specialTEA Lounge & Café

specialTEA Lounge & Café is such a cute and relaxing spot! The moment you walk in, the vibe is calm, cozy, and super welcoming. Their drink menu is amazing so many unique teas, matchas, and specialty drinks to pick from and everything tastes fresh and thoughtfully made. It’s the kind of place where you can actually sit, unwind, and enjoy your drink instead of feeling rushed. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was peaceful, and the whole space has that perfect little café aesthetic that makes you want to stay longer than you planned. Whether you’re studying, grabbing a drink with someone, or just treating yourself, this café is such a gem.

I met for a quick business coffee meeting at this place, and it was quite welcoming. We both ordered coffee, which came in this super cute mug. The service and coffee were fantastic. It’s great that you can sit on couches rather than chairs, making it a more relaxing place to hang out.

I love SpecialTEA!! Some delicious food and some amazing French pressed coffee better than any chain coffee shop. You can even pick the country of your coffee beans and there is also a wide range of different teas to choose from. I like to order wraps from here as they are filling, delicious, and very reasonably priced. I order lunch from here all the time. The inside is also great if you want to get work done or have a chill time with friends. There are couches in the center and shelves full of books and board games to choose from. Highly recommended!

Me and my girls go to spot to get work done. They are open until 11pm We get a large tea pot flavor blood orange to be exact!!! So good. Place gets packed on Tuesday and Wednesdays. We love the cookies! That’s our reward at the end. For the food Can’t really say much haven’t had much of it but the bacon ranch wrap was good. I don’t really recommend their matcha i have had better matcha at other places.

Been going for a year. Love the food especially all the chicken pesto varieties. Also love farmer's harvest and coco curry. The cookies are SOOOO good and affordable, everything's affordable. Staff is always pleasant and attentive. Gets full quickly so be conscious of that, but overall a wonderful place!

Support your local business buy skipping Dunkin' or Starbucks! This place is way better. It's a very reasonable place that has a good vibe, friendly staff, and mostly good food and drinks. They also have some board games, so it's a nice area to meet up and hang out or study. I'm not a fan of their boba but everything else I've thoroughly enjoyed. I'm not vegan and the vegan cookies were good enough that I didn't even realize they were vegan. They have a few alternative milk options for drinks as well.

Cheapest place ever with such a wide menu and the yummiest baked goods and drinks. The place itself is really nice, perfect atmosphere to study or have a little day out with a friend. Also lots of board games open to the public for use! Love it

Usually really good place, but last couple of times the service has been gradually getting worse. Stood in front of the register this time for 5 minutes until I had to approach the person behind the line while the cashier passed by ignoring us. Last couple of times same thing, if understaffed I understand, service 101 just acknowledge the guest and let them know your are slammed and will be with them, ignoring people doesn’t help.

The ambiance here is so perfect to work on something on your laptop. Nice atmosphere to have a group lunch too. They have board games available. Now the food: I personally love their coconut chicken curry and be sure to ask for a coconut curry sauce on the side for dipping. This sandwich is to die for. Their chocolate chip matcha cookies are also a must along with one of their plethora of teas and coffees! Service is always on point!

The food here is so good. I love how close to the school it is. I appreciate them opening up the space more. I've eaten almost everything they have to offer but I'm a fan of the caprese the most. Day old cookies are my favorite especially at a slightly discounted rate. Not a fan of the s'mores cookie though it's too much and taste artificial if that makes sense. The service is really what makes this place kind of a drag. I think it's a requirement. If you want to work here you have to hate your life and be the moodiest sassiest person ever. They put a finger and pointed at my friend. Inches away I'm not exaggerating. I'm not asking to be treated like royalty either don't get me wrong but you're going to roll your eyes at me when I take a little longer to order and there's no line? Make it make sense.

My son has been there multiple times. But yesterday ordered the chicken, bacon and ranch sandwich and got terrible food poisoning. Him and his friends always rave about this place but beware of the food.

Wow!! I've been to Doral so many times and I'm just now finding out about this place. So many vegan options... thank you!!! The coco curry bowl is OUTSTANDING. 5 stars with a vegan matcha cookie .. I'll be back soon!

Love this place. Came here to do some stuff on my laptop and it was great. There is no shortage of wall ports which I was so glad about because if you can find a seat, you can find a place to charge your electronic devices. It's definitely not quiet because people hang out here whether it's to play board games or just have a coffee and chit chat. But that's every cafe. The service is amazing and the food is pretty good and affordable. Definitely fit for college students and/or people needing to get some work done. Their matcha cookies are incredible. I need to have one everytime I go. If you are going to SpecialTea alone and decide to sit at the booth, after a certain time, you are asked to move to one of the small tables to make room for parties of 2 or more. Overall, great place to hang out, have a quick meal or get some work done.

Food is always fresh and make to order :) it's a chill spot at night and day time :) I prefer nights! Service is always excellent ! If you eat in you can sit on the couch or a table or a booth :)! You can also use their WiFi :) and print :) you'll need to pay for those but it's super chill that you can do it at anytime :) I forgot to take pics of what I ate which is my favorite hunny brisket wrap :) if you're vegan this place is the go to!

Came here to meet up with friends. We were a party of four. It is a cute tea shop with plenty of comfortable sofas and booths; there's also tables if you want to bring your laptop and do work. I had a chai tea latte which was a bit over-brewed. The service however was awesome. The staff was very friendly. We had to wait a bit long for our drinks and the server offer us chocolate chip cookies to make up for the wait. I would come here again.

Amazing! Found a new favorite meeting spot! Food is to die for and the coffee beverages are my fav!

I was only in Miami for a couple days but I had to come to this place twice. As a tea lover this place is great. There are so many different teas to choose from. It's also a great working spot. There are lots of plugs everywhere. My recommendation is to grab a booth if it is available. However the booths do fill up fast so you might have to stick to just a table. Staff was super friendly and helpful with all of my questions and requests. I not only got to try a bunch of teas but try their food as well. I really appreciate how they have a regular menu as well as a vegan menu.

The food here was really good and I would return for the roasted almond tea, and chocolate cake tea.

One of the best bowls I've ever had in my life. What a way to start the review. But I cant stop talking about it. Perfect combination of everything. I ordered the Vegan coco curry bowl and it was out of the world. The colors and combinations of flavors were just right. It comes with textured vegetable protein, spicy masala curry, vegan mozzarella, organic spring mix, tomatoes, vegan bacon, vegan cheddar, homemade vegan ranch dressing & organic spinach. Chefs kiss! Just the right amount of hot and cold. Just the right amount of savory and sweet. It comes with a side of sweet vegan coconut lassi dipping sauce that's to die for. Again, what a perfect combination of everything. I can't wait to go back. Everyone I've talked to today knows about this bowl/ place. Don't walk, run! Wouldn't be surprised if I'm there tomorrow. I've also had their vegan chocolate chip cookies that brought me back to the homemade ones I used to buy at my middle school. And the vanilla lattes with oat milk are just as great!

Excellent customer service and well crafted bevs! Their vegan cookies are delicious, fresh and don't even taste like a vegan cookie - I'm not a vegan, just saying! Lots of students hang out here - very chill spot in the heart of Westchester

Seating is limited due to certain tables being only available by reservation, but I respect it catering to local students. Staff were friendly and occasionally walked around collecting plates and empty cups. I ordered an iced chai and it was alright, I enjoyed that it was sort of creamy.

Come with me to SpecialTea located in University Park (near FIU). SpecialTea has been a go-to for me for a while. They offer coffees, teas, boba drinks, frozen drinks, bowls, paninis, and delicious cookies among other options. A great spot to catch up with friends, get some work done or play some table games. I love their paninis, my favorites are the Chicken Pesto and the Chicken Bacon Ranch both have great flavor and are very filling. From their drinks, I typically order their Frozen Slushy sometimes with popping boba and other times without. For the slushy flavor, I like passion fruit or raspberry, but lately, I like to mix coconut and raspberry, which is a perfect tropical blend. Last time I was at SpecialTea I went with a coconut/raspberry slushy with kiwi popping boba and it was AMAZING! I also like their coffees, iced or frozen they are great. Their vegan cookies are so amazing words don't do justice. My favorite cookies are the chocolate chip walnut, double chocolate chip, and a classic chocolate chip. Overall, SpecialTea is always a great option. Their prices, service, and ambiance a great. I will keep going to SpecialTea!

Cool hidden place to grab some tea and a bite. They had a number of tea selections and coffee too. They also had boba tea and milkshakes. I had to try the matcha cookie. A little too sweet for me but the matcha flavor came through. Probably wouldn't get again. The mango tea was nice, I had it iced. Service was extremely slow and there is hardly anywhere to wait. They should re-arrange the seating area so that there is a place to wait that's not right on top of the line of people ordering. After fixing a few kinks this place could be great!

Great bohemian feel. Like you are not in Miami, but rather a someplace like Portland, minus the crazies. Great place to do some computer work. Courteous service and a nice selection of teas. The cookies are to die for.

Love their coco-curry wraps. The coconut lassi is to die for. Their cookies are probably in my top 3 favorite in miami. Their teas are yummy and you can buy a wonderful assortment of loose leaf teas to take home. Today I decided to have a black rose iced tea w boba and it was delicious. Their coffee is good too. I wish they would roast their own coffee to have the scent of coffee inside the establishment. It's the only thing missing. I love to bring my laptop here and work a little while. This place is very peaceful and I really feel blessed to have it so close to where I live. Thank you, Specialtea!

Good cookies and food. Tea wasn't too good though, ironically. Really unusual flavors as well. Ambiance of the place was great. Very comfortable. Great staff. Update after response from the owner: I went back and changed the score. A refund isn't necessary whatsoever. I'd even return here if I happened to be in the area. I had a brown sugar spiced milk tea, and I was expecting it to taste more like a cinnamon confection. Reminded me of a "Fireball," the alcohol. A friend of mine compared the flavor to the cinnamon broomsticks at Michaels. The list of flavors did not appear to be near 40. Maybe overall, with some definite overlap. I was expecting more traditional flavors like mango, strawberry, or Viet iced coffee; but I couldn't find none of those anywhere. I redacted my "weird" description of the flavors to unusual, but untraditional would probably be a better descriptor with flavors such as mint and others that I cannot remember which I was not accustomed to.

I got to say I'm impressed with how big this venue is inside. Lots of students and professionals working and catching up. They've got comfy couches, which just adds to the vibe. The staff is friendly and helpful in choosing a drink. I love their scent wall to be able to choose a type of tea. They have a wide variety of teas, boba teas, alternative milks, sweetness, etc. My only disappointment was that the teas, in flavor, were not brewed great. Some were over steeped, and others were under. So room for improvement but overall a good experience.

Person who answered the phone was too busy to check which items at the counter were still available and stated there's people who come in and purchase all of them at once. As if that justifies not taking a second to help a customer that calls in.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this cafe. Great atmosphere, very good to catch up with friends, study, play board games, all while being able to have delicious food and drinks. Their mint lemonade is fantastic and refreshing. They have paninis, bowls, wraps, salads, boba tea, smoothies, and cookies. Food is also out within minutes, i've never had a bad experience nor had to wait long for food or drinks. FIU STUDENTS, they offer a student discount!!

Came here for weekday afternoon lunch during winter break, based on the high rating reviews here. I realize that this place is a "lounge" but more so on the heavy side of a lounge. There is minimal seating inside and the place was busy with college kids just hanging out. This seems to be more of a hangout spot vs. lunch/breakfast restaurant which completely threw me off. I ordered the chicken pesto. For the price it was okay but being surrounded by the college kids and tight seating was unpleasant. Also they have a water dispenser with stainless steel cups that didn't not look so clean therefore, I opted to use my own water bottle. Overall I don't recommend this place and won't return. To answer the owners question I came in today 1/5/2023. I was not offered nor informed about a disposable cup. Additionally when I asked for napkins I was told to go to the coffee tables and had to interrupt other parties. This place NOT something compared to a Starbucks, it's more comparable to a low grade Panera. Also, as I repeatedly stated in my original post, it's winter break therefore, would not expect it to be filled with college students as classes aren't in session. Majority of the customers weren't even eating or drinking your items they were "just there." I visit several restaurants and establishments in the area never once had overwhelming issue with college kids being present. I think I can decide of where I visit and choose to be a customer. Even more so, as an owner to respond with such rudeness really portrays his "great customer service" which he seems to boast about on your profile. Changed my 2 star rating to 1.. if you can't take the heat something you shouldn't be owning a "restaurant."

En general bueno! El ambiente es normal, pudiese ser mas bonito adentro y mas por q tiene una cortina ya que quieren expandirse pero al parecer no han podido y asi lo dejaron. El servicio y la atención muy buena!!!! La comida... Pedimos Coco Curry Chicken Sandwich que estaba rico, venia con su salsa al lado que estaba bien. También pedimos el "harvest" o algo asi... que estaba también rico con su vinagreta al lado . En los dos paninis algo de el pollo no me termino de gustar pero puedo ser yo... algo pueda ser la forma q lo cocinaron, o el aliño, la calidad algo que se me quedo repitiendo... pero el resto de los componentes estaban ricos. La sopa de butternut squash estaba muy aguada y le faltaba sabor. Los te, estaban ricos! Los precios creo q están bien, muy justos la verdad! El aire super frio... rico, pero hay q llevar un abrigo la próxima. Es un lugar q van muchos estudiantes, así que esperen mucho ruido y gente hablando duro!!! Pero si volvería!

I love this place, I have been going there since I found it it's been a few years now. Not only is the staff very sweet but they have a great selection of vegetarian / vegan bites. The ambiance is nice to go with a group of friends or even by yourself on a study date. My favorite snack is the matcha cookies, always a hit!

Love this place! Its such a dream... I love tea! And they have a splendid sellection. Its very comfortable and great ambiance.. I love the cookies and paninis ( im italian and they really know how to make them!) I also enjoy there refreshing mint lemonade. You must try!

Vegan Matcha Chocolate Chip Cookies. It was soo good I couldn't wait and forgot to take pics.

I love the vibes from this place! Food and Boba Teas are amazing, it became my favorite Boba Sport!!! Service is very fast and they very very nice :)

I ordered a drink through DoorDash that tasted horrid. It was a slush that was supposed to come frozen but came very watered and it tasted like tooth paste. I called to complain but wasn't even offered a refund. I thought this was a healthy location but not with a drink like this.

Tea selections are good. Up until my visit the space hasn't changed at all (in decor or layout) since I first went when it opened years ago: same furniture, same grungy hipster vibe. The cookies are as amazing as I remember and it's one of the few places I can find jasmine tea. It was a bit dirty though, and this made me a bit uncomfortable that it makes one wonder: if the front looks dirty like this, what's the kitchen/prep area like?

Paula (she wears glasses) is wonderful. I love her professionalism / attentiveness to customers!

specialTEA has been on my hitlist for quite some time. Itching to get out of the house and into a refreshing work environment, I made my way down Coral Way to see why everyone loves this cafe so much! It was definitely busy around lunchtime. It's not a huge space, but they make the most of it with tables, booths, and couches to sit on. There wasn't a free spot, but thankfully someone let me share a table with them which was much appreciated. The menu is large, with all kinds of eats and drinks. Much more than you'll find at your run-of-the-mill coffee shops. I ended up getting a matcha latte with almond milk (they didn't have oat milk and good to know it comes sweetened), as well as a toast with olive tapenade and mozzarella, and a vegan matcha chocolate chip cookie. As others mention, the cookies are really delicious! Just that and the drink would've made me a happy camper, but the toast was really good and I'd definitely try a sandwich the next time. Parking was easy to find, as it's located within a stripmall near FIU. It's clear this is a popular spot for students and teachers alike. If you're in the area, it's definitely a good bet for lunch or a pick-me-up while working or meeting with friends.

This is my favorite place to go study and they have the best breakfast sandwiches/lunch wraps. I love the chill vibe the place has and the service is always friendly! There is a reason it's constantly full!! Love it here

Good and atmosphere is great. Food is really good. Their teas...well it's in the name...don't ever disappoint!! Go to spot for my daughter in college and got us hooked as well. We really love this spot.

Great place! The cookies are so good, and tasty. The staff is very friendly and helpful. They have quite a few options for healthier food which was very nice. The boba is great, super tasty. I was not a fan of how incredibly sweet the matcha tea was, other than that I would definitely recommend this place. The cookies were soooo goood!!

Love this place!! One of the best boba places in Miami for sure! I have been coming here for a while now and it never disappoints.

I just came here to say the cookies and cream cookie is SO GOOD. I seriously crave it multiple times a week. I've also had the iced coffee here which was pretty standard. Taro milkshake was also delish but gonna try to get it made a little less sweet next time I go. Have yet to try the food here so I'll update my review when I do!

This was absolutely delicious. With each taste I felt they made it with love. I had the Turkey bacon panini with a matcha freeze, I think it's the name. However, I love every bit of it! Highly recommend.

We were in Miami and wanted a quick bite. 16 year old found this place on Yelp and it was exactly what we were looking for. It serves boba tea and array of beverages, well as wraps, salads. My son and I both ordered passion fruit boba teas which were good. There is a "savory menu" and you can choose to order as a panino, salad, wrap, or bowl (with brown rice & quinoa). My son ordered the Coco Curry Bowl and I ordered the Farmer's Harvest Salad. All of the ingredients were fresh and delicious. The sous vide chicken breast was moist and tender. The dining room is completely closed but there were a few tables outside. Service was quick and the staff was helpful. Would definitely stop by again if in the area.

Huge variety of food and drink options, everyone in our group loved what they got! Coffee shop vibes with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Plus, there was a $1 special on yesterday's cookies, which were delicious. Pic: chicken pesto panini

I LOVE special tea for a quick bite or lunch! It's a great spot near FIU to meet up with friends to study and snack on their DELICIOUS cookies or a causal lunch spot. My top picks are the chicken pesto sandwich and the Ay Chihuahua as a wrap. The food is great and is well priced.

This spot is still a gem! Someone even takes the time to put cute little smile on your to-go bag & that reminded me "smile, life is good!" Thank you, delicious food & sweet staff. One thing though, hope this helps: please open up seating inside!!! So many are waiting for the lounge area again. Schools back up & Florida overall is up and running. Wishing to see you guys fully opened again very soon

So I wanted tea in the Miami area and was searching for a place (when I first came to Miami in August 2017, it was particularly hot). So I made my way to SpecialTEA, located in a moderately sized plaza. It's kinda close to a university, so I'm pretty sure they're the ones that are coming over here. This place is kinda small but does actually have seating. Unfortunately, this place is so popular that it was packed the two times I went. They have a bunch of games that you can check out and play if need be as well. I went for a spiced chai latte (iced). I enjoyed having the accentuated taste (yay cinnamon) and it was insanely flavorful. It probably would be better when it's hot and the flavors would come together, but I was in Miami on a humid summer's day. haha. Iced matcha latte. Half sugar. I don't know why but I really enjoy having their matcha because their flavor is really good. Mixed with their milk, it's actually a better quality than I would expect from a boba shop in Miami. Definitely something to try, but beware that it's an extra $1 for the matcha. Service here is dependent on the time you arrive, because if you do come here when it's busy, it might take a long while for your stuff to come out. Don't forget your check in offer!

My friend and work suggested that we pass by here. I was surprised that I have never heard of this spot before. It is definitely a hidden gem. The menu had a wide array of choices I wanted something filling yet healthy I got the chihuahua bowl. The taste was average. I had the Nutella crossiant and cookies. The baked goods were definitely the star choices of this spot. This place also specializes in teas. There is such a big collection. I got a green iced tea it was so refreshing. I recommend this spot for a quick lunch and for its yummy vegan goods !

I just had to share my distasteful experience this morning at Special Tea. I've been coming here for over 5 years now. I also order every single morning on Uber eats. I say this because 1. I have Crohn's disease so my food options are very limited and once I find a food spot I can have I basically marry it. And 2. Because since I am so immunocompromised I am always battling with infections and illnesses that make life a little difficult. I've had the worst case of allergies and eye infections on both eyes that caused me to not be able to work from my house this morning so I figured I can take a couple of calls at the lounge stress free while eating my routine breakfast. Now I am completely aware of the policy that only two people are allowed at the booths. I told the manager Farrah that I can't sit near the blinds because it will cause more eye irritation so if she could please excuse me sitting in the booth for a bit I legit said I will eat and leave. She came three times trying to get me out of the booth and then proceeded to turn off the wifi basically kicking me out with out saying it. As a loyal returning customer I've never had the worst taste in my mouth and not because of me not being able to sit at the booth for health reasons, but because of the unsympathetic and rude attitude the manager had with me. I know if they wanted to they can be accommodating specially when I was the only one human body there at the moment. I was not planning on staying all day but I was basically forced out of the lounge during the time I had an important work meeting which again is the only reason why I was there. The manager Farrah gave me the owners business card to contact him instead and went to the back leaving the lounge unattended for around 30 minutes until I stood up and left. I understand there is a strict policy, I understand she can be the one that gets in trouble for allowing one person to sit in a booth, but honestly out of probably the thousands of dollars I've spent there - because of her I legit rather pay double to another company that doesn't make me feel so badly over something I honestly didn't think would be such a big deal. I don't know how much they value having a good environment for their customers but today is genuinely the last day I give special tea any of my money. I don't expect everyone to go asking for an exception every single day but when it's something legitimately health related and you can see I need more accommodation, the manager should reconsider how she speaks to customers. I'm not one to do this but I'm incredibly disappointed by this service. I was the absolute only person in the Lounge for a good 45 minutes, saying that if she wanted to accommodate me for a little bit she could've but chose to be rude and direct me to the owner instead. If you have health issues for whatever reason, stay away from Special Tea. They do not accommodate or consider what the customer might be dealing with health wise. Go to Starbucks! They offer wifi and won't harass you into leaving their location.

I love this spot when I need to study !!! Their coffee, teas, & sweet treats are so delicious & fresh !!! Their chocolate chip cookies are out of this world ! Very quiet , yet active in the store !! Awesome vibe & friendly staff !!

specialTEA Lounge is almost a four 4! star joint. I enjoyed the fun vibe. The service was very good, loved that they offered agave along with other sweetners. I'm gonna go with a 3.5-star rating. They are located inside a plaza with plenty of parking, you have to look closely though, it's easy to miss the place. They offer plenty of board games for their guests, comfy couches, a workstation for up to three guests. The coffee was pretty good, I went with my usual cappuccino, it didn't compare to other coffee houses that I visited during the same week. It wasn't bad, guess I just expected to be blown away because of all the great reviews. They offer a good breakfast menu. I tried the baguette with goat cheese, egg, spinach and tomato sandwich. It wasn't bad at all, paired well with the coffee, wish I would've added a sauce, maybe next time.

Really cute lounge with a great selection of traditional teas, milk teas, and boba. The staff was friendly and informative about the drinks. I ordered a milkshake taro and it was great. My favorite is the "day old" cookies that are a bucks each. Would be a great place to hang out, study, or just meet for a coffee in pre covid times. The store only does takeout currently. Would love to come back.

They have the best teas and fresh baked amazing cookies! You will leave with a smile!

UDPATE: AMBIENCE (4/5): - Not as cold here as last time (thank god). There must have been broken AC or something the first time we visited. It was much more comfortable than before - Now having some time to explore other study cafes near by, I must say I do appreciate how every seat in this place is super comfortable. When I go to cafes to study I tend to camp out for hrs and hrs at a time and most of the time by the 3rd hr is when my back starts to hurt. But this place never gave me that problem. I appreciate that they even have cushions for the couch that's by the window - This cafe also opened the latest out of all the other ones in this area (including Doral, Coral Gables & Kendal) FOOD/DRINKS (2/5): - Honey Brisket: What a disappointing follow up after that Coco-curry. The panini was toasted and crunch but incredibly dry. I was hoping the brisket would be just as juicy and flavorful as the chicken since they're both made from the sous vide method but it just made the sandwich dryer without contributing much of a taste profile. The main saving grace was the honey mustard balsamic vinaigrette which was delicious. Too bad there was barely any on it (I opened the sandwich to inspect since it became almost too dry to eat and there was just a dollop inside). OVERVIEW: - Would still come back just bc nothing can beat those hrs, the number of outlets and those cushioned seats. Would probably stick to the Coco-Curry next time!