The new Ghent location of Tealux Cafe launched its soft opening in August of this year. Their first and original location opened in Norfolk on Tidewater Drive in June of last of year.
The Ghent location is stationed next door to The Colley Cantina at the former site of The Colley Cafe and Tapas Bar. Before that, it was a Starbucks.
The outdoor patio is still available at this spot. As a resident of Ghent, I am able to walk there in fifteen minutes.
Both locations are Vietnamese style cafes that specialize in fresh fruit teas and milk teas with boba and other toppings, smoothies, and Vietnamese coffees.
Boba teas first originated in Taiwan, where it became a major obsession before spreading abroad. Today the U.S. is dotted with a number of boba tea specialty shops and chains.
The original Tidewater Drive location offers Bahn Mi sandwiches, Vietnamese street foods, and tofu desserts. These food items are reportedly also coming to the Ghent location at the beginning of the new year.
Both locations are owned by Tina Dang, a warm and friendly Vietnamese woman who pours an abundance of love, pride, and passion into her creations.
Tealux Cafe also has expansion plans in place with sights set for locations in Virginia Beach and Falls Church. Other locations are being considered for as far away as Missouri and California.
Two additional locations are reportedly already open in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and Tampa, Florida. Norfolk can be proud to say that their Tidewater Drive location was their first.
Tealux Cafe is the first place where I really learned to like boba teas. Before Tealux Cafe came along, I had tried boba teas at a few other places, but I could never seem to fully taste their hype.
The boba teas at Tealux Cafe were a game changer, and they have now become my newest addiction.
My original plan was to wait and review the new Ghent location after the food items at the Ghent location became available, in order to provide a more complete review.
My mind was changed when the Yelp 757 Deal for the Ghent location became available for the month of November, which offered two drinks plus one topping for the price of one at the cost of $7.57. I could no longer resist.
One thing I love about the tea drinks at Tealux Cafe are the dome shaped lids, which allow me to poke my straw through a pre-made hole with greater ease.
I like being able to remove the plastic lid and stir the ingredients around at will. I also find their presentations more attractive than those with the more traditional and tightly sealed paper or plastic flat lids.
I have enjoyed the following Fruit Teas so far, each one at their full level of sweetness, a low level of ice, and Magic Boba, which are chewy transparent tapioca pearls that settle at the bottom. The low ice level allows me slurp up the tapioca pearls through my straw more quickly and easily.
HEART ON FIRE: Jasmine Tea with Strawberry, Dragon Fruit, and an Orange Slice. This is my number one favorite and always gives me an incredibly refreshing and delicious flavor explosion.
Bits of strawberry and dragon fruit settle to the bottom at the end, and I love to slurp up every remaining bite and devour the orange slice as well. My Rating: 5-Plus Stars.
THE ISLANDER: Jasmine Tea with Passion Fruit, Mango, Pineapple, and an Orange Slice. This one has emerged as my close second place favorite.
The flavors of the ingredients provide a blissful taste experience. Once again I love to devour the bits of fruit that settle to the bottom at the end. My Rating: 5 Stars.
I enjoyed both the Heart On Fire and The Islander together in one sitting for my Yelp 757 Deal.
LUNA FRUIT TEA: Jasmine Tea with Lychee, Butterfly Pea, and an Orange Slice. Butterfly Pea is a blue tea that is derived from a plant that is common to most South East Asian Countries.
The Butterfly Pea tea sparkled with an attractive blue hue and delivered a unique floral taste that combined beautifully with the Lychee and other ingredients. My Rating: 5 Stars.
SUNSET PARADISE: This is another delicious and refreshing blend, one that combines the flavors of Jasmine Tea, Strawberry, Mango, and Orange. My Rating: 5 Stars.
I have also enjoyed the following Milk Teas, each one of which is prepared with a stronger blend of tea, milk, sugar, ice, black tapioca pearls, and their respective flavorings.
TEALUX SIGNATURE MILK TEA
MATCHA MILK TEA
TARO MILK TEA
The unique and distinctive flavors of each one came through with flying colors. These are what I order when I want a greater caffeine rush. My Rating: 5 Stars for each one.
I will follow up with an updated review next year when their food items become available. As a regular at the Ghent location, I will be trying a few more of their teas and toppings as well during my upcoming visits.
In the meantime, this review comes with a rousing and well deserved 5-star rating. read more