Saratoga Tea & Honey Company
348 Broadway • Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
518-871-1419 • saratogateaandhoney.com
Having attended culinary school in Italy and having worked in the kitchens of multiple Michelin-star restaurants from Venice to Sicily, Hayley Stevens not only has an affinity for fine foods, but also a talent for preparing them. During her time working grueling shifts at prestigious eateries, the chef learned to lean heavily on caffeine to keep her alert and awake. “I started drinking espresso, which gave me headaches and left me feeling bad,” Hayley states. “It was a colleague of mine who told me to check out a tea pop-up around the block. I tried matcha, and I felt really great when I was drinking it.” The improvement in her focus and mental clarity was significant, she says.
Hayley’s discovery of and newfound love for tea led her to fully immerse herself in learning about the extensive world of the beverage. This knowledge inspired creative pairings of unique gastronomic experiences with tea. After a move to Saratoga Springs, New York, to be closer to her parents, and serendipitously connecting with the owners of a local olive oil store who desired to open a honey shop, Hayley began to dream about the possibilities of joining forces to bring a multifaceted business venture to life. In 2015, that vision became a reality with Saratoga Tea & Honey Company.
Fine teas and raw honey, a seemingly perfect match, found a home in a quaint setting in the center of town near Skidmore College and the Saratoga Race Course. The delightful locale, which previously served as a pharmacy at the turn of the 20th century, is a warm and inviting space with exposed brick and large windows for great natural light. It comprises an eight-seat tea bar to taste all sorts of blends, a wall filled to the brim with silver canisters of loose-leaf tea, a plethora of teawares for every style of brewing, and a “honey room” that abounds with numerous bee-related products from lotions and candy to honey pots. A true “passion for teas and bees,” as is the company’s motto, is apparent in every inch of the store, including the delicious fragrance that wafts in the air—think a splendid combination of tea, pure honey, and herbs.
The energetic company is run by Hayley, who is affectionately called “The Queen Bee,” alongside multiple family members who double as coworkers, including her fiancé, aunt, mother, father, and sister. The team blends many teas in-house without any natural flavorings, with the rest of their inventory being supplied by single-origin estates in Asia and Africa. The beverage menu consists of classics, like English Breakfast (from Assam Banaspasty) and Fair-Trade Earl Grey (from the base of the Himalayas in Dooars, India); popular fruity tisanes and medicinal offerings, such as Crimson Berry and Flu Shot; and seasonal staples, like Istanbul Apple, a black tea for a taste of fall. When visiting the shop, tea lovers are encouraged to pull up a chair at the tea bar, sip, and stay awhile. Tea flights, for $9 (a regular flight) and $12 (a top-shelf flight), are available on weekdays to sample and savor three different teas. For a sweet addition to your brew or for a natural enhancer for food, consider trying one of their 20 delectable varieties of honey, sourced locally, around the US, and from Europe. Hayley recommends their Mango-Infused Honey (excellent in matcha), Ghost Pepper–Infused Honey (for a spicy kick in Lapsang Souchong), and Cinnamon-Infused Honey (delicious in chai and other black teas).
When asked why honey and tea pair so beautifully together, the answer is simple for the chef and owner. “Honey is the nectar of flowers,” Hayley explains. “You use flowers, the plant matter, in tea blending. I think it’s a natural enhancement. It adds to the texture of the tea and herbals. It makes it smoother, fuller, and more satisfying . . . and contributes to health aspects of the beverage.” Whether you are introduced to the company online, choose to call the business for expert advice on tea steeping, visit the store in-person for the first time for a tea or honey tasting, or have frequented the beloved neighborhood spot for years, the doors and phone lines are open for newcomers and patrons alike to experience the loveliness of teas and bees.
Saratoga Tea & Honey Company is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
