Is Chai Vegan? Oat Milk Masala Chai in Boston

By Rajiv Roy · October 6, 2026

Masala chai starts out vegan. Black tea, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper simmer together on the stove, all plants. What decides whether your cup is vegan is what goes in next: the milk, and sometimes the sweetener.

What makes chai not vegan

Dairy milk. Traditional chai is made with whole milk, and most cafés default to it.
Concentrates and syrups. Many café “chai lattes” are made from a sweetened concentrate. Some contain honey or milk powder, so it’s worth asking.
Toppings. Whipped cream and dairy foam turn a dairy-free drink back into a dairy one.

The spices and the tea are never the problem.

Vegan chai at The Real Chai

Here’s what’s dairy-free on our menu:

Drink	Vegan?
Bottled iced masala chai	Always. Oat milk, organic Assam tea, spices, a hint of jaggery, no preservatives. Ready to drink.
Dirty iced chai	Always. It’s the bottled oat milk chai with a shot of espresso.
Freshly brewed hot chai	Ask for oat milk. We make it with whole milk or oat milk at most locations.
Take-home chai blends	The blends are only tea and spices. You choose the milk at home.

In April 2026 we poured freshly brewed vegan chai and shared our blends at New England VegFest in Worcester.

Where to find vegan chai in Boston

Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover Street: our stall is open Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm, with bottled oat milk chai in the fridge and hot chai made to order.
Nubian Markets, 2565 Washington Street, Roxbury: pick up our bottled iced chai any day of the week.
Farmers markets and festivals around Boston: see the dates on Find Us.

How to make vegan masala chai at home

Use our stovetop method with two changes:

Simmer the tea and spices in water first, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the pot turns deep amber.
Add oat milk last and heat it gently. Bring it just to a simmer rather than a hard boil, then strain. Plant milks can separate if they boil hard.

Sweeten with jaggery or sugar to taste. One pack of our masala chai blend brews about 20 cups.

Frequently asked questions

Is masala chai vegan?

The tea and spices are. Masala chai is black tea simmered with spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper, all plant-based. Whether a cup is vegan depends on the milk and sweetener: traditional chai uses dairy milk, so ask for oat milk or another plant milk.

Where can I get vegan chai in Boston?

The Real Chai’s bottled iced masala chai is always vegan, made with oat milk and no preservatives. Find it at our Boston Public Market stall (100 Hanover Street, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm), at Nubian Markets in Roxbury, and at our farmers market and festival stands. Hot chai can be made with oat milk at most of our locations: just ask.

Is The Real Chai's bottled chai vegan?

Yes. Our bottled iced masala chai is made with organic Assam black tea, spices, oat milk and a hint of jaggery. It has no dairy and no preservatives, and it’s ready to drink.

Is dirty chai vegan?

Ours is. Our dirty iced chai is the bottled oat milk chai with a shot of espresso, so it’s dairy-free. At other cafés, check which milk they use.

Is jaggery vegan?

Yes. Jaggery is unrefined sugar made by boiling down sugarcane juice. It’s plant-based and traditional in Indian chai.

What's the best plant milk for chai?

Oat milk is the easiest: it’s creamy, a little sweet and holds up to heat and strong tea. Soy is rich but can separate if boiled hard, and almond milk is lighter and thinner. Whichever you use, add it after the tea and spices have simmered and heat it gently.

Does vegan chai have caffeine?

Yes. The caffeine comes from the black tea, not the milk, so oat milk chai has the same caffeine as dairy chai.