious. You can mix the powder with warm milk. So so scrumptious. I couldn’t decide between hot chocolate varieties and left Covent Garden with several!
Another from Whittard and my personal favorite Whittard beverage is the Sticky Toffee Pudding hot chocolate mix, which is absolutely phenomenal for Halloween or any occasion really. The hot chocolate tastes like white chocolate with layers of caramel and according to the website, it has spiced dates which provides these bits and pieces of flavor! You can find this one on their website.
Whittard’s Luxury White Hot Chocolate
While Sticky Toffee Pudding is my favorite, they don’t have it on Amazon. However, the base of Sticky Toffee Pudding is white chocolate, and Whittard’s White Hot Chocolate (fortunately for us!) is on Amazon. Their white hot chocolate blend is absolutely scrumptious!
COFFEE
Kimbo Antica Tradizione
Naples is all about their Kimbo…and so am I. When I stayed in Italy for the summer a few years back, I absolutely had my shot of espresso every. single. day. I even bought several cans that I had to take back with me.
Note: You need a coffee grinder, and if that’s not your cup of coffee, you can try their other variations!
Illy Coffee
I either saw Illy Coffee or Kimbo all over Napoli or Roma. Illy coffee and Kimbo coffee are perfect for espresso. When in Italy, I love ordering un macchiato o un cappuccino with these brands. On Amazon they actually have K-Cup Pods for Illy! I cannot vouch for the K-Cups because I’ve not yet tried them (though being Illy, they can’t be bad!) But I’m vouching for their Classico, which is perfect for the Moka Express which I will feature below!
LavAzza Classico Coffee
LaVazza is a coffee brand I saw all over the airport and several times in NYC. Strong and full-bodied, Italian coffee is the most perfect pick-me-up. The link is for their single-serve K-Cups but they do have the usual ground coffee!
Bialetti Moka Express Coffee Maker
Bialetti Moka Express Machines are a staple in Italian households. Similar to coffee pots or Keurig machines that we have at home, Bialetti is found in most homes and are passed down between generations!
They do require filter changes every 6 months or so but they make such great coffee and these machines last forever. The liquid they produce is small, so think of it like a shot of espresso. SO strong but not as strong as pure espresso.
I bought a pink Bialetti in Napoli!
If you’re looking for some authentic coffee, try the Moka Express which is used on the stove like a kettle. You put the grounds in one compartment, add water to the bottom compartment, which steams upwards, producing a small pot of strong coffee. You add a bit of creamer/cream and sugar and voila. It does take maybe 15 minutes or so to make, but the wait is worth it.
I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions! Have you tried any of these? Do you have any favorites of your own? Whether you decide to try one of these or another, I’d love to hear about it! Being an everyday traveler means living the traveler lifestyle…incorporating new ideas and adventures (or food adventures) into your everyday. For more, click here.
