Ah, the infamous coffee date. I’m a fiend for the coffee shop atmosphere, and so when I had to restrict my caffeine intake when I was initially diagnosed with Barrett’s esophagus, it threw me for a loop. Thankfully, I found some great alternatives that I either already was a fan of, or became a fan of not long after.

First, if you’re a black coffee drinker, there are options at the vast majority of coffee shops with a lesser amount of caffeine. Chai and matcha can both give you that jolt of energy without wreaking too much havoc. I’ve also found you can add syrups and cold foam the same way you can with any coffee drink.

Many cafes also offer an option called a steamer. It’s literally steamed milk with whatever flavoring you can choose from. It may seem boring or odd, but I’ll still go for one if my stomach isn’t settled. It looks like any other drink with foamed milk on top if that’s something you’re worried about as well.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with a warm or iced herbal tea, hot chocolate or apple juice either.

But if you are caffeine-free crusader like myself, I would caution you not to abandon the idea of indulging in your favorite coffee and tea drinks too quickly. There are multiple coffee shops that I’ve tried where I can have chai tea without it bothering me. I can’t explain why sometimes it bothers me and sometimes it doesn’t. Keep trying and see what places work for you–it may just be luck of the draw!