Review - Tea Talk

205 N. 10th St
215.925.1581
Yelp, Google Maps
Su - Th: 11am - 11pm, Fri - Sat: 11am - 1am

Like a lot of things in Philly, we were late to the bubble tea party. For those of you not familiar with bubble tea, sometimes called boba, it's a Chinese tea with tapioca balls that you suck up with a special wide straw. It's almost always sweet and served with milk. Sure, bubble tea is sold at any of the Chinese bakeries in Chinatown or even, one of my personal favorites, at the bar at the restaurant Rising Tide. And then there was the now defunct Bubble House in University City--more restaurant than cafe. But until last year when Tea Talk opened, we didn't have a dedicated bubble tea cafe.

Well, those first few months, it had been worth the wait. Tea Talk had the best cup of bubble tea you could find in Philadelphia. It's clean (unlike a lot of shops in Chinatown) and the service is quick and efficient. But more recently, they seem to be slipping. Perhaps its inconsistencies among the staff, but my last visit was definitely not up to par. The tea had a bitter aftertaste, possibly from overbrewing. And my companion's Thai tea was so sweet it tasted like the leftover milk from a bowl of Frooty Pebbles.

A couple of other drawbacks to note: at peak times, there isn't enough seating. But that doesn't seem to deter people from just standing around, as if it were some kind of bar (it's not). And the crowd most likely to be at Tea Talk tends to be on the younger side (think high school), which I find distracting. Maybe it's in having to deal with this less mature and possibly less discerning clientele that Tea Talk has lost their grip on quality.

Regardless, my favorite drink is the classic black milk bubble tea, cold when the weather's hot and hot when the weather's cold. The other flavors are just as good but you can't beat the clean, consistent taste of a classic (when it's done right, that is).

If you're feeling especially adventurous, you can try one of the "popping" bubble drinks. It's a unique kind of yogurt-filled tapioca ball. It's... interesting. Worth trying at least once but not the type of drink that turns into a regular order.

Tea: 3 beans
Atmosphere: 3 beans