Drip Tea

Last updated
Drip Tea
Drip Tea logo.png
Seattle, April 2024 - 25.jpg
The cafe's exterior in April 2024
Drip Tea
Restaurant information
Owner(s)
  • Paul Kwon
  • Justin Ngyuen
  • Lena Phan
Street address1416 10th Avenue
City Seattle
CountyKing
StateWashington
Postal/ZIP Code98122
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 47°36′48″N122°19′09″W / 47.6133°N 122.3193°W / 47.6133; -122.3193

Drip Tea is a bubble tea (or boba) cafe and concept store, called Drip Tea Market, in Seattle, Washington. The business operates on Capitol Hill, and sells boba and desserts, as well as clothing and sneakers.

Contents

Owned by Paul Kwon, Justin Ngyuen, and Lena Phan, Drip Tea opened in February 2020, prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon opening, the business was popular and queues formed for entry. Drip Tea has garnered a positive reception, especially for its bubble teas and signature Bearyaki, a bear-shaped taiyaki (waffle) with soft-serve ice cream.

Description

The cafe's interior, 2024 Seattle, March 2024 - 21.jpg
The cafe's interior, 2024

Drip Tea has been described as a "hypebeast" [1] and "Instagram-friendly" [2] bubble tea (or boba) shop on 10th Avenue, at the intersection of Pike Street, on Seattle's Capitol Hill. Eater Seattle has described Drip Tea as a "half café/half trendy retail store" that offers boba and clothes. [3] The Spectator has said the business operates "with a semi-hype beast slant". [4]

The cafe's interior has limited seating [5] and features a statue with a backdrop of plastic cannabis leaves. It has an area designated for retail, especially trendy clothing brands such as Chrome Hearts, Supreme, [2] [4] and Yeezy. [6] The affiliated concept store [4] Drip Tea Market sells clothes and sneakers. [1]

In addition to bubble teas, Drip Tea offers desserts with soft-serve ice cream. The Bearyaki is a bear-shaped taiyaki (waffle) [2] filled with soft-serve. Dough options for the Bearyaki include standard, charcoal, funfetti, Nutella, Oreo, or red bean, and ice cream flavors include pandan, [3] ube, and vanilla. Topping options include cocoa or fruity pebbles, cotton candy-flavored sprinkles, crumbled Oreos, and matcha or strawberry dust. [1] [7] The Tiger Boba sundae has ube or vanilla soft-serve with tapioca pearls and a drizzle of syrup made from brown sugar. [8]

The cafe's "designer" drinks are "whimsically named after clothing brands and artists", according to Eater Seattle. [3] The Babycat is a smoothie with taro and Oreo, and the Post Melona was inspired by the fruit-flavored ice cream bar Melona. [9] The Fear of Pog is a smoothie with guava, orange, and passion fruit, with a name that references the brand Fear of God. [9] The Heart Eyes has matcha, strawberry milk, and strawberries. [10] The No. 5 Elixir has activated charcoal, mango lemonade, and mango pieces. [6] There is also a green apple smoothie. [11] For an additional cost, drinks can be served in a "Kaws-like" bear-shaped bottle. [1]

History

Drip Tea is owned by Paul Kwon, Justin Ngyuen, and Lena Phan. [4] The cafe opened in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic, in the space previously occupied by an outpost of Sweet Iron. [2] A soft opening was held on February 17. During the soft launch, which lasted until March 7, [9] the business operated from 3pm to 10pm, and closed for a day to add new menu items and reassess pricing. [1]

Reception

Entrance to Drip Tea Market, 2024 Seattle in January 2024 - 33.jpg
Entrance to Drip Tea Market, 2024

Upon opening, Drip Tea was popular and patrons formed queues for entry. [2] The Seattle Post-Intelligencer described the cafe as "a hotspot for young people looking to add to their Instagram clout with a picture of the store's unique, signature item: bearyaki". [7] The newspaper's Callie Craighead said Drip Tea "[made] a huge buzz" and recommended, "before consuming, be sure to snap a shot of your picture-perfect dessert for social media". [11] In February 2020, Allecia Vermillion of Seattle Metropolitan wrote, "I'm calling it now: This will be the summer of bearyaki." [12] Ann Karneus included Drip Tea in the magazine's 2022 list of sixteen boba shops "worth a sip" in the city. [6]

Ryan Lee and Jade Yamazaki Stewart included Drip Tea in Eater Seattle's 2022 overview of sixteen "thirst-quenching boba shops to try" in the Seattle metropolitan area. [3] Alyssa Therrien of the Daily Hive called the Bearyaki "Instagrammable" and recommended Drip Tea "if you're obsessed with bubble tea or consider yourself a hypebeast". [1] The Infatuation 's Aimee Rizzo said the Tiger Boba sundaie "could totally beat up a hot fudge sundae in a street fight", and opined, "the yam-and-brown-sugar situation gets us excited for Thanksgiving no matter what time of year it is." [8] The Spectator called Drip Tea "a haven for self-proclaimed boba lovers, with more than just the milk tea to bring customers in". [4] Seattle Refined's Zervacki Thei recommended the black milk tea boba. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bubble tea</span> Tea-based drink with chewy bubbles

Bubble tea is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. Taiwanese immigrants brought it to the United States in the 1990s, initially in California through regions including Los Angeles County, but the drink has also spread to other countries where there is a large East Asian diaspora population.

Boba ice cream bars are a frozen dessert of an ice cream bar with tapioca pearls, otherwise known as boba, throughout. The ice cream is usually made from dairy products, and can be flavored with other ingredients, such as green tea or thai tea. The boba is made out of tapioca starch, becoming gelatinous when cooked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TP Tea</span> Bubble tea shop chain based in Taichung, Taiwan

TP Tea, formerly known as Tea Pa Tea, is a subsidiary of Chun Shui Tang, which is known for the inventor of Bubble milk tea. Similar to most bubble tea shops in Taiwan, TP Tea only sells bubble tea, though snacks are sold occasionally for a limited time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SomiSomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki</span> American chain of dessert restaurants

SomiSomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki is an American chain of independently owned and operated franchised stores based in Los Angeles, California. They primarily serve Korean Bungeo-ppang paired with soft serve, known together as ah-boong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victrola Coffee Roasters</span> Company based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Victrola Coffee Roasters is a coffee roasting company with multiple locations in Seattle, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream</span> Ice cream parlor based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream is an ice cream parlor with multiple locations in the Seattle metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Washington. The business was founded by chief executive officer Molly Moon Neitzel in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulfi (restaurant)</span> Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Kulfi is a restaurant with two locations in Portland, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lockspot Cafe</span> Restaurant in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Lockspot Cafe is a restaurant in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, in the U.S. state of Washington. The restaurant has operated for 90 years, as of 2020. Alison Soike and Ryan Faniel purchased the restaurant from Pam Hanson in 2021. The cafe has been featured on the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry</span> Restaurant in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Volunteer Park Cafe & Pantry (VPC) is a restaurant in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. Housed in a 1900s building that previously operated as a convenience store, the business is owned by James DeSarno. Previously, Ericka Burke was the owner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A+ Hong Kong Kitchen</span> Chinese restaurant in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

A+ Hong Kong Kitchen is a Chinese restaurant in Seattle's Chinatown–International District, in the U.S. state of Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello Robin</span> Bakery in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Hello Robin is a woman-owned bakery with two locations in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. The original bakery opened on Capitol Hill in 2013. A second location opened at University Village in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Yell at Me</span> Chain of bubble tea shops

Don't Yell at Me is a global chain of bubble tea shops based in Taipei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Best Tea</span> Tea shop in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Seattle Best Tea is a family-owned business operating two tea shops in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. Lydia Lin and Joe Hsu opened the original shop in the Chinatown–International District in 1996, followed by a second in the University District in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent Bakery and Cafe</span> Restaurant chain in the U.S. state of Washington

Regent Bakery and Cafe is a small chain of Chinese restaurants and bakeries in the Seattle metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Washington. The family-owned and operated business was established in Redmond in 2000, and expanded to Seattle's Capitol Hill in 2012 and Bellevue. Regent initially sold cakes and gained popularity amongst employees of Redmond-based Microsoft. The menu was expanded to include Chinese cuisine such as chow fun, fried rice, hot pots, and rice cake. The bakeries stock Chinese buns, pastries, and other baked goods and desserts such as croissants, egg tarts, fruit Danishes, and kouign-amann.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oasis Tea Zone</span> Restaurant chain in the U.S. state of Washington

Oasis Tea Zone is a small chain of restaurants in the Seattle metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of Washington. The Liu family opened the original cafe in Seattle's Chinatown–International District in c. 2001. The business has expanded to three locations, as of 2022, operating in the University District and in Edmonds. It has garnered a positive reception and is considered one of Seattle's best boba shops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Temple Pastries</span> Bakery in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Temple Pastries is a bakery in Seattle's Central District, in the U.S. state of Washington. Christina Wood started the business as a pop-up in 2018, and relocated to a brick-and-mortar restaurant in partnership with Broadcast Coffee Roasters in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Alchemy</span> Ice creamery based in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery, or simply Sweet Alchemy, is an ice creamery based in Seattle, Washington. The business has shops in the University District and Ballard neighborhoods and on Capitol Hill. Owner Lois Ko opened the first location near the University of Washington in 2016. The Ballard location opened in 2019 and shares a space with Mighty-O Donuts, and the Capitol Hill shop opened in Chophouse Row in 2020. Sweet Alchemy offers a variety of ice cream and other desserts, and makes cakes, cones, cookies, and toppings in-house. The business pasteurizes its dairy from local farms daily. It has garnered a positive reception and is considered among Seattle's best ice cream shops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westman's Bagel & Coffee</span> Restaurant chain in Seattle, Washington, U.S.

Westman's Bagel & Coffee is a small chain of bagel and coffee shops in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. Monica Dimas and Molly Westman opened a location on Capitol Hill in January 2018 and another in the University District in 2022. Westman's serves New York–style bagels as well as bialy, pastries, and sandwiches. The business has garnered a positive reception, specifically for its bagels and bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dough Joy</span> Restaurant in Washington, United States

Dough Joy is a small chain of doughnut shops in Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. The queer-owned business, which specializes in vegan doughnuts, was established by Christopher Ballard and Sean Willis. Dough Joy initially operated from a food truck in the Ballard neighborhood, and later expanded to brick and mortar shops on Capitol Hill and in the West Seattle neighborhood. In 2024, Dough Joy announced plans to open a third shop in Ballard. The business has garnered a positive reception.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Therrien, Alyssa (2020-02-17). "A new Capitol Hill tea shop is offering up the cutest soft serve | Dished". Daily Hive . Archived from the original on 2021-10-17. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Guarente, Gabe (2020-01-02). "Instagram-Thirsty Boba Tea Shop with Bearyaki Already Drawing Long Lines". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Lee, Ryan (2021-04-16). "16 Thirst-Quenching Boba Shops to Try in the Seattle Area". Eater Seattle. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Jaber, Emma (2020-03-12). "Drip Tea With That Drip Drop". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  5. 1 2 Zervacki, Thei (2020-08-29). "Bubble, Boba, Sip & Drip! 4 new cafe & tea shops open in Seattle". Seattle Refined. Archived from the original on 2022-12-17. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  6. 1 2 3 Karneus, Ann (2022-03-16). "Where to Get the Best Bubble Tea in Seattle". Seattle Metropolitan . Archived from the original on 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  7. 1 2 Craighead, Callie (2020-02-29). "Bubble tea, Instagram-able concept space opens on Capitol Hill". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  8. 1 2 "Drip Tea Review - Capitol Hill - Seattle". The Infatuation. 2022-01-21. Archived from the original on 2023-09-30. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  9. 1 2 3 Bell, Julianne (2020-02-21). "A "Hypebeast" Boba Tea Shop and More Seattle Food News You Can Use: February 21, 2020 Edition". The Stranger. Archived from the original on 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  10. ↑ Anderson, Zuri (2021-04-29). "Craving A Sip? Here Are The Newest Bubble Tea Joints Open In Seattle". iHeart. Archived from the original on 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  11. 1 2 Craighead, Callie (2021-03-04). "As temperatures warm up, here's where to get the best frozen desserts, drinks in Seattle". seattlepi.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  12. ↑ Vermillion, Allecia (2020-02-28). "This Week in Restaurant News: Phnom Penh Noodle House Returns, Bearyaki Begins". Seattle Metropolitan. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.