"This Chinatown location of a beloved Taiwanese bubble tea chain is all about high-quality, brewed-to-order tea. Here you’ll find free tea tastings every half-hour, semi-abstract dark brown tea leaf art all over the walls, and imposing proprietary “teaspresso” machines that extract flavor in seconds, with optimized settings for different types of tea. They look higher-tech than most lunar landers. Expect the line to wind out the door, but rest assured that it moves quickly. Once you make it to the front, you’ll be greeted with a free sample, and a pleasant, efficient staff member armed with a tablet will discuss your preferences and make recommendations. Drinks here run from $5.75 to $8.75, depending on how freaky you want to get with added flavors and toppings. They’ll text you when your drinks are ready to pick up, wrapped up in twine carriers—an unexpectedly rustic touch given that the rest of the experience feels so futuristic. photo credit: Molly Fitzpatrick Food Rundown Bubble Milk Tea As promised, the menu’s standard bubble tea has a flowery black-tea flavor. It’s more tannic than your average boba, but well balanced by the cream and the house default “perfect” sweetness level. The bubbles also have a nice chew, the tapioca version of al dente. Creamy Lemon Tart An extremely bright drink, topped with a creamy mousse just sweet enough to adjust the dial from tart to refreshing." - Molly Fitzpatrick
