I rarely use "hidden gem" to describe a restaurant or store, but I think Now Tea is a true hidden…read moregem for bubble tea and coffee. Commerce Gate is famous for being packed with countless bubble tea shops. Most are famous franchises, such as Chatime, CoCo, Tiger Sugar, Yoyo , etc. Now Tea seems so different among them. I had never seen this store before visiting Commerce Gate. After Googling it, I found that it is also a franchise, but it operates only in Ontario, with three stores in total. Being low-profile alone does not qualify it as a hidden gem. That just means it does not spend much on marketing. What really impressed me was the flavour of its bubble tea. We tried the Milk Green Tea and Milk TieGuanYin, both with bubbles. The tea flavour was strong and full of the unique aromas of green and oolong tea, but it was also smooth going down. The bubbles had been boiled for the perfect amount of time: not so briefly that they had hard centres and not so long that they became too soft. They were very chewy, among the best bubbles I have ever had. The inside of the tea shop is spacious and has plenty of tables and seats. The lighting is bright, and I always see customers working or studying there. Other tea shops usually have very few seats and dim lighting; basically, they do not want to give you a Starbucks vibe and let you sit for too long. Another interesting fact: if you come to Commerce Gate early in the morning, before 11:00, Now Tea is the only tea shop that is open because it also serves coffee. The drinks are also less expensive than those at more famous brands. I guess they save a lot of money on marketing: lower prices and higher quality. I tried this store for the first time this week, and we have already been here three times. As a tea lover, I ask everyone reading this review: you must come here and try their drinks!

Reviewing 2oz of Coffee (located inside Now Tea)…read more This coffee counter is known for doubling up their espresso shots in their lattes, so get ready to be well caffeinated. I arrived right when they opened, and there were already a few people waiting in line. The menu is small & curated, focusing more on the coffee than specialty flavours. However, they do have a good selection of flavoured lattes. I wasn't able to see which beans they used for the espresso, but overall, their roast seems to be a bit darker/stronger, which balances out a sweeter latte well. I tried the iced biscoff and pistachio lattes. The biscoff is slightly sweeter and nuttier - definitely my fave of the two. The pistachio latte, in contrast, was disappointing. It was $1 more than the biscoff latte, looked nothing like the photo on the counter, and didn't taste much of pistachio at all. Although it looks like a separate counter, I realized that you can order drinks from either "shop" from their one main counter. I also found it a bit confusing to figure out the hours of operation, as Google said 2oz of Coffee opens at 11am, but the Now Tea shop isn't open until 12pm.

I loved the milk tea here! The teas are very flavorful, with a perfect balance of boba toppings…read more Easily accessible, and the staff are very friendly and welcoming.

Came here to study for a few hours. I got the jasmine green milk tea with crystal jelly. Drink was…read moregood, not super strong in tea flavour but I could taste the jasmine. I think it's a great place to have a bubble tea shop here because I saw crowds of business people coming here during lunch time and high school students afterschool getting drinks. Overall, comfortable seating.

Today is the last day of the month to get a special tea of the month: Large Bubble GaGa iced bubble…read moretea! Bubble GaGa is one of my favourite drinks here. It's a Passion fruit green tea with tapioca and coconut jelly.

I really wanted to like this place based on the reviews, but unfortunately, it fell far short of…read moreexpectations. For the price we paid, I expected much better quality. On top of that, the service was incredibly slow, and it was difficult to get the staff's attention. The final straw was the state of the restrooms, which were unclean. When the basics are neglected, it makes you wonder about the kitchen. Overall, a very disappointing experience.

They have a wide variety of fruity vs milky drinks. The barista is well knowledged and patient in…read morelistening to our preferences when we couldn't decide what we wanted. I appreciate their wintermelon options as not many bubble tea shops offer them. This is a cute shop. They have sections similar to a consignment or pop shops. You can buy jewellery, accessories, tea related items, handmade cookies, etc. While sipping on your bubble tea. Very creative and great way to support local. However, this space does take away some seating options. If you're looking to sip and tap, if the weather is nice out, I'd recommend taking your bubble tea to one of the 3 nearby parks within walking distance.

I was in the area and wanted a drink, so I decided to revisit YGO Lab. I think it's safe to say…read morethat I will not be coming back here unless I'm really desperate for a drink. I tried their Osmanthus Honey Americano and it was terrible. Knowing that there was honey in the drink, I asked for 0% sugar. The drink was incredibly sweet and I feel like I would get diabetes if I left the drink at 100% sugar. The osmanthus flavour and americano did not pair well together. I love flavoured americanos, but this has got to be the worst flavour combination that I've ever experienced. There were osmanthus flowers at the bottom of the drink - I was not a fan of the texture. I couldn't bring myself to finish the drink. There was only one staff working in the afternoon and they weren't busy, so they're a one-woman show (taking the drink order and then going to the back to make it). The wait wasn't long as the woman was efficient. I see other people giving good ratings and maybe it's because we're getting different drinks, but my experiences are vastly different than theirs. I generally don't go for fruit teas and my preference is milk teas and coffee-based drinks. This is not the place for those drinks and I'm sad that I wasted two drinks worth of money to experience less than mediocrity.

Bubble tea is my go to comfort drink and i'm always on the hunt for a new spot! I discovered The…read moreAlley a while back and it's still one of my favourite spots to go to. The service is always great, they do have limited seating but it's a perfect place to grab a drink and go! Theres a few drinks I love grabbing every time i'm here. My favourite is the Crunchy Strawberry Milk Tea, its so good and the crunchy topping just puts it over the top. Also some other good recommendations include the Royal No 9 and the Brown Sugar Milk Tea! 9/10 recommend!

Do not come here with your kids. Not a kid friendly place. Had the staff there tell me to tell my…read more2-3 year old kids to not talk so loud and to control their volume?!!! She made it seem like we did not ask the children to lower their voices but she spoke loud enough that other patrons can hear!

Tips: - There aren't any humans taking orders when you walk…read morein. You must use the kiosk. - This place is on Fantuan, but doesn't offer the full drink menu that you see in the store. - Most drinks are regular in size. Only a handful are large. Last Monday, after work, I was in downtown Markham. I was driving up Birchmount Avenue, just before Highway 7. I pulled into a parking spot on the street. It was my first time parking here. I thought that I'd check out the businesses and remembered Machi Machi. You can also park in the plaza. Machi Machi is across from Panera Bread. There's lot of parking. It was the last bubble tea store in downtown Markham that I had yet to visit. It was time. The store has a couple of steps to get to the door that faces Birchmount Avenue. It also has a ramp. I took the steps going in. There is no hand rail. I left using the ramp, which seemed spacious enough for a wheelchair. I entered the store. There were two folks ahead of me at the kiosk to place orders. No one was behind the counter taking orders, so your kiosk is your best bet. There was a group of four folks waiting for their orders next to us. I also saw seating off to the right and left. They are limited. You get three seats on either side of the order area. I was order number 29 with these items: - Fizzy plum green tea (fixed sugar and ice) - Coconut lime strawberry smoothie (light sugar and fixed ice) Both were regular in size. There are few drinks that are large. Customizations aren't as flexible as other bubble tea places. They are my reasons why this place doesn't get a five-star review. It was such a nice day outside that due to demand for cold drinks here, it took long to get my drinks. The woman in front of me decided to go outside. It was weird to me. If I had a drink waiting for me and I'm a party of one, I'd be inside the store, waiting for my number to be called. Sure enough, order number 28 was called. I said that I was number 29 when the woman looked at me. I was standing by the glass window. It's all glass, which was nice seeing the sunshine come in, but it also heated up the place. I lightly tapped on the glass. Number 28 heard me. I pointed to her to come inside. She did. This woman was extremely introverted. She got to the counter and didn't say a thing. I went around and got the attention of a nice female staffer. I said that 28 was here. She nodded and got 28's drink. 28 was happy. Both thanked me. It was my good deed of the day. My order was ready. My good deed helped. The female staffer asked if I wanted a bag. I said yes. I got it for free. I thanked her and left with my bag of drinks and straws. I immediately had the fizzy plum green tea. I love fizzy drinks. This one was awesome. The plum flavour was excellent with the green tea. It was refreshing, fizzy, and perfect. I drank it as I drove to fetch some takeout before heading home. I had the coconut lime strawberry smoothie after dinner. It tasted tropical and delicious. The flavours were so good. Excellent! I'd get both drinks again. I'd also love to try more items on the menu. I had a wonderful first experience here. (166)

So cool this place I feel like in Asia with absolutely gorgeous flavors ! I highly recommend thisread more

I love trying new boba places and this one had some beautiful aesthetics!…read moreEverything is pretty inside and the menu is pretty big but well organized. Service was quick but done with care. Really loved everything about this place! The lemon tea was perfect for me, made with black tea and had that fresh lemon flavor come through.

Tips: - This store is at the end of the plaza when you are…read morelooking north on Highway 7. - This store has ade drinks. - The macarons are excellent. Hana's Roulettea recently opened in Markham. It's located in a plaza that I frequent here and there. I like the Shoppers Drug Mart. Occasionally, I'll hit the No Frills, which this bubble tea store is closer to. A Yelp experience drew my attention to this business. The owner there recognized me from her first location, Hana's Tea, in Richmond Hill. It didn't cross my mind that Hana's Tea and Hana's Roulettea are owned by this woman until she explicitly made the connection for me. Well, I know now! It was nice that she recognized me. I was a regular customer getting macarons and a tea on Tuesdays in Richmond Hill for weeks last year. I brought the former into the office the following day. The latter was for my immediately consumption and happiness. There's lot of parking in this plaza. I have never had any issues finding a parking spot. I got these items at the Yelp experience: - Peachy peach tea - Yuzu macaron I like fizzy ade drinks. This place has them. I also like the fruit teas. I settled for the peachy peach tea. I got it with 30% sugar and regular ice. I didn't want yakult on top, but you can add it if that's your thing. I loved my peachy peach tea. It was cold and yummy with the popping peach boba. I loved the ripe peach taste. It hit the spot on a 34-degree Celsius day. I have been a fan of Hana's macarons since the beginning. The yuzu had a nice citrusy flavour. The macaron shells were crispy and chewy where they should be. It was nice to enjoy one again. The menus are similar at both locations. The chicken gyoza are on the menu. They are awesome! There were tables to sit down, and enjoy your food and drink, similar to the other location. This place feels more spacious and relaxed. I am thrilled that this location exists. As much as I love Hana's Tea in Richmond Hill, this location is so much closer to me. Last Tuesday, I returned to get six macarons: - Salted caramel - Royal milk tea - Mango I brought them to work to share. They were a hit. Staff were friendly the two times that I have dropped by. I'll be back for more. (280)

Tip: The sparkling fruit drinks are amazing…read more Last month, after work, I drove directly from my workplace to CF Markville for dinner. I was craving my usual from Bourbon St. Grill and hit the food court. While heading downstairs after walking through mall entrance 3, I saw this Chicha San Chen store. I flagged it for a visit. After having a satisfying, casual meal at the food court, I returned to the second floor and walked over here to check out the drinks. It was almost as if this store knew that I like fruit and sparkling drinks. I saw a sign that said I could get two sparkling fruit drinks for $10. Three words: Sign me up! I got Kinson at the ordering area. He was great stepping me through everything. I let him know that this promotion interested me. He asked if I wanted one of each fruit flavour. Yes! My order consisted of the following: - Sparkling orange - Sparkling peach Each drink contains fruit, sparkling water, and konjac. I paid with a credit card. I tapped and I was done. He let me know that it wouldn't take long for my drinks to be made. The wait time wasn't much. The seating area had just cleared, so I could take photos of the branded throw pillows, various decorated bear figures holding tea cups in slings, and a wall celebrating a hundred years of tea love. It's my kind of tea joint. I stood next to looseleaf teas in mini containers. I smelled a number of them as I waited. They were so fragrant that I didn't want to leave! I love smelling these teas: - Cassia black - Dong ding oolong - Green - Black - Osmanthus oolong - High mountain pouchong My drinks came in one size. It seemed to be the case for all drinks on the menu. I like that you can customize your drink. There's a menu that steps you through it, from the type of tea that you want brewed, to the flavours and toppings that you want in it. If you find this method to be too complicated, it does have popular teas that are already configured, so you don't have to. I liked that I didn't have to fuss with my order. It was exactly what I wanted. My receipt had a number on it. Their system has an automated voice that calls out your order number. it was a nice change of pace. I could clearly hear my order number called out. I'm sure staff were happy to save their vocal cords, too. My drinks were on the counter. You can help yourself to a tray, which I did. My drinks looked good. What I should have done was sipped both before walking to my car. This place was so generous with the pour that my drinks were topped to the brim. One of my drinks did spill out a bit as I was about to go through the doors. Oops. I stopped to sip both of them. I was good! I got to my car and safely put my drinks down in my caddy. Just from sipping them, I loved the flavours so much. The orange one had slices of orange and chewy konjac. It was slightly sweet and fizzy. It was cheerful to drink. I had the orange slices, minus the peel, of course. Yum! The peach drink was equally as awesome. It was bubbly, with generous chunks of peach and konjac. It was fruity and chewy. So good! Both were so refreshing on a hot July evening. I'm glad that I got two drinks. I enjoyed my first two drinks from this tea place. I'll be back for more! (301)

First time coming to Chicha San Chen inside Markville Mall 2/F. The store was bright and clean, and…read morethe service was courteous and speedy. We saw that they just launched the NEW Pineapple menu and decided to try the caffeine-free, Creamy Pineapple Tart drink (sugar and ice level is fixed) - it was surprisingly tasty the mousse, fresh milk, pineapple bits, and topped with a pie crust crumble(?) on top.

takeout only, came for a late night bubble tea run and tried their new omanthus series. I got their…read morefruit tea, it was a good with a balance of lemon. The only thing i have to say is the worker could be a little faster. She took about 25-30 minutes in total to make 5 drinks. 3 for the person ahead of us, and 2 for me. We went around 10, so they weren't closing anytime soon either. She was nice though. Depends on the nights at the plaza, weekdays is okay but weekends are always chaotic. I like getting their signature milk tea as well.

Last Tuesday, after a lovely lunch at Sushi Gin, I felt like bubble tea. Commerce Gate has a lot of…read morebubble tea joints to try. I have never been to any of them. I typically hit Kinton Ramen in this plaza, fetch food, and leave. It was nice to have already parked for two hours. I got here at noon. There were plenty of spots available. After doing a quick look at the bubble tea places to choose from, I chose TP Tea. There's one closer to my home, across the border (it sounds fancy) in Scarborough. I needed to check out a different location. TP stands for Taiwan Professional. I still think of my former intern who disliked a software tester at our workplace who creeped her out. She nicknamed him TP, which stood for Toilet Paper.... haha! Anyway, I digress. I walked in and there were two staff members. A young man came over to help me with my order. The Thai milk tea looked so good in the poster on the door that I went with it. I couldn't get it without any sugar, so my order became less sugar and ice. I also got tea jelly. I had never heard of tea jelly before. Tea jelly in tea? Hey, why not? I paid with a credit card. I tipped and tapped. I also signed up for TP Tea's points program. You simply enter your phone number and sign in through the touchpad each visit. You can get free toppings, free drinks, and more. It didn't take long for my order to be ready. This store is deep and narrow. You can't sit down and enjoy your drink. You also can't use the washrooms. The woman behind the counter asked if I needed a bag. I politely declined and said that I was going to drink it now, which made her laugh and nod. I wished both folks a great day and headed to my car. The Thai milk tea ws excellent. If you like strong tea, you want to come here. The milk was perfect to balance out the tea. I loved the tea jelly, which added a cool flavour dimension to my tastebuds that I have never experienced. It was awesome and I got a decent amount of it! Less sugar worked out nicely. My drink was a touch sweet. Perfect! I had a great experience. I hope to return to this plaza and get more drinks off the menu. (463)

Molly Tea is hands down one of my favourite bubble tea spots! I love that their drinks have a…read morestrong tea flavour and aren't overly sweet. They also offer a great variety of teas, so there's always something new to try. The only downside is that the lines can sometimes be extremely long, but honestly, the drinks are worth the wait. Definitely one of my go-to places whenever I'm craving good milk tea.

Commerce gate location Ordered the jasmine green milk tea…read more I love there service, fast and efficient. Love to see on the screen when my order is ready