Milk Lab - Durham
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I really enjoyed my experience at this place! It was my first time trying rolled ice cream and it was very good. There were a lot of options for ice creams and beverages, also the girls working there were very kind and patient. The place seemed very clean and it was in a good location next to a lot of stores.
Hey Yelp fam! This is a good yet sad review--but not for the reason you're probably thinking. While in Durham (as I shared in a previous post), we stopped by a food hall after an event, and inside we found Milk Lab. I'm usually not big on trying different teas or specialty drinks, but on this particular day my sister recommended it--and I figured, what the heck, let's give it a try. I honestly don't even remember exactly what we ordered or whether it had milk in it, but what I do remember is that it was so good. The barista was amazing--super knowledgeable, explained the drink list, and even helped us decide when we couldn't choose between two options. The drink we got was one of their recommendations, and it did not disappoint. IT WAS SO GOOD! Now here's the sad part As I was walking to the table to sit down, the drink somehow tipped over and spilled. Y'all... I don't even know what happened, but I was HEARTBROKEN. I didn't get to finish it, but from the few sips I did get, I would absolutely order it again. I'm just glad I at least managed to get a picture before the tragedy.
Drinks here are really good and refreshing but their boba lacked in flavor I wish it had more of a honey taste to them. The service here was okay, it took them a while to make our drinks even though there was 4-5 people behind the counter.
The service is wonderful but the drinks taste mainly like milk with a twinge of tea flavor. I had the oolong milk tea and do not recommend this. This is the second time I have visited. Unfortunately, the drinks taste only okay because of the lack of tea in their drinks. It does have seating, so this may be a good place to study. However, their teas lack flavor.
Such a great boba shop! They have rolled ice cream, milk tea, and lots of toppings. My one comment is that I feel like the sweetness level in the drink is really varied from drink to drink- both me and my fiancé got the same percent sweetness, but his drink was significantly sweeter than mine. The drinks were delicious though and I would definitely go back.
This review is solely based on their ice cream. I came here to try their roll ice cream. When I walked in they have a order kiosk but I didn't use it since it wasn't busy. My order was place quickly but it took a little longer for them to find what they needed to make my ice cream. After my ice cream was finished I was told they are out of whipped cream. Ice cream wasn't firm at all and easily break a part even when he tried to scoop it inside the cup it lost its rolled shape. I didn't enjoy my ice cream at all and waste money. My ice cream ended up in the trash. I feel like this place can be more sanitized with their utensils they use to make the ice cream. Maybe their boba tea is great but the roll ice cream is a complete NO. I definitely wouldn't return here.
Milk Lab! Did not disappoint!!! This spot was super cute and super clean, inside smelt fresh and sweet which felt very appetizing when walking in. The menu is big and also simple! Super easy to read and if you needed any clarification the employees were sweet and helpful! I of course am a one trick pony when it comes to boba so I always get a jasmine greet tea with the brown sugar boba! The employee was very sweet and allowed me to no troubles subtract milk! Awesome! I even visited the bathroom and it was CLEAN! Yipee love to see a clean restroom. Especially for the middle of the day! The tea though most importantly tasted great! Light sweetness, not bitter yet not overpowering at all! Very delicious and very fresh! Just what I needed for a hot day in NC! The boba itself had a great coated of syrup that was neither gritty nor lackluster in flavor. Tasted very good and a little bit tinier than most boba I've had but no issues there it was still delicious! I highly recommend this spot for some awesome boba!! keep up the great flavors! Will come back!
AMAZING! I honestly was not expecting to love this place as much as I do when I first tried it today. I tried all three of these flavors and the matcha strawberry latte with almond milk and strawberry jelly was my favorite! I love that there is no up-charge for the amount of ice or for the use of non dairy. The add ins are a 75 cent fee but they give a great amount!! which i loved, plenty of boba and jellies! Service was also very pleasant and were patient on making sure we ordered the best drinks! Its located in south-point mall which is perfect after a long day of shopping !
Milk Lab is a really good place to satisfy my boba cravings! It's located in a plaza with plenty of parking, and they have an online ordering option. I got their brown sugar milk tea. It was ready really quickly, faster than the initial time estimate I was given, which was very nice. The store itself is spacious and clean, with both indoor and outdoor seating. I think that for boba, I make distinctions between a good drink and a good tea. A good drink just has to be harmonious, but a good tea means I am judging the flavor of the brewed tea itself. With that being said, I think my brown sugar milk tea was a fantastic boba shop drink. It was creamy and had that nice caramelized flavor from the brown sugar, without any odd aftertaste. However, I think the brown sugar overpowered the tea in this drink. I got this drink at a reduced sweetness but I still couldn't really taste the tea. I think that does tend to be the case with brown sugar drinks though, so I may opt for a non brown-sugar drink next time I am here. All in all I enjoyed this drink even without a super strong tea flavor, so I am still looking forward to my next trip here.
first time coming to here and the bubble tea did not disappoint! they were out of matcha unfortunately but settled for the strawberry dalgona. it's espresso with strawberry which was an interesting yet tasty combo. staff were friendly and the place itself was open and welcoming.
Yummy rolled ice cream - my son had the Cookie Monster. He enjoyed watching them roll the ice cream. He loved all the cookie toppings and the whipped cream.
Satisfied my boba cravings at Milk Lab, which is one of my favorite boba spots in Durham! Here is what we got: Strawberry Cap with passion fruit jelly ($6.45) - aesthetic and refreshing Mango Fruit Tea with lychee jelly ($4.95) - tastes like a mango slushee Love how they serve both boba and rolled ice cream!! But of course, boba wins any day.
Although not the best in the area, this spot has some unique flavors like the yuzu tea and the rose tea. They stay open later than other boba stores which is why I find myself there late night. Their boba however is hit or miss and sometimes tastes like instant boba because they get hard with the cold temperature of the drink. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Very cute ambiance and feel on the inside. The rolled ice cream is definitely big enough for a party of two. My favorite part was the sprinkles on top; they added a great deal of flavor to the ice cream read more
My favorite boba shop in Durham! Just a little bit far out from Duke and downtown Durham (this is down towards Southpoint) so I can't come here as often as I would like to. Last time I was there, they only had outdoor seating open, I'm not sure if that has changed. Inside does not really have that big of a space for a lot of indoor seating anyway. I sometimes daydream about their Thai tea with milk cap--it's my favorite!! They have rolled ice cream of different varieties and toppings as well and you get to watch them make it in front of you! They do ice cream float (rolled ice cream+milk tea) which we tried, but imo why would you want to have your ice cream melt in your milk tea like that? I'd rather order both separately. Milklab offers non-dairy milk options too. PS: don't forget to adjust ice and sweetness to your liking when you go to any boba place! I usually do 50% sweetness which I find perfect--'cause I've had their strawberry matcha boba in 100% and it was too sweet :( read more
The drinks here are really high quality, albeit slightly pricey. It was just less than $5 for the regular sized drink. I ordered a Ceylon Black Milk Tea (with boba) and a Grapefruit tea, iced. The thing I love about their drinks is that they don't shy away from the tea flavor. Most places (i.e. Quickly's and Kung Fu Tea) just add a boat load of sugar to their milk teas, which most likely done to cover up the lack of a quality tea and appeal to a wider audience. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy Quickly's, however, Milk Lab is a more refined vibe. The Ceylon Black Milk Tea had a strong, but non bitter black tea flavor that complimented the creaminess and sweetness well. The boba was consistent and QQ (chewy), just the way I like it. The iced grapefruit tea is everything a Starbucks refresher dreams of being, and more. Perfect for a hot day, the tea flavor was prominent without being bitter or overwhelming. If you go to Starbucks regularly, don't- and spend your money here instead. Although I emphasize the clear flavors of tea in these drinks, don't worry if you don't enjoy tea. The tea flavor is enough so that when I drink it, I know that it is high quality, but not so much that it's the only thing I taste. I'm not a huge fan of tea either, but this spot is truly great. read more
Milk Lab is my most frequented bubble tea shop in NC. I got the brown tea black milk tea with crystal boba at 50% sweetness and less ice. It was delicious. Service was relatively quick. Ambiance was great. Indoor and outdoor seating was available. It's the perfect place to catch up with friends or go on a short sweet date. read more
Man is it hard to find a good boba place when I'm not in San Francisco... Milk Lab was good, but not great. That being said, however, I think Milk Lab is still a decent boba place to visit in the NC area. It's a bit inaccessible if you don't have car, though the drive from Duke's campus isn't terrible. What I really like about Milk Lab is that they emphasize high-quality ingredients, namely grass-fed milk and higher-end non-dairy brands, including Oatly and Califia. Additionally, all the drinks and ice creams are easily customizable, depending on your ice and sweetness level preferences. My first time visiting Milk Lab, I ordered an unsweetened matcha latte with light ice and almond milk. It wasn't the best matcha latte I've had (at least, compared to the matcha lattes I'm used to ordering back home), but it tasted delicious enough to satisfy my matcha latte cravings. All in all, I think Milk Lab is a solid boba joint to visit if you're in the mood for some bubble tea. read more
6 years ago
I visited Milk Lab when the area experienced a power outage. Luckily, they were still able to operate and accept credit card payments, though no rolled ice cream was being offered. Not a problem- I was there for bubble tea! The husband got the brown sugar black milk tea with boba while I ordered the Hong Kong milk tea with boba. Husband loved the brown sugar and the Hong Kong milk tea was legit, though a tad sweeter than I'm used to. (Also, it's worth noting that you can't adjust the sweetness for the Hong Kong milk tea.) How do I know it's legit? I experienced a slight headache and acid reflux a few hours after drinking, which is what always used to happen when I enjoyed this tea in Hong Kong. Why do I continue to drink something that makes me feel uncomfortable? I guess me and HK milk tea are like Frank The Tank and beer - once it hits your lips, it's just soooo good. I would gladly visit this place again - especially because it's easy to get to and there's plentiful parking. read more
We really enjoy Milk Lab's wide selection of milk teas, fruit teas and ice cream. Our favorites include the rose milk tea and the Thai milk tea. We like that you can choose the type of milk (dairy and non-dairy options available) as well as the level of sweetness. At other tea places, we have found that the normal level of sweetness is too sweet but at Milk Lab, the normal level is just right. There are many toppings available - our favorites include boba, lychee jelly and passion fruit jelly. The boba is quite large and adds a nice texture the the drinks. Both jellies have delicious flavor - highly recommended. Mask-wearing is enforced inside (customers who come in without a mask are politely asked to wear a mask or order online / get curbside delivery). There is a good amount of seating outside which has been busy for the past few weekends. read more
Milk Lab is the best boba place in all of RTP. We used to frequent the one in Cary but ever since the Durham one- this is much closer too home. Like dangerously close... we go here at least once per week. Why is this the best boba place in RTP? Because their sugar level is just right and they listen to their customers. Most places, the 30% sugar still taste like a drive to diabetes town but at Milk Lab, you get what you expect. The tea flavor is also super strong and really shines through. Their boba used to be a bit too big and would get stuck all the time but they recently made smaller sized boba that fits perfectly into the straw (and no, I don't mean the mini boba). There are some places where there are inconsistencies. When they train new employees- sometimes you can taste that the sugar level at 30% fluctuate slightly or depending on the time of day- sometimes the boba (I actually mean the Tapioca Balls) is better made - but overall they are more consistent than not. We have 4-5 orders that are our go to for Milk Lab and that just goes to show how good they are that one customer can have so many drinks that satisfies them. Taste: 4.5/5 Presentation: 4/5 (their rolled ice cream presentation is super cute) Recommend to a friend?: HECK YES Consistent: 90% of the time Cost: $$ Parking: huge parking lot read more
6 years ago
Updating my review and adding that fifth star since having several subsequent visits. I really like the flavor of the boba here, the variety of teas, the available customization of sweetness levels, and the ease of their online ordering and curbside pickup. But my favorite thing of all is their creme brûlée cap. I can't adequately describe how overjoyed I am when I take that first sip. If you like the combination of sweet and salty and the way that toasted marshmallows instantly make you nostalgic, do yourself a favor and order a tea with that creme brûlée cap. If caps aren't your thing, the jasmine milk tea with passion fruit jelly is incredibly refreshing. read more
What I love most is that the toppings are unlimited. The rolled strawberry ice cream was good too. They make it in front of you on a chilled table and they pour the milk on the table that transforms into the ice cream. It was packed with outdoor seating, but the line went pretty fast. I'll probably bring my friends here to try this out! read more
6 years ago
10 out of 10 recommend!! My husband and I lived in China for awhile and drank these all the time. As soon as you walk in it smells just like the tea shops in China. The menu is super extensive, they have hot or cold teas, milk based or tea based with fruit. They also have the frozen rolled ice cream with whatever toppings you'd like to add in. Highly recommend! read more
This place was packed on a Friday night! Placing your order was super easy, as well as picking out toppings. All folks working there tonight were extremely friendly. The ice cream was delicious and they had ample toppings you could pick from (all being free), but I do think the price of $6.47 for rolled ice is a bit steep. read more
2 years ago
Short: They don't listen to your order. Be very very very clear. They may still not make it like you want it. I really love their Thai Tea-- it's authentic. My boyfriend and I have gone twice. In total we've gotten the monkey icecream, I asked for caramel instead of Nutella and ended up getting Nutella anyway-- what if I had a nut allergy?! Ashame because I didn't really enjoy it as much because of that (I'm weird and don't like Nutella). That time my boyfriend got an Oreo icecream and it was better than mine honestly although he said it was too much Oreo (I disagreed). Next time we went I got a Thai Tea-- asked for no bubbles or tapioca balls in it and they STILL gave me a ton. I had to spit a ton out bc there were so many...My boyfriend ordered a birthday cake icecream without the birthday cake goldfish and they STILL gave him the goldfish. Kind of annoying and for the price I'll probably not go back unless they have a deal or coupons because it's not that amazing. Fun watching the people make the rolls of Icecream though read more
Very friendly staff and quick to make high quality drinks and dessert! Love the cups they use. I almost always order via the website which is pretty quick and painless although if they had an iOS app eventually that would be great. They're in a good location also close to southpoint mall and right next to a few decent quick service restaurants. Recommended. read more
6 years ago
3 years ago
4 years ago
I'm so excited that Milk Lab came to South Durham! I am officially hooked 1) because it's unique 2) it tastes amazing and 3) the service is fantastic! Milk Lab is best known for their Thai style rolled ice cream using Organic Valley Milk to create their custard rolls. The best part? You get to watch the ice cream chef expertly chop and mix the liquid custard on a sub-zero cold plate and see it turn into a beautiful and tasty rolled up creation! Another bonus? Unlimited toppings! If you're not feeling rolled ice cream, you could try one of their floats, milk cap tea, milk tea, fruit tea, or a specialty milk. My personal favorite is the Cookie Monster specialty milk with boba. The boba is made fresh and is some of the best boba I've ever had. Next I will try a float - they are so aesthetically pleasing and allows you the opportunity to try both the rolled custard ice cream and tea! Milk Lab sources their tea from authentic tea farms, such as the matcha which is sourced from Uji, a city in Kyoto, Japan. The soil and surroundings in Uji has made tea from this area to be renowned for superior quality (matcha being one of the most famous product). All of this plus a chill, community atmosphere and incredibly friendly staff definitely equates to a 5 star in my book! I will be here many, many more times in the future. read more
2 times in one day... ONE DAY. had the Brown Sugar black milk tea and it was pretty good, for being their popular flavor. Went back again and grabbed a Cookie Monster. Update: the Cookie Monster ain't all that, wouldn't get again honestly. Didn't taste that great. Same goes for the strawberry matcha milk tea Bottom line: I need to try ice cream flavors thoughhhh read more
I think most people come here for their super pretty and instagrammable drinks but I'm way more of an ice cream fan than boba fan. And they take great care to make the ice cream look worthy of being featured on social media. You choose from pre-set flavors and can add unlimited toppings, which is nice. Though I wish you could also customize your ice cream base. Interior is very trendy looking, with all black walls and accent furniture, which is not the comfiest to sit at. Saw a few people working at the tables but it didn't seem like the best spot - small tables and limited outlets (if any). read more
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Sandy L.
Hello Allison,…
6 years ago
Last time I came, I thought the boba was too hard, but this time around, it was perfect and the right texture! We got the taro milk tea and fresh black milk tea, and it was the perfect sweetness. Will definitely come back again! Giving it 4 stars because it is pricey. read more
This is premium next-level bubble tea. You can tell Milk Lab uses quality ingredients, because everything tastes so fresh and naturally flavorful. The brown sugar syrup at the bottom of my drink straight up tasted like the most delicious salted caramel concoction I have ever tried. I could taste the fresh creaminess of the organic milk. The HK milk tea was really good too, with the sweetness of the condensed milk balanced out by the strong Ceylon black tea flavor. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to deduct a star for the boba texture. A few were too tough while some glopped together and were a bit gummy. I'm not sure if I got the last of an overcooked batch and the start of a fresh one. Minor aside, as this definitely wasn't enough to take away from the overall experience. I love this place. It isn't a regular occurrence for me, but I will jump at the opportunity to have it as an occasional treat. read more
This was my first time at Milk Lab, but I've tried milk tea a few times at various restaurants. The place is very clean, and I was the only customer in the shop for a few short minutes before a rush of groups started pouring in. Definitely a busy place. I asked a few silly questions about various items on the menu to the cashier such as "what is an Uji Matcha" and "what is a Hong Kong style drink". He beat around the answer, but it was an excellent effort and a small funny conversation. Other employees making drinks or prepping seemed to be enjoying themselves, and you can tell the overall atmosphere is great. Would definitely recommend and come back again! EDIT: been back twice so far as of 1/8/21. I tried the Taro Milk Latte and the Uji Matcha Latte. I added the mini boba to both which is honestly life changing--definitely adds a different texture than normal boba. I'm committed to trying everything on their menu! read more
Oh how I've been waiting oolong time for milk lab to open a location in Durham! I've been to the Cary location a few times and fell in love. The teas are bright, clean and smooth with a decadent finish. The milk cap adds a rich cloud layer to the top that blends with the tea to make it perfectly creamy, pairing well with sweetness level. You'd think it's a matcha made in heaven. The service was great, and the staff was very helpful at answering questions and making sure to keep their customers satisfied. The ambience is casual and relaxed with modern music. I'd say the only negative thing was that someone with a similar name "accidentally" took my drink - but hey, who could blame him? He just couldn't wait ;) you gotta Thai it out! read more
Okay, I like coffee and tea but am not a huge fan of milk teas and bobba teas. We had a credit from a local discount program I belong to, and I have to say this place exceeded my expectations. The strawberry tea I got was probably one of the most refreshing drinks I've had this summer. My wife enjoyed her Thai ice tea and we also got a brown sugar black milk tea (since Yelpers recommend it). I also like that they use organic ingredients and were very efficient. I'm already thinking about getting that strawberry tea again. They also have rolled ice cream, if you like that. read more
I wanted something sweet so I decided to give this place a try. Once driving up to the place, I saw it was packed so that's a good sign. They had tables set outside and tables inside also. The menu is a hot mess, so many choices!! So many yummy choices!!! This place kinda reminded me of a sweet frog, with items you can put in your ice cream but it's so much better. I saw a lot of people with shakes or fancy drinks. Not a lot of folks with ice cream but that's what I wanted. I decided on a fruity option. They made the ice cream in front of me on a very cold table kinda like cold stone creamery, I added graham cracker, strawberries, bananas, blueberries, mangos. It was super fresh and very tasty! I will definitely be back here, prob try one of those fancy drinks. Service was top notch, very knowledgeable about the menu, friendly, made recommendations, and all around personable! Highly recommend this place! Give it a try you want be disappointed!!!! read more
4 years ago
Super happy that there's a Milk Lab in Durham now! Stopped by on a Saturday afternoon - it's in a large shopping center so parking wasn't a problem. The store itself is pretty large, but seating/tables is pretty limited. There's a few smaller tables towards the back and a bar up front, but a lot of the space is taken up by seats arranged in a straight line and a platform-esque thing probably for photos. I got the mocha float since I couldn't decide between the rolled ice cream and the tea. In theory, it was great, but most of my ice cream immediately melted into tea so I only got to eat a few spoonfuls. The tea itself was also way too sweet for me. I didn't ask if I could customize it, but if I could reduce the sugar level by 75%, that would've been way better. The flavor of the tea itself was great though. Would definitely come back but may spring for just milk tea next time since it seems to be more customizable. read more
7 years ago
This location just opened 2 weeks ago! The environment is super chill but fun. They have a cool seating structure near the entrance. The staff was super friendly and the toppings are unlimited!!!!!! Super win read more
More info about Milk Lab - Durham
105 W Nc Hwy 54
Ste 265
Durham, NC 27713
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(919) 937-9798
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http://www.milklabcafe.com
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Is this business open for delivery/takeout?
Yes! They are doing curbside pick-up via www.milklabmobileorder.com (or call them) and delivery through Postmates!
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