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    Seattle Best Tea

    4.5 (685 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    SEATTLE BEST TEA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Seattle Best Tea

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    Passion fruit green tea
    Samantha C.

    So fresh!! They know what they're doing. We got the mango green tea and the passion fruit green tea and both were incredible! The tea flavor is intense and you can tell it's freshly brewed. There's also unlimited toppings!! What!! That itself deserves a 5-star. We didn't get any toppings and the tea was great on its own!

    Michelle S.

    I am very confused on all these 5 star reviews. I came here in the afternoon with my boyfriend. I got the lychee green tea, less sweet, less ice with lychee jelly and he got either the mango or passion fruit green tea, regular sweetness and less ice. Both our drinks tasted water down, barely any tea flavor. Service was disappointing, I felt as though the worker was having a rough day and looked like they hated their job. I'm giving it 2 stars because we also ordered the ube ice cream which was decent. Don't think I'd come back to this business.

    Menu
    Casey I.

    My husband and I were walking around Chinatown. We wanted a sweet treat after lunch and found this boba shop. The ambiance was cute and quaint, small and clean. On the walls, there were articles about the boba shop. The service was good, the man was friendly and advised me which drink to pick. I ordered lychee black tea with boba, 50% sweet. The tea was great, not too sweet or bitter. The boba was soft and chewy, not too firm. I would come back when visiting Seattle!

    Menu Nov 2025
    Kyle T.

    TLDR: My favorite boba in the Seattle area. Great drinks, fair prices, amazing service, cozy/authentic vibe, locally owned Drinks: I've never had a bad drink here from their milk teas to their fruit/standard teas. Drinks are adjustable in ice + sweetness (75, 50, 25, 0) and all toppings are free Price: While having gone up in the past few years, prices are fair for Seattle and all toppings are complimentary with your drink. That means no +1 or +75 on top of your drinks. Also, they have a stamp card system where you can buy 10 and get 1 free across both the ID + UW locations. Service: The staff here is extremely kind and knowledgeable about the menu. No matter how busy the store gets they have always been patient and genuine. Ambiance: The look of the store hasn't changed in the 5+ years I've gone here. There are tea barrels lining the back wall and the overall vibe in decorations screams community and culture. 5/5 stars, only wished the ID location opened later (closes at 8), but sometimes if I really want boba I'll go to their UW store (closes at 10)

    Jasmine Milk Tea Ice Cream
    Christine L.

    Was visiting Seattle and craving boba, but when I saw their ice cream flavors I had to switch! Got the jasmine tea ice cream- which had such a strong jasmine flavor it tasted like a flower, in the best way! Also tried the ube, milk tea, and dragonfruit ice creams- all delicious! Price is also super reasonable at under $5 for a small (and you can get two flavors!). It's also a very generous small- they give you a ton of ice cream! Honestly this place needs to come to New York- would give Chinatown ice cream factory a run for their money. Service was also super sweet and helpful. No seating inside.

    Emily Z.

    Solid black milk tea. Got 50% sweet. About $7. Quick and friendly service. Not much seating inside, more of a grab and go place. Will be back!

    Kiwi Fruit Flavored Sweet Tea with Aiyu Jelly
    Makenzie D.

    Super convenient stop for bubble tea in the international district! Located just across the street from the light rail, Seattle Best was a perfect stop for a refreshing fruit tea on the way to a Sounder's game. The kiwi fruit tea was decently sweet, and the aiyu jelly was light, a bit lemony, and super refreshing. All of their teas are super customizable, and their toppings are included, which I haven't seen at many shops! Overall a great place to stop for a bubble tea. I'll definitely be back to try their milk tea.

    Jasmine (left). Wintermelon (right)

    Cute little cozy shop selling boba and ice cream along with other things like tea leaves and tea sets on the side. Customer service 5/5. The prices of toppings were built in. The jasmine milk tea was 5/5. Wintermelon milk tea was 3/5. It was notably sweeter than other places and darker as well.

    Outside
    Felinn A.

    Was looking for a quick caffeine pick me up and this was the spot. It's in the heart of Chinatown right next to the gate. They have a wide array of drinks and ice cream to offer as well. I ordered a heavy oolong milk tea with coffee jelly for about $7. Fast service and good flavor on the drink, a little on the sweeter side. Easy place to walk in, order, and take it to go. Appeared to be a good local staple as they had pictures of all the people and customers they serviced! Felt homey inside like your typical mom and pop's shop.

    Drink
    Albert T.

    We visited Seattle Best Tea as our last stop on the Small Business Food Walk for the 2 for $6 milk teas. This shop has a very homey feel, almost as if it were originally a traditional tea lounge opened decades ago, then converted partially into boba and ice cream shop maybe 15 or 20 years ago. My guess is this is probably the very first boba shop in the CID, very similar to something like a Ten Ren in other Asian American-heavy regions. Black Milk Tea, 50% Sweet ($3) - This drink comes with boba. Everything seems to be mixed by hand at Seattle Best Tea, with no particular regard to drink consistency and repeatability. They scoop the boba and sweetener rather haphazardly - in fact I'm not even sure if they actually made my drink half sweet. After tasting - the drink was far too sweet, cloyingly so, making my mouth almost pucker as if eating something sour. The addition of creamer is quite heavy as well, resulting in a drink that has essentially no taste of tea. Finally the nail in the coffin - the boba is almost inedible - way undercooked, hard with basically no chew, with the pearls all different sizes and shapes, some big and some small, some round, some smooth and some bumpy. Milk Tea Rating: 2/5 Boba Rating: 2/5 Heavy Oolong Milk Tea, 50% Sweet ($3) - On first sip, I couldn't tell that this drink tasted any different from the previous drink. It was only after sipping them side by side, I found that this tea was possibly a bit more earthy. They might as well have mixed creamer, water, and sugar instead of adding tea - there would be minimal difference in taste. Milk Tea Rating: 2/5 Boba Rating: 2/5 That's not to say the drinks are undrinkable - I still finished them after diluting with some fresh brewed tea at home - but they just aren't good. This type of drink might have been acceptable 10 or 15 years ago when the boba scene wasn't as vibrant in the US, but nowadays there are way better options. It's probably best to visit Seattle Best Tea only for tea tastings and fresh tea, rather than getting their boba. Note: It is quite possible that the drinks were bad on my visit due to heavy traffic from the food walk. I did notice they had a fructose dispenser in the store but they didn't use it at all. I am planning to give them another shot in the future.

    jasmine milk tea and heavy oolong milk tea
    R C.

    Jasmine green milk tea was yum. The consistency of the bubble pearls was perfect. Service was prompt. We took our drinks to go space is cozy.

    Mango fresh tea with lychee jelly
    Michael O.

    I got the mango fresh tea with lychee jelly and it was very fruity. They unfortunately did not have mango jelly which I would have loved to try. Sizes for the drinks were one size only and the price was very reasonable. Would definitely come back again. My gf got lychee milk tea and my other friends got wintermelon milk tea, peach slushie with crystal boba and they all generally liked their drink. Service was fast and they were friendly.

    Vinh M.

    This is a long-standing boba place in Chinatown, and for good reason too! Their quality is exceptional even after many years, and I light up every time someone gets something for me or if I get something here myself. Since my friend picked my drink up for me, I don't have anything to say about service, though I remember the interior being quite small and having no seating. From previous visits, you order up at the counter, and there's tons of drinks to choose from. You get a free topping for anything you order, a huge plus here! I requested the peach milk tea with grass jelly, 50% sweet and less ice. I'll admit peach isn't my favorite flavor for milk tea but I still loved how much tea flavor I was able to get from my drink, and the grass jelly made it soooooo much better! There's been a huge spike on the number of boba places Seattle has for a while now, but I feel the consistent quality of Seattle Best Tea keeps it up there. A highly recommended place!

    Jasmine milk tea with boba & Black milk tea with lychee jelly

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    Owner is always friendly, professional, and their OG Milk Tea is a must whenever in the ID.

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    Everyone was really friendly and the tea was good. Can't ask for more :) I really enjoyed the grass jelly.

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    Page 4 of 18

    Seattle Best Tea Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Seattle Best Tea

    Do the boba pearls have gluten?

    In general, boba is made from tapioca, which is a gluten-free starch extracted from the root of a cassava plant. Though I am not aware of any other types of boba, I think it's safe to say it should be gluten free wherever you have a boba drink.

    Can you change the sweetness of the boba tea?

    Yes! They allow you to change to your liking.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Anchorhead Coffee - CenturyLink Plaza - Honey bunches of oats cold brew & hot vanilla latte

    Anchorhead Coffee - CenturyLink Plaza

    4.5(1k reviews)
    1.1 miDowntown
    $$

    While visiting Seattle, I drank a lot of coffee. This was hands down the best espresso I had in the…read morecity. This place is busy! There was a line both times I came in here on the same day. One visit was earlier in the morning, and the place was packed. The line was nearly out the door. The second time was later in the morning; the pastries were wiped out, and the place was still decently full of coffee drinkers. I ended up visiting the second time because of their very cool merch selection, and I regretted not buying a shirt I liked the first time. I only tried the espresso here, though they had many other tasty-sounding drinks and delicious-looking pastries. The espresso was not bitter, well-balanced, and at a great temperature. They serve it right with sparkling water on the side. Absolutely perfect! Out of all of the coffee spots in Seattle, Anchorhead Coffee is worth the visit for sure!

    Anchorhead Coffee is a great shop to stop by for a coffee fix. I stopped by on a weekday morning…read morearound 9 am and there a long line. Thankfully, it moved pretty fast so we were out within 25 minutes. My husband and I ordered the cold brew and the seasonal hey ube latte. The cold brew was my absolute fave of the two since it was creamy and unique. The ube latte was a solid drink, but I couldn't taste much of the ube essence. There's multiple tables inside to sit. The employees are also friendly and helpful. Prices here are a bit steep, but drinks are high quality.

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    Pistachio Matcha and Blackberry Coffee

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    Yoka Tea - matcha Einspanner

    Yoka Tea

    4.7(135 reviews)
    2.0 miMadrona

    Yoka Tea took over the former Verite Coffee & Cupcake Royale space in Seattle's Madrona…read moreneighborhood. They have been very successful the past year, that they will be opening a second location in Ballard. I had this bookmarked for awhile, but finally had the opportunity to stop in on 5/15/26. I was also amazed at the retail & residential transformation. Efiicient & well staffed. Bright transformation with merch and innovative beverages. Definitely a hub for the cafe laptop crowd and lively meetups. Decent music overhead. All the tables, counter, and shared seating were packed. So I took in the vibe seated on a bench by the entrance. I enjoyed my Hojicha Einspanner. It held up even in traffic driving through Madrona, CD, North CapHill, Montlake onward heading back north. Great spot in Madrona. Looking forward to their second spot in Ballard!

    Before my Seattle trip, Yoka Tea was one of the main matcha spots I knew I wanted to hit up and I'm…read moreso glad I did!! I stopped by for my matcha fix two days in a row. The staff was so sweet, drinks were ready quick, and the overall vibe of the cafe is perfect for relaxing and studying. I also love the selection of Asian goods and local artist-made stickers they have by the register (I got a totoro sticker)! I first tried the turon matcha which I thought was good but had a mild banana flavor. I was expecting more of a caramelized flavor but I still thought it was good. The next day, I ordered the matcha einspanner. Their housemade yoka whip was so yummy and added the perfect amount of sweetness to the matcha latte. Overall, the matcha here is smooth and both drinks weren't too sweet.

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    Yoka Tea - (5/15/26)

    (5/15/26)

    Yoka Tea - Such a cute spot

    Such a cute spot

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    Phe - honeycomb

    Phe

    4.5(308 reviews)
    1.2 miCapitol Hill
    $$

    Food+ drinks: 5/5 Service: 4/5…read moreAmbiance: 4/5 My friends and I made sure to stop by this spot while we were in Seattle, and it definitely lived up to the hype! We went around 11 in the morning, and it was PACKEDDDD. The inside was completely full, and there was even a line out the door, so I honestly didn't think our group of 4 would find seating. The line moved really fast tho, and we managed to grab one of the viet style low table and chair setups that you'd typically see on the street back home, I liked it a lot. The drinks and food also came out surprisingly quickly despite how busy it was. We ordered a lot to try! Drinks: 1 phe muoi $6.75 1 matcha einspanner $8.75 1 earl grey matcha $9 1 banana pudding matcha latte $11 1 hojicha latte $6.50 Their matcha was smooth, no astringency, I wished it was more matcha taste bc it's a little light but that's just me bc I like umami matcha. Food: Phe Sliders $13 MUSTTTT GET!! My group absolutely devoured these. The rolls were soft and airy, and somehow the sliders still felt light and not too heavy. The aioli was sooooo yum we scrape every bits of it lolllll. I'd honestly come back just for this dish alone. xoi chay $15- Really good breakfast option. The sticky rice was soft and chewy, and all of the toppings came together really well. Easily my new favorite spot. I get why it's so popular on social media, and I'll definitely keep coming back whenever I'm in Seattle for sure!!

    I got the early grey matcha, which was pretty but a bit bland in the matcha taste. The phe den was…read moregreat, with a rich flavor that was almost savory. We also got the musubi on a whim but really enjoyed them. Cute interior and vibes. Line can long but the staff work quickly to keep things moving.

    Photos
    Phe - Inside

    Inside

    Phe - Hojicha banana pudding

    Hojicha banana pudding

    Phe - Phe Me, or Phin coffee drink with black sesame cream.

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    Phe Me, or Phin coffee drink with black sesame cream.

    Coffeeholic House - Purple haze

    Coffeeholic House

    4.6(808 reviews)
    3.4 miColumbia City
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    Recently remodeled, Coffeeholic offers a refreshed and inviting space that's both modern and…read morecomfortable. It's a great spot to relax, catch up, or just enjoy a quality drink. Their menu keeps things simple but well executed, featuring coffee, matcha, and a selection of pastries, with drink sizes ranging from 8 oz to 24 oz depending on what you're in the mood for. I ordered the Matcha Purple Haze, which stood out with its smooth, well balanced flavor definitely something I'd come back for. I also tried the Coffeeholic Dream, and it was a hit rich, flavorful, and clearly crafted with care. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the overall presentation of the shop really adds to the experience. Between the quality drinks, clean aesthetic, and great service, Coffeeholic checks all the boxes for a solid coffee spot.

    I've been staying walking distance from here and have now come here three different times…read more I'm a huge fan of Earl Grey Matcha so I decided to try their Tokyo fog. which is iced Earl Grey tea with Matcha cloud foam. I found it very delicious and light and refreshing. If you're looking for a Matcha, the Matcha flavor isn't very strong and it mostly tastes like an earl grey latte, but it is delicious and creamy. I ended up coming back and getting it again but with extra Matcha foam for additional Matcha flavor. Absolutely loved this drink. I also got a Matcha latte with black sesame cold foam. I've had a black sesame Matcha from somewhere else before, and the sesame flavor was very light, so that was what I was expecting, but was met with a very strong sesame flavor. I was not a huge fan as it felt overpowering and I couldn't taste the matcha. However, this is just a personal preference thing and if you like black sesame you should definitely try it! I'm not sure what much they used, but it didn't taste like the best quality, but it is still delicious and their drinks are all fun . The inside is small but and warm and cozy and they do have some seating. I was always able to find a spot. Super cute place with very sweet baristas.

    Photos
    Coffeeholic House - Egg cloud cream foam with ube drizzle-ube coffee

    Egg cloud cream foam with ube drizzle-ube coffee

    Coffeeholic House - Dark Night (Black Sesame Latte)

    Dark Night (Black Sesame Latte)

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    Espresso Vivace Roasteria - The signature Cafe Nico

    Espresso Vivace Roasteria

    4.1(905 reviews)
    1.8 miCapitol Hill
    $$

    Vivace espresso "Ooh La La". Every time my tastebuds desire that taste of a robust caffeine fix , I…read morestop at VIVACE on Broadway! Definallty the emerald city's smoothest java shot around. What's amazing is theres no acidic taste ruining your beverage , just a smooth euphoric rush of caffeine coursing through your body. I normally get an iced latte to get my geyser gushing but a straight shot does happen occaisionly. Outside of the superior taste the caffeine kick back is like a NASA ROCKET BOOSTER piloting Artemis II... Now the hired hands are fined tuned & trained baristas extracting the brown juices from local roasted beans. BTW VIVACE roasts its own coffee, specializing in a Northern Italian style developed by founder David Schomer since 1992... This is why you'll love its taste... VIVACE's interior space is very large for small & medium size gatherings with a hipster eclectic taste of furnishings. Also beware free WiFi if you're a lounge lizard is available... During good weather days outside seating is available for the rare days the gods allow Seattle sun to shine down upon us. Table & chairs on sidewalk allows you front row seating to the freak show for entertainment. Not much more to say, so grab a shot of caffeine!

    This is probably my favorite coffee shop in the US. The cafe Nico is my favorite coffee drink I…read morehave had and usually get this along with an espresso whenever I visit Seattle. The espresso itself is mostly crema, really well done and not something I have found many places outside of Italy they definitely know what they are doing. Plenty of seating and places to work if you want to work there and they also sell pastries and take home items like beans, mugs, espresso cups etc. Definitely worth a visit if you are local in the Seattle area or visiting. Parking on broadway is a bit hit or miss but you can usually find a spot either on the main street or a nearby side street.

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    Espresso Vivace Roasteria - Nice lobby

    Nice lobby

    Espresso Vivace Roasteria - Caffe Caramel

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    Seating area

    Seattle Best Tea - coffee - Updated May 2026

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