Which Came First: Coffee or Tea? The history of tea and coffee
Articles

Which Came First: Coffee or Tea? The history of tea and coffee

by Lovlesh Saini on May 29, 2025

Which came first: Coffee or Tea? The history of tea and coffee

There’s a saying in India: “Chaay piye? ya Cafe mein baithna hain?”, essentially, “Shall we have tea or grab a coffee at the cafe?” It’s a friendly daily duel and a question as old as the drinks themselves. India starts its mornings in many ways, some begin with filter coffee in hand, others with a cardamom-spiced masala chai, and that friendly rivalry follows us to breakfast tables and office breaks. To settle it, we’ll pour over the history of both beverages: tracing tea’s millennia-old roots in China and coffee’s journey from African highlands, plus their cultural roles in India and beyond. We’ll stir in science facts and anecdotes (did you know tea once sparked a revolution?) in a warm, conversational tone. Get your favorite mug ready, this story is best enjoyed one sip at a time. 

Tea’s Ancient Roots

Long before coffee shops or even formal tea ceremonies, the tea story was already thousands of years old in the misty mountains of China. Legend credits Emperor Shennong (circa 2737 BCE) with accidentally brewing the first tea: leaves from a wild Camellia sinensis plant floated into his boiling water. While this myth is charming, modern archaeology confirms a very old tea tradition: scientists have found tea residue in a Han Dynasty tomb (around 100 BCE) in China, proving tea was brewed millennia ago. (Indeed, Camellia sinensis is native to the China-Myanmar region, where people likely used it medicinally long before it became a daily drink.)

Over centuries, tea leapt from folk remedy to cultural ritual. By the Tang dynasty (7th-10th century AD), tea was ubiquitous in China. The scholar Lu Yu even wrote the Cha Jing in the 8th century, detailing how to grow, process, and savor tea leaves. He notes that Tang-era tea was often pressed into cakes or bricks, so loved that these brick-teas became a form of currency in far-flung provinces. By the Song dynasty (10th-13th century), loose-leaf, powdered (matcha-style), and oolong teas had emerged, laying the foundation for the green, black, and white teas we drink today. 

Tea’s influence soon spilled beyond China. Buddhist monks carried tea seeds to Japan in the 12th century (founding Japan’s tea ceremony) and to Korea (beginning Korean tea culture). Tibetans and Mongolians developed hearty yak-butter teas suited for cold climates. By the 1500s, Portuguese traders in Asia had encountered tea and sent samples back to Europe, and by the 1600s, tea was the rage in Britain (Queen Catherine of Braganza famously popularized it). Still, these were latecomers; Asia’s tea heritage was already ancient by then. (Europeans even introduced tea planting in India and Ceylon to break China’s monopoly, but by then, tea had centuries to take root elsewhere.)

Coffee’s Journey from Ethiopia

Coffee’s story is much younger, but just as fascinating. Legend says a 9th-century Ethiopian goat-herder named Kaldi noticed his goats leaping energetically after eating red berries from a certain bush. Curious, Kaldi tried the berries and felt invigorated, prompting nearby monks to roast and brew them into an early form of coffee. While Kaldi’s “dancing goats” tale (first recorded centuries later) is probably folklore, it rightly points to Ethiopia as coffee’s birthplace.

Historical records place coffee in Yemen by the 15th century. Sufi monks in the port of Mocha were drinking coffee to stay awake during long prayers. From Yemen, coffee swept the Islamic world, sparking Ottoman bans (coffee was even called “a satanic brew” by some), though those never lasted. By the 1600s, coffee reached Europe: Venetian traders were sipping it by 1615, and within decades, coffeehouses flourished in London, Paris, Vienna, and beyond. London’s first (in 1652) and many others became hubs of conversation and culture, earning nicknames like “Penny Universities” for the lively debates held over a single penny’s worth of coffee. 

Explorers then carried coffee to the colonies. In 1720, French naval officer Gabriel de Clieu famously smuggled coffee seedlings to Martinique. Those plants multiplied wildly. By 1788, Haiti (then Saint-Domingue) was supplying half the world’s coffee. Meanwhile, India’s coffee tale began in the 1600s too: legend has it the Sufi saint Baba Budan smuggled seven beans from Yemen and grew them in Karnataka, birthing the Southern coffee estates. 

Coffee’s timeline is short compared to tea’s. Ethiopians were drinking it by the 800s AD, Yemenis by the 1400s, and global trade by the 1600s. (By comparison, Chinese records show tea drinking around 200 BCE.) Still, the impact of coffee has been vast, shaping culture and economy from the Ottoman Empire to modern India.

Tea Culture in India

In India, tea (chai) is woven into life’s fabric. Under British rule, sprawling plantations were planted in Assam, Darjeeling, and the Nilgiris, making India the world’s second-largest tea producer. Assam even declared tea its state drink, and today, Indians consume roughly 30% of the world’s tea. Chai usually means strong black tea boiled with milk, sugar, and warming spices (ginger, cardamom, cloves). Street vendors pour “cutting chai” - sweet, milky half-glasses - for busy commuters, while families in home kitchens simmer Tulsi and ginger with tea for healthful masala chai. This reflects India’s Ayurvedic heritage: locals have long infused herbs (Tulsi, cardamom, turmeric, pepper) in their teas for wellness. 

India’s tea landscape is both humble and grand. In Darjeeling’s Chowrasta market, a shop’s sign might advertise Darjeeling black tea, green tea, oolong, and herbal infusions all together (as shown above). Freshleaf celebrates this range too, from Kashmiri Kahwa (saffron-mint green tea) to soothing Mint blends. Back in every neighborhood, chai tapris (street stands) brew countless cups of tea, making chai a social glue. Tea’s importance even became national discourse: an Indian official once suggested making tea the national drink, highlighting its central role. 

Beyond masala chai, India enjoys classic teas. Robust Assam teas fuel hearty breakfasts, delicate Nilgiri teas steep into a smooth liquor, and prized Darjeeling teas (the “Champagne of teas”) are celebrated worldwide for their floral aroma. British imports like Earl Grey (bergamot-scented) and English Breakfast (strong, malty) have legions of fans, a colonial legacy. In Kashmir and the north, Kashmiri Kahwa (green tea with saffron, cinnamon, and nuts) is a festive winter staple. From a roadside cup to a loyal samovar, India has truly made tea its own. 

South India’s Coffee Tradition

South India tells the parallel story of coffee. Legend has it that Baba Budan’s smuggled beans became the seed of the plantations in Coorg (Kodagu) and Chikmagalur. Today, Karnataka grows about 70% of India’s coffee, and Chikmagalur still touts itself as “the birthplace of Indian coffee”.

Here, filter coffee (kaapi) is the daily ritual. Dark-roasted Arabica beans (often blended with chicory) are ground and poured into a metal filter. Hot water drips slowly through, creating a strong decoction. Boiling milk is whipped in, yielding a beverage that South Indians famously describe as “hot, strong, sweet, and topped with froth”. Many families pour their coffee back and forth between two steel tumblers to aerate it (the sound of clinking cups signals the morning has begun).

Cafés old and new celebrate this culture. The Indian Coffee House chain (started in the 1950s) still serves filter kaapi on worn tables, preserving retro charm. At the same time, Bengaluru and Chennai boast hip coffee bars brewing espressos and cold brews. In short, the South revels in both tradition and innovation. A Mysore retiree might savor a kaapi in the backyard, while her niece scrolls Instagram over a latte, both enjoying coffee in their own way. 

Brewing and Caffeine: The Science of Tea and Coffee

Let’s peek at the chemistry. An 8-ounce cup of black tea typically has about 40-50 mg of caffeine, whereas the same amount of brewed coffee has roughly 95 mg. (A shot of espresso, about 1 ounce, contains ~63 mg caffeine; decaf coffee still has a few mg.) Green and oolong teas usually contain less caffeine (often 20-40 mg per cup), while herbal “teas” like chamomile have none at all. 

Tea’s caffeine comes with L-theanine, an amino acid that promotes relaxation. Research suggests tea gives a “relaxed but alert” buzz, whereas coffee delivers a sharper kick. In fact, coffee’s caffeine hits fast, reaching peak blood levels about 15 minutes after drinking, giving that quick jolt. Both drinks boast antioxidants; tea’s polyphenols and coffee’s chlorogenic acids have been linked to heart and metabolic health. In moderation, both can be part of a healthy routine (adding milk or sugar changes the equation, of course).

Brewing rituals set them apart. Tea is usually steeped, tea leaves or a teabag in hot water. In India, chai is often boiled together with milk, water, and spices for a robust mix. Coffee methods abound: Indian filter drips through a metal strainer, French presses steep grounds, espresso machines force pressurized water, and drip brewers percolate slowly. Each method alters flavor: over-steeping tea releases tannins (bitterness), while over-extracting espresso can taste burnt. Even grind size, water temperature, and cup shape matter. Ultimately, whether it’s gunpowder-green tea unfurling or a French-press mug arriving at the table, the ritual of brewing connects us to centuries of tradition. 

Frequently asked questions 

Tea and coffee inspire endless stories. In 17th-century London, coffeehouses earned nicknames like “Penny Universities,” since a penny bought a cup of coffee and a seat at lively debates. In India, chai often stands as community hubs, where neighbors meet over steaming cups and gossip brews as strongly as the tea. Turkey honors its coffee culture, and the art of making Turkish coffee is UNESCO-listed for its ritual. On the tea side, recall the Boston Tea Party (1773): American colonists dumped taxed British tea into Boston Harbor to protest, after which many famously switched to coffee. 

Even our words carry their journeys. The English coffee comes via Dutch (koffie) from Turkish (kahve) and Arabic (qahwah), while tea (or chai) comes from Chinese cha. A popular quip goes, “Coffee is a hug in a mug,” while Indians might say, “Sab theek hai, chai pilaao” (“Everything’s fine, bring the tea!”). Writers from Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter to Bollywood lyricists have woven tea and coffee into metaphor ~ each sip a story.

Both drinks have their celebrations: May 21 is International Tea Day, and October 1 is International Coffee Day, honored with festivals worldwide. Clearly, the rivalry is in good fun; the real winner is us, the drinkers!

Freshleaf’s Tea Collection

At Freshleaf, we celebrate tea’s diversity. Our carefully curated range includes:

Each Freshleaf tea is handpicked or blended to capture authenticity, whether that means the cozy spices of homemade masala chai or the brisk strength of a British cuppa. We hope you’ll find a favorite (or a few!) in our lineup to brighten any day.

Final Thoughts

So, which brew truly came first? Tea, by far. Chinese records show tea being sipped in the Han dynasty (around 100 BCE), whereas coffee doesn’t appear until roughly 800-900 AD. Tea had a full two millennia to steep into culture before coffee even brewed up. That’s history. 

But let’s not fight over mugs. Both tea and coffee have rich legacies and devoted fans, especially in India. We may start our day with a filter kaapi in Karnataka and wind down with cutting chai in Mumbai, often on the very same day. Why choose sides? After all, every cup of chai or coffee is a little journey through time. So sip happily and know that with every warm or robust brew, you’re tasting a piece of history. Happy sipping!

Previous