Asha Tea House

This tea house is supported by the sale of bubble tea and other tea-family sweet drinks served in plastic disposable cups and straws. The space is cool, but the vibe is ruined by poorly amp'd junk music that is more sound graffiti than music. They would be better off with ambient sounds or no music at all. But invest is speakers first. I know a thing or two about tea, so I wanted to enjoy some properly brewed Chinese tea while in Downtown Berkeley. I opted for Da Hong Pao (Great Red Robe), a generally wonderful tea from Fujian. I watched the staff brew it in a small pot; after steeping, they served it to me in 8 oz ceramic cup. Serving chinese tea to westerners in a way that works in can be hard. I prefer gongfu places where I can brew myself and get multiple steeps. Or places devoted only to tea and not tea infused drinks. That said, it wasn't a bad brew. But one doesn't get to linger over the tea, or enjoy the other aspects associated with traditional tea culture here. I won't come back unless it's empty, the music is off, or something else changes. If you want a fruit, milk or bubble tea, I would recommend. Head to Blue Willow, Far Leaves, or Teance if you want to drink actual tea. They could certainly do it here, but they can't do both starbucks-style tea and fine tea at the same time. It's a shame.

both my hojicha and matcha latte were chalky/pwdery. the matcha only tasted like almond milk.

i’m actually baffled because this is THE WORST matcha i’ve ever had and i’ve had some mid ones. NEVER order a matcha here is REALLY bad…… bruh 6$ down the drain

Great selection of tea from India and all over the world, both hot and cold. We had a boba tea and Hong Kong tea.

I usually love Asha but this time the owner gave me a lecture about ordering hot matcha with mango on the side. He said it ruins the experience. I paid $8 for the drink so if I decide to ruin my experience then that’s on me. I actually enjoyed the warm matcha with the added mango. Fortunately, the barista was understanding and sold me the matcha with mango on the side. Plus it is condescending to give a customer a scolding. It was awkward.

Asha has always been and will continue to be my favorite matcha shop in the Bay Area. I’m so glad we have this place and the quality / selection here never disappoints. I first started coming here while a student and now that I’m still in the Bay, make sure to stop by whenever I’m in Berkeley as this is truly the best. The drinks use high quality matcha and taste delicious. They also have a hojicha option which is a bit more hard to find and tastes equally as amazing. The interior of this spot is very cozy with minimalist Japanese vibes and large ceilings. Can’t recommend this place enough!

I love the architecture and atmosphere of this place. Green tea is excellent! We didn't think this is the best place for Boba. (My husband and my daughter are the Boba freak!) I LOVE the menu. Very different and well done. I thought this place could be more cleaner. Flies are just everywhere and floor are very messy. But overall, come and try their many choices of hot tea.

Always a lot of people here, but never too crowded that I can’t find a seat. The selection of drinks seems very curated and well made. Matcha is always great here! Love stopping by to get a drink before going on with my day. The decor here is very cozy.

Sooo good and great study cafe vibes Drinks: 1) Jasmine milk tea: excellent with 75% sweetness 2) Roasted oolong milk tea with honey: would be better with regular sugar and 75-100% sweetness 3) loose leaf milky oolong tea leaves Logistics: -Super hard to find parking -great for doing work here, lots of tables available

Overdue review; Asha Tea House has been around for years. I used to go all the time during my college days. It's a decent spot for studying, getting some light work done or catching up with friends. Throughout my visits, I've had their matcha drinks, milk teas, and fruits teas. Most recently, I had their Asian Pear Tea, which was nice! They also offer desserts, pastries, and cute seasonal merchandise. Overall, pretty solid boba and tea place that is worth checking out if you're in the area.

aesthetic: 4/5 food: 4/5 service: 3/5 asha is a consistent spot for quality matcha beverages. i love coming here for a study break in their quaint ambiance, and it's always fun to try their seasonal fruit matcha lattes!! their matcha and hojicha powders are sold in store too, and i appreciate how affordable they are given how vibrantly green and well-balanced their tea is -- they seriously make for the perfect matcha lover gift while supporting a local small business too :) i recommend stopping by asha if you're in berkeley or downtown sf. i definitely looking forward to trying more of their menu!!

Great matcha + high quality drinks! Not too sweet and didn't overpower the matcha flavor! Loved the black sesame cookie as well--I really appreciated the chew of the cookie and size of it! Just the right amount of nuttiness in there! Quick service and a short walk in the downtown Berkeley area!

Hey! I passed by Asha this morning (or A-ha, as noted by the sign, please don't fix it it's funny) and got their Hong Kong Milk Tea. It's really great! It's definitely one of the better milk teas I've tried in Berkeley, and would recommend this over other beverages on the menu.

I like the concept and they had some good assortment of teas with seasonal fruits and flavors. I got the Asian pear matcha sparkler and it was pretty good. You just gotta mix it real good. Ordered on the kiosk which made it easy but also slower since we have to swipe through looking for the drink so there were a few people standing in line after us. Street parking only which is the downside

Good quality matcha! I also love that there is the option to make it less sweet and with less ice. Ordering is pretty quick and easy through the ordering screen. To order loose-leaf tea, though, I believe I've had to order at the counter. The space is great -- it fills up, but I personally haven't had trouble finding seating. There are large windows and plenty of natural light if you're reading while sipping on your tea. They do run out of pastries later in the day, so come early not to miss them!

3.8 rating Solid place but nothing special to be honest. I would go here if I was in the area but I don't think I would crave for it. Clean place with seating. Great place to study and chill. HK Coffee Milk Tea (3.9/5) smooth slightly floral from the tea. Coffee flavor is pretty light. I wished the drink was strong in terms of tea or coffee flavor or maybe even creamier. Overall, a bit bland.

Thoroughly impressed with their high-quality teas and cozy atmosphere! The Hong Kong Milk Tea is amazing--it's rich, creamy, and has the perfect balance of sweetness. I also tried their matcha series, which is made with 100% stone-ground green tea and individually hand-whisked to order. The matcha latte was smooth and not overly sweet, allowing the prominent flavor of matcha to shine through. The tea house itself is beautifully designed, creating a relaxing and inviting space to enjoy your drink. If you like tea, check out Asha Tea House!

Yikes... I would not recommend. The Roasted Oolong Milk Tea tasted like milk and ONLY MILK. Completely lacked flavor and I didn't taste any tea at all. It was slightly watered-down too. I was really disappointed. This place was really busy on a Saturday... I don't understand the hype. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing as many people rave about the matcha here (?)

1 self serve kiosk to order. There's also menus by the kiosk in case you're in line and want to see the menu in advance, and there's also a big menu displayed on the wall. Store is very cute, concrete modern vibes with plants, tea books, and other splashes of green among the grey and black structure. Strawberry matcha latte: strawberry was good, but matcha latte tasted like milk. It was weak matcha. Pineapple oolong: good at first but upon further mixing, the pineapple tasted like dirt. Dirt like how kava tastes like dirt, except at least kava numbs your mouth so that the dirt taste only lasts a little. Oolong tasted watered down.

I tried Asha several years ago before the pandemic but haven't been back since. It was pleasantly surprised with how good it was! ATMOSPHERE - a friendly, inviting atmosphere with lots of people on their laptops and hanging out with friends. I saw many Berkeley students coming in and getting boba as well as other individuals. You can order at the kiosk or at the front. If you bring a reusable/your own cup then you save a little since any compostable cup costs you extra. FOOD - I got the roasted oolong boba and my husband got the hojicha latte. ROASTED OOLONG TEA - It said this was a special so they may not have it all the time. Their default is less sweet so for me, I had to ask them to add more sweetener since it wasn't sweet enough for me. I'm usually a 75-80% sweetness kind of person. The boba was warm at first but firms up once it sits in the ice tea. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and once it firmed up was chewy and tasty. The tea was a good strength level (you can ask them to make it stronger if you want) and I could really taste it. I love roasted oolong and Tie Guan Yin (according to the description this is TGY) and it had a good flavor. I was sad it ended so quickly I think it's only 16 oz. so maybe next time I would get a large but it was already $6+. Overall, good place for quality tea and boba.

Theee best place to get a matcha in berkeley :) love that they use real fruit in their seasonal fruit flavors as well! Their milk tea offerings are also very delicious. My go-to spot when i am in berkeley!

I really liked the interior of this place, especially how they showcase different kinds of teas and sell matcha products. I ordered the Hong Kong milk tea, and I thought it was really good. This spot is great for a coffee chat, and I noticed a few people studying, but there aren't many outlets available. So keep that in mind if you're planning to do work or study here.

I love matcha and was excited to try this place. Cool vibes here and ordering at the kiosk was easy. All the possible options and changes were available on the kiosk. I got the strawberry matcha latte. First, beautiful presentation of the drink. The sugar level was spot on, as I got half sweet. The matcha flavor itself was quite faint, though the caffeine rush came through! My friend got the ginger matcha latte. She said it was just a hint of ginger. She wished it was stronger. Great location for university students, tricky for the rest of us who need to look for parking.

Can't stop drinking the Asian Pear Oolong. I think I'm addicted. Can't put it down. I get it with no sugar, and it's still sweet and has a refreshingly satisfying pear taste. Maybe this is what drinking happiness tastes like!

We were actually in the area to go to a boba place nearby, but it was closed and seeing that Asha was open for another hour and also within walking distance we rushed over to get some tea. It's definitely a fancier, higher quality place to get tea. As the name states, it's a tea house more than just a standard boba place to get a drink from. The back wall has all of their tea leaves, there's informative decor and signs with information regarding the origins of their teas and just tea facts in general. It can easily be seen that this place is a favorite hang out/catch up/get work done spot by locals as seating was a bit scarce when we got there (factoring in the rain as well). You order from the tablets they have in front and they'll let you know when your drinks are ready. We got the: 1) Asian Pear Matcha Latte: - I got this cold and lightly sweetened. -It's made from Hosui Asian pear puree added to their matcha latte. -The puree adds texture to it, the Asian mushy pear texture, but is slightly crisp as well. -I didn't get this too sweet, knowing that the natural sweetness of the pear would kick in and blend really nicely with the slight bitter and earthy flavor of the matcha. -Super unique drink that I enjoyed very much. I almost inhaled this. 2) Lapsang Souchong (Whole Leaf): -We got this as a hot tea and I recommend anyone that goes here to get their whole leaf teas and ask for the tea leaves to go to re-brew yourself another cup afterwards. -I've never gone to a tea place that has offered this before, so this was super cool! Great way to reduce waste and get the most out of your beverage. -This tea comes from Mt. Wuyi from the Fujian Province in China. -The tea itself has a very smoky flavor to it with a very slight sweetness in the tea leaves themselves even at 0 sugar added to it. Nice and warming on a cold night. Would honestly be cool if they had these in SoCal, but it's definitely worth a stop if you're up north.

I would give this place a 3.5. The ambiance here is beautiful and it is the perfect place to study/work due to its quietness. You'll order from the Kiosk and the drinks come out fairly fast. I ended up ordering their Matcha Latte and the flavor was a bit earthy/strong in my preference. :( However, the matcha itself is premium quality but I wish it could've been a bit sweeter.

Beautiful spot located on University in Berkeley. Great selection of premium teas. I got the matcha pear latte and must it was absolutely delicious. I normally make my own matcha tea because I'm extremely particular about my matcha. Decided to try this place. I was happy I did really good totally recommend

One thing I can say about this is the quality is there. I love the Jasmine milk tea and just tried to strawberry matcha latte. Both taste fresh and light, exactly how tea is supposed to, and it's not overly sweet. It has super cute seating, there were a lot of other university students getting some work done. I really believe it's the perfect tea shop to go to by campus, everywhere else is crowded and you feel rushed. Here it feels almost like a coffee shop vibe where you can relax and get what you need done or just pop in and grab a "pick me up".

Phenomenal teas and fruit blends. Wonderful working atmosphere. Great drink customization options, sometimes seasonal varieties sell fast. Pick up and service is fairly efficient and very friendly. Top boba spot in Berkeley for many people I know. Highly recommend: seasonal fruit teas, matcha, matcha + fruit purer options.

This place is a bind. Cool little Berkeley teahouse tucked away on university where cruising through get the chai.

The last time I was here I had a so-so experience but it was almost a decade ago! We were in the area and I wanted to give it another shot today. It was packed inside which is always a great sign. I had every intent on getting the Asian pear tea, only to walk in and find it on the out of season list :( I quickly settled on something to avoid falling behind half a dozen other people, and chose a matcha fresco. You can add on a seasonal puree for 75 cents and the current options are listed at the register so I went with mango. The drink itself without the puree is $5.50 for a regular which is completely reasonable these days! And I knew their matcha must be good quality for being a tea house. Turns out I was right - the color was on point and it was nicely prepared! Not quite as mango as I hoped but it did add a sweetness to balance the earthy matcha. Also the drink wasn't super cold so I didn't enjoy it to the full potential. However I'm still rounding up to 4 stars because of my husband's sea salt crema black tea. Although it's a pretty typical drink, I could tell that it was really good quality tea and not overpoweringly sweet. The crema was light but also not too thick! I'll be back again and someday I'm going to get that Asian pear tea!

The service was great and I really wanted to like this place but I thought it was okay. They didn't have any baked goods (which was what I was most excited for) except for cookies. They had two flavors. I ordered a regular hot masala chai for my bf. He's Indian and wasn't a fan of it. I got the iced Hong Kong milk tea with boba. Wasn't sweet enough for me. Boba is chewy and hard. Paid about $12 for both drinks. Overall, not my cup of tea.

the inside of the restaurant is very cute and cozy. the cashier who took our order was really friendly and welcoming. i ordered a roasted oolong milk tea & strawberry matcha latte. both drinks were just okay & i will most likely not being come back.

I love matcha and this place serves. The matcha is rich in texture; a smooth drinking experience. Kiosk for easy ordering and there is a good amount of seating if you ever want a place to study/work. Goto is the strawberry matcha latte yum

A little boujie for me lol. First thing I saw clicking on their website is a $100 bowl which I thought was wild. I had a hojicha with boba 6.5 before tax. I've had richer tasting beverages elsewhere. I'd return if someone else wanted to go here.

I still stand by my five star review from 8 years ago. If you want quality matcha, this is the spot. So many different variations of matcha, hot and cold, flavored and natural. You order at a screen upon entry, and they call your name to pick it up from the counter. Inside, the vibe is chill, ceilings tall, and wifi reliable.

Asha Tea House caught my eye because of how cute it looked on the outside and inside. The menu offered a variety of options between coffees and teas. They have options to order on the iPad or on the counter. I ordered boba with the strawberry and green tea. It tasted good, but I did expect a bit more caffeine from the green tea. I also would have appreciated to have less strawberry seeds at the bottom of the drink.

Very belated review for catering. EXCELLENT service by David and his crew! My roommate from college was getting married and Asha's has a special place in our hearts. My other then roommate and I decided to cater Asha's at her wedding. Granted it was over email and some delays here and there with communication, they were very accomodating - especially given the location (country club uphill) and timing we wanted them to be delievered (evening since it was an afternoon wedding but we didn't want the drinks to be sitting out for too long). It was on time and perfectly individually packaged and clearly labeled. The payment was available online and it made it easy to do the financial part too. The guests seemed to absolutely adore HK Milk Tea and the seasonal fruit tea - if you are looking to cater Asha's, we highly recommend! Of course, their individual drinks are awesome too - make sure to bring your own cup to save a quarter... in these trying times it seems every save is a win!

I love matcha as much as the next person, which is why I think Asha does a great job with their matcha quality and flavor. It is a bit on the pricier side, but you get what you're paying for with decent service, wide variety of options, and nice cafe environment. My friend treated me to the matcha blood orange latte while they tried the matcha yuzu latte with boba. In hindsight, one of us should have ordered a more basic milk tea to balance things out because the matcha was intense for both (in a good way). The blood orange flavor was very subtle and light which you didn't taste until the end. The yuzu was stronger on the other hand like someone cut the rind of a yuzu lemon and plopped it right in. Not our favorite drinks in terms of taste, but fun to try something new. Might get it a bit sweeter next time as well

In all honesty, I tried this place a few times throughout the years, but could never understand the hype... I think the tea can end up tasting bland if you get a topping with it, so the best way to describe this place is that their teas are very delicate. Once I started ordering without toppings, the flavor of the tea really started to come through more, and I was pleasantly surprised by their seasonal oolong milk tea. The ambiance of this place is really nice though, and you can tell the owner put a lot of care into creating the aesthetic. This is a cute spot to do some light studying, journaling, or hanging out with a friend. Note that outlets are limited and the amount seating isn't huge, but I've yet to have an issue finding a seat for one person whenever i go.

Asha's a staple at Berkeley and is a super convenient spot next to 51B and Berkeley Way West to do some work in Berkeley! Strawberry Matcha Latte (4/5): it's pretty good! Hits in the right spots, but not the same as boba guys. Asian Pear Matcha Latte (4/5): less sweet than the strawberry matcha latte and more pear bits! Great for a light matcha drink and really yummy overall. I will say the boba here is always fresh and perfectly squishy too! I live by the matcha lattes here. They usually have a variety of matcha lattes and fruity flavors the change throughout the seasons. I will say, the tea here is the best, but service isn't super personal since you mainly use a self-checkout to order. Great study spot overall with standing tables and regular tables, but it does get quite packed throughout the day. There's also little to no outlets. Vibe is pretty casual and most people are working with their computers.

I've heard a couple of good things about this place so thought to give it a try finally. Firstly, the ambiance is great, nice open space with lots of seating and big windows. The service was very quick as I got my drink like 5 min within ordering. The drink options are so unique and cool I sort of felt overwhelmed with what to pick lol. I got a matcha latte less sweet with boba. The matcha wasn't sickly sweet and had a deep matcha earthy flavor which was nice! The boba was literally perfect chewy and soft texture and had good sweetness. Will def come back next time in Berkeley!

Good food, pretty cafe, nice ambiance Good for a nice stop and re energizing break Everything can find something they like You order from a tablet and everything is pretty self explanatory from there

Came here in the midst of exploring Berkeley and thought it was very aesthetic. There was a lot more seating than I expected so that was a nice surprise. Not many outlets though so I would recommend if you need to do work on a laptop that needs to be charged. My matcha is was very yummy and one of the best strawberry matchas I've tried so far. Definitely would recommend if you're in the area looking for a mid day pick me up.

My favorite tea house in Berkeley. You can taste the tea in all their drinks. My go-tos are Strawberry Matcha and Blueberry Green Tea with no sugar. I actually buy their ceremonial grade matcha for my home-made matcha lattes. Orders can be taken at a kiosk or counter, pretty standard customer courteous. I sometimes come here to work on projects, there's some bigger tables in back and high tables in front.

Very disappointed in my experience. The menu has many options which looked good. The wait was what did it for me. There were 2-3 workers in the work area, but it seemed like only one person was making the drinks. One girl was on a laptop the whole time, even though there was a rush of customers. For our drinks, we waited around 20 minutes with only one other person who ordered before us. Stopped by here to grab a quick drink, but probably wouldn't be coming back. Jasmine Green Tea w/ sea salt cream: I was really disappointed in this drink. It tasted like straight milk and there was no tea flavor at all. I could barely taste the sea salt flavor too. Usually sea salt teas are separated to where we have to shake the drink to mix it ourselves but my drink was already mixed. Matcha Latte: Decent matcha latte. The matcha flavor was there and had that bitter kick a matcha drink should have. The drink diluted over time, but this drink was solid and can satisfy any matcha craving someone has. Chai Latte: Flavor was definitely there, but I'm not really a chai person. I would say if anyone likes chai flavored drinks, this drink would be a great option for you since the chai favor is quite strong.

I've been a regular at Asha Tea House the past 6 years. The Hong Kong milk tea and Masala Chai are my favorite drinks. You get a strong authentic tea flavor which I love. The owner David and staff-Shaine, Zoe, and Josie are all amazing. They are friendly and make sure the drinks are made to your satisfaction. The inside of the tea shop has fun vibe. There are signs that teach you facts about the various types of tea and many cute teapots and tea sets.

Meant to update this ages ago - Asha is my go-to for tea! I'm not in the area any more but I always make a point to come out regularly to visit. (I even got a reusable Asha "keep cup" which is the right size for the drinks and saves me the disposable cup fee.) The quality of the tea and the service is consistently excellent. One of my favorite things is the seasonal fruit teas, I always look forward to the different flavors at various times of the year.

Ah.. this place has been so hyped for me ever since I saw it on the Best Matcha Lattes in the Bay Area list! I'm a huge matcha fan, having had some of the best in Japan, and I've been navigating my way through the Bay Area trying to see who really has "the best." I came here with my friend about 30 minutes before closing on a Friday night (10/13). The place was packed as expected, lots of people our age hanging out with their teas. It was a really nice vibe. Ambiance definitely 10/10! You order at a kiosk so there is no real "customer service." I ordered a matcha latte with regular sweetness and whole milk.. and I can honestly say that the ratio was off. The color AS SOON as I saw the drink.. already threw me off. It was very light green, and I immediately knew that this wouldn't be it.. My friend's strawberry matcha latte was a nice dark green and she said hers was really good. I'm not sure, do they put more matcha in the "specialty" lattes (the ones with mango/strawberry puree)? There was too much milk in mine that I just barely tasted the matcha. I wanted to bring it up to the barista but I just didn't want to be a nuisance especially since they were closing soon. I was expecting more but I'll definitely be back with an updated review to see. Maybe it was just an off night.

I've been visiting the different Asha spots (Oakland now closed :( and SF) for years. I LOVE their drinks!!! Since working in the downtown Berkeley area, I've visited the shop on University Ave a few times. Interestingly, every time I go, it's the same cashier. The last couple times, I thought, oh maybe they're just having a bad day, and just carry on. However, this time, I must make note of the extremely rude interaction. This is not how you treat customers! When I was ordering my drink, I asked a couple questions (about the matcha grade, etc.). Each answer was given with disdain, rudeness, and a condescending attitude. It seemed like they were short-tempered and very annoyed. I thought, come on... it's a couple questions about the tea! If you can't stand a mere simple 2 questions, YOU SHOULD NOT BE WORKING AT A TEA SHOP!!! Furthermore, as someone who has worked in the service industry for 12+ years, and still works with customers every day... YOU CAN NOT have piss poor service, especially when it's simple inquiries, like, "can I do light ice?" I don't consider these questions to be difficult, or needing much more than a couple seconds to answer. I really feel sorry for this person's incapacity to field simple questions that 100% pertain to their role, and the product that I am purchasing and about to ingest! Because of this interaction, I asked, "Can I ask your name?" They seemed appalled and answered. Another barista overheard my asking and they went behind the other side of the counter to talk. This is the area where I would have to go to pick up my drink. I overheard the other barista say, "Oh yea, I just tell them my name is Charlie hahaha." At hearing this I thought, ok, so you're basically making fun of things and telling your coworker to lie whenever people ask. So I asked the other barista, "And your name?" They just said "NO!" And walked away. This was an extremely discourteous and rude experience. I feel sad for these folks who feel that simple questions about the product are way too much to handle. And then feel threatened when I ask for their names. Ariana, I don't know who hurt you, but I hope you can take this as honest feedback about the way you treat people. Working in customer service is not for everyone, and that's ok. But if you do want to pursue anything in life that deals with people, please see this as a kind note to reflect on how you wear your emotions and project onto others. People don't deserve to deal with what you're dealing with. I do wish you well, and hope you can find some peace and happiness. I highly recommend the drinks at Asha, however, I think this location is in dire need of customer service training for ALL staff.

Pretty solid spot although a tad inconsistent with their brewing at times. I love how strong the tea flavor is even in the milk tea, and you can definitely tell that they use good quality leaves. But sometimes it comes out a bit diluted and watery, which is of course a disappointment. The boba is also a bit mushy on the outside but has a nice al dente chew in the center. Overall not bad, although I really wish the whole thing was al dente, because I have nothing good to say about that mushy outer layer lol. All in all, one of the better tea shops around. I certainly appreciate how they focus on their tea quality. Hope to try their other menu items in the future (the fruity drinks look really good!)

Came to pick up some mooncakes and thought to try it. Because why not? Asha is a cute little tea shop that also sells milk tea. I got the jasmine sea salt foam and my husband got the oolong milk tea. Both drinks were really good, but I like my jasmine better. It was light and floral. You can tell that the tea they used is quality tea because it was not watery and the tone and notes just washes you. Tldr; definitely will try it again whenever we are back in Berkeley

Cute shop with great decorations but not the best place to get work done, moreso a date or coffee chat place. I got the hojicha latte which was out super quick and in a glass cup which I was very happy with! It was rich and flavorful and it went down FAST! There is ample seating but due to its popularity, it can take some time before a table clears up. Overall, definitely give it a try-- it is pricey but it is high quality.

The hipster interior caught my eye! It looked like an earthy, industrialized tea house. Features: Limited seating. Kiosk available to browse menu and to order. Quick service.  The HK milk tea tasted nutty, light, and sweet. Compared to other HK milk teas I've tried, Asha's version has a completely different flavor profile and isn't as strong.

My go-to for traditional non-milk teas; I favor hojicha & matcha. The seasonal flavors such as yuzu & asian pear add another level of variety & complexity & you can get it unsweetened as well. There are local baked goods but they disappear quickly, but I was able to snag a black sesame cookie. The matcha sparkler hits the spot on a warm day too.

Honestly not sure how I haven't reviewed Asha in the 10+ years that I've been around the Berkeley area. Asha is a Berkeley tea / milk tea icon, simple as that. They have a strong focus on good tea and quality ingredients (fresh boba, Strauss milk, fresh fruit purees, etc.) Flavor profile: * Strong tea flavor * Medium-creamy levels of milk. Less than Feng Cha, more than Yifang. * Default is less-sweet. I like the 100% sweetness at Feng Cha and U-Cha, so at Asha I usually do the extra sweet level. Ambience: Honestly, the space is a little small. I usually do grab and go. There are tables that would be good for short hangouts, but this isn't generally the kind of location that you'd want to spend a few hours doing homework at. Service: Fast and friendly!

As a Taiwanese-American who grew up on bubble tea before it became mainstream and globally loved, Asha became one of my haunts during my Cal undergrad days. After all these years, and even through the pandemic, I'm so happy to see still Asha here, and still popular as ever. I'm surprised I didn't write a review til now! There's always long lines and crowds of people sitting at the tables. Definitely recommend the matcha latte or the black strawberry drinks. They also have a great selection of authentic Taiwanese and Chinese teas that are imported and fantastic to taste. Whether you're here to study, work, or just have a pleasurable zen session with your choice of tea, Asha is a staple here in downtown Berkeley. It's been wonderful to see them expand in the Bay Area to San Francisco and Oakland, but Berkeley is always going to be the OG location, and a source of pride for Cal.