Searching for the perfect chai latte.

There are plenty of coffee shops and cafes in Cork, and as someone who dearly misses her Radina's sweet chai, it's taken me awhile to find something similar or tasty enough to satisfy my cravings. Here's a list ranking the best and the worst chai in and around the city:

5. Cuppa Cafe: This little gem is just around the corner of Copley St. Judging by the large crowd that builds up during lunch time, it's certainly safe to say their sandwiches are pretty good. I'm kind of torn about this place, because the first Chai I had was too sweet, and the second time around it was very, very bland. It certainly isn't the best choice compared to the other places.

4. Kent Train Station: I don't know the name of the coffee place, but that's where it's located. On their menu is a chai latte shake, which of course I couldn't resist ordering. The texture was perfectly smooth, not too thick and not too thin. The overall affect was sweet, but the flavor was more cinnamon than honey tea with the added spice. If you want to try something new, but not too picky about chai, I recommend this tasty treat.

3. Coffee Station: Located right across from the main entrance of UCC, this is one of the best places around. Their chai tastes very similar to Starbucks, and the only reason it's number 3 instead of 2, is because they make it scolding hot. It took a good twenty minute walk before it cooled down, and by then I already made the mistake of burning my tongue.

2. The Coffee Desk Cafe: You will find this tucked inside the first hallway on the left in the ORB/O'reilly building Building at UCC. They serve Starbucks coffee and chai tea, which I've always liked to an extent. The spices do tend to over power the tea flavoring, but in a good way. Plus, you get more bang for your buck. A large is only 5 cents more than a medium, although the sizing is different from our own. A medium = our small, and a large = our medium. So for a little more (unlike the other cafes in town), you can get what you paid for.

1. Cafe Depeche: Today was a great day! I finally got around to entering this little espresso bar, located on Washington street, and I literally found the perfect substitute. Creamy, smooth, with a honey tea taste and a little cinnamon on top, this little guy was HEAVEN. The downside was the size. A medium, which costs 3 euro, is an extra small. So the next time I go, I'll probably shell closer to 4 euro for a regular cup, but it will totally be worth it.

Fun fact: There aren't very many billboards in Cork. There are also no advertising polls with the billboard on top. All the ads are pasted up on the walls of buildings. The same goes for street signs! Instead of a poll stuck in the ground, each sign is nailed into the walls of brick buildings throughout the city. It's actually quite difficult to find your way around with a map because there's so many streets, and the signs are hiding.