Recipe: Learn how to make Latha's refreshing Caribbean sorrel tea

With the rich variety of meals and desserts made across the African diaspora, an under-discussed part of the meal is the drink you sip alongside it. But at Latha Restaurant + Bar, the sips are far from an afterthought.

After taking an African-American studies class at university, Evelia Davis, founder of Latha, decided she would one day travel to Africa to better understand her roots and culture. In 2012, she took the trip with her husband.

“It was life-changing for us,” Davis says. “Making these amazing connections and feeling that sense of belonging.”

That experience stuck with her as she planned to open her new restaurant in downtown Phoenix. Latha opened 2023 in a house built over a hundred years prior at the Historic Heritage Square. The historic home provided the comforting atmosphere Davis had envisioned.

“What strikes most people is the sense of belonging and the welcomeness they get as soon as they walk into space. They feel like they’re at home,” Davis says. 

The restaurant's chef, Digby Stridiron, is responsible for the dishes and drinks offered on the menu. Some customer favorites include the whipped goat cheese with house-made chapati and the Dabo fish moqueca which Davis calls “the diaspora in a bowl." It's a combination of Brazilian fish stew, African and Southern rice grits, Caribbean coconut chutney and South American chimichurri.

The Southern pound cake trades flavors seasonally and currently features strawberry frosting and rum caramel sauce. Through his cooking, Stridiron has helped Davis' vision come to life.

“He’s a storyteller, he puts together all these amazing foods and flavors and recipes,” Davis says. “So we’ve worked together to create this space.”

Additionally, Latha offers a unique selection of spirits and wine, all either imports from Africa or from Black-owned businesses.

“I met a lot of the makers in our travels, and I then have someone locally who whenever I need something, they acquire it from these local artisans,” Davis says. “They’re all small black business makers who are making Latha a part of their journey.” 

For Black History Month, Latha is celebrating with a curated three-course menu, including Chicken Pirim, a Swahili dish that blends African and Portuguese flavors served with rice. The restaurant is also highlighting cocktails created by some of the first Black bartenders. Each menu will feature a did-you-know section with facts about these dishes and drinks. 

One highlight of the drinks list, the Caribbean Sorrel tea, is popular across the islands and in several African countries (called bissap in Senegal, sobelow in Ghana, zobo in Nigeria) and is often sipped during special occasions. The drink is a fruit and hibiscus tea sweetened with brown sugar that is served hot or cold. While the drink stands alone, it is also used as a base for many of Latha’s cocktails and mocktails. 

“(Sorrel) represents Pan-African food in an amazing way because there is some version of it everywhere,” Davis says. “Hibiscus has a lot of good properties for you, it’s fruity, there’s some sweetness and we use a lot of warm spices so it feels very comforting.”

Here's how to make the tea at home.

Spiced Sorrel Tea Recipe

Ingredients for one gallon:
3 cups dried sorrel (hibiscus flowers)
½ cup chopped fresh ginger
3 cloves
2 teaspoons allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks
¼ cup cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 cups brown sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
1 pineapple

Garnish:
Sliced lime

Directions:

1. Add sorrel, ginger, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, cardamom and sugar to a stockpot filled with 1 gallon of water.

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. When tea boils, turn off the heat and add citrus zest. Let steep for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel, core and cube pineapple. Transfer the cubed pineapple to a glass pitcher.

4. Strain tea into a pitcher and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Garnish with lime.

Latha Restaurant + Bar

628 E. Adams St.