Amidst the sea of bubble tea and beverage places in this huge plaza, The Alley is one of the familiar chains to choose from. This location is rather small and cramped. Unfortunately, it was also very hot inside, no air conditioning to make it comfortable enough to stay to enjoy your order. The interior is starting to look a little tired, and the boxes on the floor and outdated posters don't help. Nonetheless, the staff was pretty cheery and explained some of the unfamiliar options. We went with the crispy tiramisu tea. The drink was very tasty, but there seemed to be a lot, a lot of boba taking up the container. We had to go outside of the store to get to a washroom, and a cool place to sit and enjoy our drinks. It's too bad because the aesthetic of this chain is usually much nicer and a better place to sit and finish your drinks. read more

The Alley - Crunchy Tiramisu milk tea for 2 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Richmond hill staple with the gang of bbt shops at commerce valley In the vast sea of bbt shops in commerce valley, this one is one that has been around for eons. With competitors like chatime, onezo, kung fu tea, your options are all there We ordered a rose oolong tea and a honey lemon tea. Service was ok but they got our order wrong, it was a one man show so we didn't bother correcting them on a Sunday night Both drinks were good for what they were even though the rose oolong tea was a milk tea Small location though more so grab n go, there's enough space to make a line and get out, two spots seating max it looks like Plenty of parking outside but it gets busy read more

The Alley - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Staff was super friendly. They even tried to close the blinds because they say it was shining into our eyes. So sweet of them! DEERIOCA UBE WITH TARO - real chunks of taro. Tapioca here is always top-notch chewy. Got it with regular sugar and ice, and it was not too sweet. I do wish it was colder though. The tapioca is served warm which quickly warmed the rest of the drink. It felt like I was drinking room temperature milk. Overall, it was not bad and I was definitely get it again! read more

The Alley - Deerioca Ube with Taro - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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The Alley is always a solid bbt shop. I really like their tapioca because it's they're always well cooked and the flavour's nice. This particular Alley is located in what my friends and I call "BBT haven" aka Commerce Gate. There are at least 10 bbt shops located in this plaza alone making it like THE area to grab bbt. I also like to call the parking lot "hell on earth" because it's probably the worst plaza to find parking on a weekend night (just go straight for the parking garage iykyk). Anyways, my usual go-to drinks at the Alley are the Royal no 9. milk tea or Iron Goddess milk tea. I really like the subtle berry aftertaste on the Royal no 9 milk tea. There's only like 3 tables and a long bar so there's barely any seating inside this unit (most ppl come, grab their drinks and dip). read more

The Alley - alley trio milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

This location of The Alley is very fast-paced. For the most part it is a very comfy space and houses a certain vibe to it. They have the staple drinks offered at any alley with the addition of a Bookshelf and Lantern Decoration that I haven't seen at any other location. read more

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The Alley is one of my fav places to go for bubble tea! The drinks are always inventive and delicious. They have many locations now all around the GTA - a lot of which have expanded seating now. Recently came in to try one of their limited edition drinks - I'm a sucker for anything passion fruit. Definitely will be back! read more

The Alley - Limited edition drink - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Service is good and staff are nice! Its always busy but they make the drinks quick. Ambiance its alright Tried there JJK drink nah! Stick with royal number 9 read more

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These folks are good business people. They know how to get repeat customers. A smile for everyone and polite to all. Their product appeals to our taste buds. I had the Earl Grey milk tea no sugar no boba, hubby had a winter melon with lemon slices. Refreshing. Just good. Solid place that keeps drawing us back for more. read more

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This is one of many many bubble tea places in Commerce Gate. I always look at it as higher end and very creative with their drinks. It's always very classy. Location: In Commerce Gate Parking: Parking can be insane if you go prime time on the weekend. Hint- there's underground parking. That's were I like to park! Decor: It's a small place. There are 8 seats. Wood, brick. Its nice. Not very bright and I don't think they have air conditioning because it's always warm in there! The goods: The best of BBT. From teas, to fruity drinks, slushies, and everything in between. Warm and iced! Staff: Nice, even when it's crazy busy. I like it. Download the app to get free drinks read more

The Alley - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

I love walking into The Alley because the decor sets it apart from other bubble tea shops. It also makes a great background for photos. I've tried a handful of items from the menu and I feel that I can finally give The Alley a proper review. It's not an Alley review if I don't mention the Royal No. 9. I was told that this drink has a hint of blueberry as it's made with blueberry tea. I thought this would taste weird but it was actually really good. I wanted to try the Garden Milk Tea mostly for the presentation. How cute is the little leaf?! Unfortunately when I got this, there was no leaf. Apparently the plant died : (. The actual taste of the milk tea was still good with less sugar. I mixed the drink with the Oreo (the dirt/soil) but I think this is purely for aesthetics as it doesn't add any special taste to it : P. Be sure to order the Lime Honey with Aloe drink on a hot summer day. This drink is probably my favourite for the hot weather because it's so refreshing. The honey and citrus taste balance out perfectly. The only thing I didn't like about it was that there are bits of lime skin in it. It looks great for the pics ; ) but in reality I was spitting out lime peel with almost every other sip (quite inconvenient, actually). I don't suggest swallowing it as the pieces aren't cut small enough and it's also very bitter if you bite into it. I actually wondered if that was a mistake! Haha. I would still order it again though. If you're looking for a warm and toasty drink, the Brown Sugar Ginger Roasted Milk Tea is another good choice. The ginger was stronger than I expected but the sugar evens it out. I got this half sweetened but I would actually opt for less sweetened next time (and I'm someone that usually puts a lot of sugar in milk tea). I normally don't eat tapioca from any bubble tea place but their housemade tapioca is actually really good. It's not overly sweet and has the perfect amount of chewiness to it. read more

In a sea of boba options, The Alley is an excellent choice! The soft silky boba, along with exceptional, kind service was deeply appreciated. One guest ordered at their preferred sweet level. However, it was too sweet for their liking. As a result, and insistent, the barista made another with less sugar. Although the store has The Alley's older look, it was small, clean and with easy access in and out. The only down side is the 14 other boba shops near The Alley that may distract you. read more

I have been here a couple of times and ordered from the Alley via Ubereats (though my order came from a different location I believe). Each drink has been exceptional flavor wise. I tend to get the Garden Fresh Milk Tea which tastes of real assam tea rather than a tea powder. More than just tea, the chocolate deerioca and the oreo crumble give it great chocolatey flavor. It's a dessert for sure and definitely rich but does not feel heavy. Today I decided to try something different though and I went with the Deerioca Fever. I'd heard a lot about brown sugar milk teas recently and I was intrigued. I was definitely surprised when I took my first couple sips before mixing my "tea" and realized I was drinking straight milk. That's because the deerioca fever is just fresh milk, brown sugar syrup, and deerioca pearls. So simple but really, really good. Decadent from the brown sugar syrup and extremely creamy from the milk. Plus, The Alley makes their deerioca and they always have great texture and flavor. My brother got the Lime Green Tea with pineapple jelly. When it arrived, turned out it was a slush which had a lot of pulp and zest. He really liked the flavor but wasn't a fan of the bits of zest he kept getting so he actually strained his drink just so he could continue enjoying it without those bits. Flavor wise, The Alley is truly one of the best there is. However, they do have fewer options than other more common bubble tea shops like Tea Shop 168 or Chatime. While I personally don't mind, the options they do have might seem daunting to someone new to the world of bubble tea since a lot of the teas have names that don't exactly explain what you're getting and explanations are hard to find. read more

The Alley - Deerioca Fever - Fresh Milk, Brown Sugar Syrup and Deerioca - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

I stopped in here having an interesting dinner. Been wanting to stop in. Jesse and I ordered #1 and #2 cold. This place you cannot order with no ice, all tea is prepared hot. In a way it's a good thing, because its really safer to store beverages hot to minimize bacterial growth from transfer or improper cleaning practises so its peace of mind really. The tea masters entertained my silly questions. The tapioca is quite nice, very soft, better than store bought. I think it could be cooked for an extra 15min because the center was a bit hard. All from taiwan. The size of the shop is small and intimate enough. Ladies watch out, washroom doesnt have lock! No line up on Thursday evenings read more

G was finishing their last assingment of the semester and it was a tough one! To celebrate, we decided to go on a spontaneous bubble tea adventure to a location we have never been to, and now we want to travel all the way to this location. First of all, the store is tiny but the atmosphere was warm and homey. The service was great and the barista was very helpful. G you see, is a true slytherin. They cannot stand the heat (ironically G is a Leo). Today's weather was sooo hot! So, G got the refreshing matcha peach snow valley with grassjelly, which was perfect to combat the heat. We recommend getting atleast 50% sugar because the matcha is a bit bitter (which is some good quality matcha). N on the other hand had already pulled up the menu on the way and was giddy about the tiramisu drink from their crunchy series. The tiramisu had so many great textures with the crushed ice, the Boba, the cornflakes, the thick creamy slush and the cocoa powder. It really did taste like a multi-texrured tiramisu as a drink-form, in a cup. If you like rich flavors and coffee hints, this is a must try for you. N got their's with regular sugar. Keep in mind that this drink only comes in the regular size, but it's literally a meal in a drink. N is still thinking about the drink and G drank half of N's drink. It was G's celebration, so they were let off the hook. Tiramisu: 10/10. Matcha peach: 8.5/10. 10/10 would come back again. read more

The Alley - Tiramisu crunchy series and peach matcha snow valley. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Friendly and helpful staff. The drinks tasted great and love the interior of the store. read more

The Alley - an open box with a drink in it - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

The Alley is delicious has a variety of tasty drinks. The only problem is half of the drink is Ice. Even when u ask for less Ice. I dont know about anyone but If I pay for a drink I expect to enjoy a whole drink. Not half a drink very very disappointing. But I still continue to go but really wish they cut half the ice out so I could actually enjoy a Full Cup of my drink and also I feel I pay for what I get I can stay home and fill my cup with ice for free read more

The Alley - Half a cup of Ice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

One trend that needs to stop is listing menu items under novelty names with no description somewhere else. It could be easily listed somewhere on an extended menu on the counter, some placard advertising a named drink but no, I have to ask the moody cashier about every single named item which there are 4 at last count on here. Disclaimer that I can't read Chinese which I guess, may have had a better description but anyways. I yolo ordered the Dark Knight because if you're a business that's confident in their drinks, a special named drink should be pretty good right? Well it turned out to be grass jelly flavor. Not really a fan of grass jelly haha. I got 3 other people to try the drink and they also confirmed that it was very grass jelly flavoured. This means that if you're a fan of that authentic grass jelly flavour, this is the drink for you! The tapioca was mediocre. It had trails of it sloughing off and the center was a bit harder so that it wasn't chewy. My drink was definitely true to its intended flavour. I'm curious to come back and try something else that I can identify from its name. Perhaps the deer flavoured deerioca? read more

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Came here twice already and both times were great. They do take their time making drinks, like at other The Alley locations. We got the deerioca with matcha drink which was phenomenal! it was my first time having brown sugar tapioca and it was so much different than the regular tapioca as it was warm, soft and chewy. I was so amazed at how great it tasted with the drink. It has opened my eyes to try brown sugar tapioca drinks at other locations. A little pricier but quality makes up for it. read more

The Alley - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

I've always liked the alley at this location. But it hasn't been consistent recently. I always get their jasmine green milk tea with no toppings regular sugar and ice. It had the right amount of creaminess where it's not too creamy it's sickening and just enough depth of tea flavour, but not over bearing or bitter with just the right amount of sweetness you need in your bubble tea. However, with the couple of times I've gone to this location to order the jasmine green milk tea, I have to say it's too creamy that you can barely taste anything at all..Can hardly taste the jasmine green tea. It's just cream and sugar! I don't know.. maybe the older workers from before had the magic touch? But I'm too afraid to get bubble tea and waste money when it's not even drinkable... read more

Tea flavor/ base is surprising. I am glad to give a try. My review is solely based on my ordered drink ~ iron goodness iced milk tea. The regular size is good to share with loved one. I ordered little sugar no ice. Outstanding taste from other bubbles tea. Iron goddess tea leaves fits well with milk, quite unique from green or black tea base Cons are high price and ling line up on the weekend. I would return to try other drinks such as winter series hot drinks which I included the picture attachment from my recent visit. Time limited winter series is now on!! read more

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The Alley now has a few stores in the GTA. I've been to the location on Main Street Unionville many times. On this night I was with friends having dinner at a restaurant in the same plaza. We decided after eating to hit a 'Bubble Tea' Joint. Just a few doors down we found The Alley, and it was packed. We waited a little while for the crowd to calm down a bit and went in. This is a smaller location but the staff there are on the ball, and very helpful as I was looking more for a juice drink on this visit than a Milk tea or Bubble tea. The Alley specializes in 'Deerioca' which is their version of tapioca. I've had the Deerioca a few times and I do like it. On this visit, I just wanted something sweet and not milky. My friend got their favourites and I got something I hadn't tried before. On the advice of one of the staff, I got an Orange Lulu a sweet, orangy juice drink that was ice cold and very refreshing. I highly recommend this location but be warned, at night this smaller location is very busy with the younger crowd, and you may have to wait a while for your drinks. Like most of the other Alley locations, the drinks are consistent and always very well made. read more

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Arrived just when they are about to open. Ordered passion fruit tea and Royal No. 2 milk tea. My friend said the passion fruit is spot on. However, there's inconsistent flavour in my milk tea. It was too plain at the top. I think the staff didn't mix it thoroughly. Tapioca is abundant is not to chewy or too soft. Tea is flavourful but the milk flavour was a bit short. Staff was courteous and patient. 4 out of 5. read more

Before becoming Vegan, the Royal No.9 and Iron Goddess were my favourite drinks. Since becoming vegan, my favourite drink is now brown sugar soy milk deeorica. I have attempt to ask many times in various ways for the staff to make Royal No. 9 and Iron Goddess with soy milk but no avail! Someday, perhaps when the stars align, the staff will change their mind and not follow the rules from head office so blindly and be open to making changes to the drinks! Fingers cross! read more

The Alley is always packed! Doesn't matter if I'm at Skycity, Commerce Gate or Yonge/Finch. There's always a line out the door... always. Out of all the bubble tea chains, The Alley tastes one of the best! Ingredients are usually of higher quality, tapiocas are prepared fresh in house and slightly sweetened, which results in paying premium pricing! Price ranges from $6-$8 for a cup of bubble tea. For a person that drinks bubble tea almost everyday, this is unaffordable. lol For some of their specialty drinks, like Deerioca Fever and Matcha Deerioca, you can't customize the ice and sugar level. Great to splurge once in a while, or everyday if you have the money. I only come here once a year, in the summertime, as a nice treat for myself. lol read more

The Alley - Deerioca fever. Tapioca is very nice!! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Located in Commerce Gate (right across from Korean Grill House). Plenty of parking available. I love their decor inside, a cozy Western style setup that specializes in serving Taiwanese bubble tea drinks. The place however is very small with limited seating, so best idea would be to buy and go. Staff are also nice and friendly, so don't be afraid to ask for recommendations and what's popular. What I like about drinking bubble tea is that there's always a variety to choose from and each place has their own signature drink. For this place, they have the Alley Trio Milk Tea and a Royal No 9 Milk Tea. I tried both and they have a consistent milk tea taste to it. It's not overwhelming strong, but I feel it's a little watery even when I selected with less ice. I also choose less sugar, so not sure if it will give a refreshing sweet taste if it's at regular level. But I really like their tapioca and royal jelly. I would come back again to try their specialized Northern Lights and Morning Dawn drinks, which seems to be a colorful layer drink served cold. read more

The Alley - The Alley Trio Milk Tea Regular with little sugar and less ice. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

I can't believe I never wrote a review for this place despite me coming here often. I live close to hwy 7 and warden but is always in the area for drinks, dessert and food, even facing countless traffic on hwy 7. This is the original Alley, the first to open in the GTA. I have here countless time since they first opened at commerce gate and never ever once did I ever received bad service. Even when they first opened and there was a long wait for drinks, there was never a negative impression left behind. All employees are polite, courteous, patient and welcoming. Each time you go to the counter, the employee always ask if you would like to try a sample of their current drink of the day. And once you paid for your drinks, they would ask if you were interested in a stamp rewards card. Buy ten drinks, get any drink for free! This front store is not very big and there are maximum 8 seats with chairs with table and three high chairs by the window. Despite its small size, this place is always cozy and sleek. Their logo aka the deer is very prominent in each store. I have tried almost every drink on the menu and my favourite is still their famous royal nbr 9, with a hint of blueberry. Milk tea not your cup of tea? the alley has a vast list of juices drink such as the apple of my eye, the kiwi slush, the guava lime etc. all very refreshing, especially with summer coming. I hope one day the alley offers a mango drink The plaza is very busy so sometimes, it may be hard to find parking. No sweat, just park underground and take the elevator or stairs up. read more

Haven't been to alley in so so long but when i have their drinks did not disappoint and you can actually taste the tea flavour. Royal No. 9 Milk Tea is a pretty solid choice, I've tried others but they really do make this very well! I'm not sure if it's the shape of the cup but i wish their regular size was bigger! Been wanting to pop in for a visit - maybe in February! read more

"Take me out back to the Alley," she said with sinful eyes and a dangerous smile. "And give me something I've never tasted before." He grinned mischievously, fingers on his pants. With a flick of his hand, he whipped out his wallet, and bought her a Royal No. 9 milk tea. No, it didn't happen like this (or maybe it did), but the Alley was so damn good that after the first round on Saturday, my friends and I went right back for another round on Sunday. We were offered samples of their signature Royal No. 9 and a small dish of their tea leaves was passed around for us to sniff. Yes, real tea in a bubble tea. What a twist! They also make their own tapioca, which I haven't gotten around to trying yet. Between all of us, we got: 1) Royal No. 9 - Love it. Milk tea with an interesting blueberry hint. 2) Penguin On The Ice - Some kind of ombre milk tea, which my friend said was good but nothing special. 3) Garden Milk Tea - Regular milk tea but with a cool floating surface of crushed oreo and mint leaf, making it look like a "garden". Cool for Instagram, not the greatest to drink, as the oreo crumble gets soft and mushy as it sinks into the drink. 4) Apple of My Eye - Apple cider drink so it's kind of sour, but very sweet and refreshing with citrus flavours. 5) Citron Soda - Looks pretty neat and apparently tastes pretty great too. Space is small and the seating is limited, but the decor is very unique. It's got a steampunk cafe kind of feel with an attachment to horned forest animals, which I can't say I've seen before. My friend's impression was "try-hard hipster" but I kinda like it. The prices are comparable to places like Chatime and Presotea, but without the teen attitude (Looking at you, Chatime). The wait can still get pretty long, but the people that work there are just so nice, you can't be mad! I think it's too late for me, I've become a fan. Saying goodbye now to the money I'm going to pour into this place. But hey, maybe I can start selling erotic fanfiction to fund my addiction. ;) (58/100) - 2016 read more

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Such a refreshing place compared to all the standard bbt chains that have been popping up. The place itself is small and pretty much between satan's home (chatime richmond hill) and coco. It's pretty hipster and has a whole hannibal feel to it. I dig the decor and the overall aesthetic - it's pretty much an instagram worthy place, with the deer and the pretty lettering. Even the seating inside is hipster. The owners, Vicky and Hongki (both who are super young and obviously successful for opening up their own business) are two of the nicest people and they greet and thank every customer coming in and out. The staff are very nice as well and offer you samples of their milk tea when you come in (which I unfortunately could not try). Their menu is vast and extremely different. I've seen flavours that will keep me coming back. I've tried their guava lime juice, which is super unique and flavourful! The lime zest in it makes it perfect. You can't adjust the sugar in it, but I do not think it's too sweet (coming from somebody who always gets zero % sugar in their bbt). I've also tried their sweet dew oolong, which was ahhhhmazing. Such a nice flavour without being too sweet or overpowering (less sugar, less ice is a gem) The coolest thing about this place is that they make their own tapioca (deerioca) fresh and there is a limited supply so if you want these cool FLAVOURED balls, definitely come at night after 8 on fri/sat. I'm a huge fan and I see a large future for the alley; it's definitely a breath of fresh air. read more

The Alley - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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After hearing soooo much about The Alley, I finally decided to try it on a rainy Sunday afternoon. To my great surprise, there was no line up and my order was taken the second I walked in. I selected the Deerioca and my partner ordered the Lemonway. The drinks were made fairly quickly and we walked out within five minutes. Upon trying the drinks, we were pleasantly surprised by the quality. The Deerioca tastes great at first but once the caramel is mixed into the drink, you are literally drinking plain soy milk. It needs another layer of flavour--some steeped tea would've been a great addition. Now for the bad. The Lemonway drink, despite being delicious had a fruit sticker inside the cup. The drink has a generous amount of lime peel mixed in, which I assume is where the sticker came from. This means: A. The limes were not washed prior to being zested B. The employees don't care enough to remove the sticker from the limes they're using Sadly, I won't be returning to this location due the obvious negligence. read more

The Alley - Lemonway and Deerioca - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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3.5 Star - 3 star for the drinks + 0.5 star for the service The Alley is a little dark but clean. The people working here is friendly and enthusiastic. They sincerely wanting you to have a great experience and enjoy their drinks. I was offered a sample of Royal #9 Milk Tea (Half Sweet). The tea was aromatic but a little watery milky and sweet for my taste. The Sweet Dew Oolong 雨露金荁 (Less Sweet) though is something I enjoyed more. A hint of vanilla aroma and a light taste of oolong tea. The Alley does have a lot of potential and I like their different varieties of drinks. I definitely would be back to try out other drinks. Commerce Gate now with 5 tea joints feels like the plaza of Taiwanese BBT. Welcome The Alley to the battle ground! read more

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There's already a lot of competition for bubble tea at Commerce Gate. After reading reviews and seeing photos from The Alley, I decided to come here on a Tuesday. The restaurant drops subtle hints at Harry Potter -- the "da" (Diagon Alley) stamps on stamp cards and the deer (Harry's patronus) motif. I enjoyed reading Harry Potter and I wanted to try something different. The restaurant is tiny, with only about 3 tables, so don't expect to find a spot when it's busy. For a Tuesday afternoon, this place was busy! The drinks don't come with photos or descriptive names, so I kept having to ask what's in each drink. I ended up getting a Trio, which is their traditional milk tea with tapioca, aloe, and jelly. It took a while since the staff was preparing all of the drinks, not pre-prepared like Chatime. I really liked the Trio. It had a nice flavor and I enjoyed the aloe and jelly. read more

The Alley - The Alley Trio Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

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Heard a lot of good things prior to coming to this location, so I decided to come see what the hype was all about! First impression of the establishment, it's a small and quaint little place. Not a lot of seating, but it wasn't too busy tonight (came at around 7:30 pm). A few different types of bubble tea, mainly more options for ones infused with milk, but still a selection of fruity flavours. Prior to my visit, I was recommended to try the Lime Honey with Aloe. It was an interesting combination. I liked the taste of the drink itself and the aloe, but there were also shredded pieces of lime peel that you would also get every time you took a sip. I guess some people like the extra taste of citrus, but for me, it was a bit too much. The texture was just not doing it. However, if that's what you fancy, by all means go for it! Overall, the experience was okay. The wait for 2 drinks was pretty long considering there weren't that many people in the store and drinks are on the pricier side, but I would want to come back again to try the different flavours (specifically the milk beverages). read more

Ordered the garden milk tea with tapioca. Also sampled a bit of their Jasmine Green Milk Tea. Honestly, overall experience I would say it's just 'OK'. The hype about this place was maybe because of the appearance, and the strong upfront taste. I had ordered a large drink, and my friend ordered the Trio. Both really good, but then we both realized that after halfway through the drink, the taste grew bland, and it tasted more like just ... milk. Though I still want to try other drinks, I wasn't an overall fan of both milk teas ordered. On the up side, the service was excellent. Explained the bubble teas I asked about very well. Friendly service. I sorta find it weird that they personally tasted the tapioca with a shot glass before making the drink (Quality control, yes), but from the other side of the counter, it looked like they weren't all that confident with the quality of their tapioca being served at the time. Verdict - I would go back and try something else that's not milk tea. Great service. If you're looking for flavourful bubble tea, I would just stick with the usual Chatime or Coco just around the corner. read more

The Alley - Garden milk tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

Finally got around to trying the CRUNCHY TIRAMISU MILK TEA from here which I had been drooling over for some time now. I was a little unsure about how much to adjust the sugar level, but I opted for half sugar and felt it was perfect. To be honest, this tasted like a more coffee and chocolate-y version of an Iced Cap from Tim Hortons, but elevated. The texture was rich, with a component of mousse incorporated which made the overall drink thicker and less ice-y. The incorporation of corn flakes was what made the drink "crunchy", which doesn't seem all to special but it paired well. Tapioca is also included which is nice 'cause it's always very QQ from The Alley. Unfortunately this is only offered in their regular size and is prized at $6.75 plus tax (WHEW) which I felt was very steep for what it is. A delicious beverage indeed, but probably won't purchase again (unless I have a free reward in my back pocket). read more

The Alley - Crunchy Tiramisu Milk Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Markham, Ontario

As much as i like drinks from here, my last visit at this location was terrible. Ive been here before whether the store was super busy or empty. But it was nothing like my last visit was on a Sunday afternoon. The line was all the way at the door. The three tables they had were all filled up on the two sides of the line. The store was so hot and stuffy i couldnt even breathe. The line up was about 20mins, took another 25mins for my drink to be served to us. 45 mins suffocating in a store for a cup of bbt. Not worth it no matter how good it is..... i had to walk out of the store to take a breather. The tiny store was packed with people and it def didnt feel like there was ac. Staff looked reli busy but drinks were still served slow af. On top of that, a staff decided to take a break while the floor was that busy. That left them with one on cash and two on drinks. On summer days like this, i do expect the store to be busy. But this is prob one of my worst experiences. read more

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Variety and taste-wise, they have a nice selection, and the drinks are all great. My only critique is that they almost NEVER have the Morning Dawn drink available, and their drinks are quite pricey. I really enjoy their Northern Lights drink, as well as their milk teas and hot chocolate. The place is really tiny (cute decor, though!), so the chances of finding a seat is slim, so it's best to be prepared to take your drink outside. read more

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This OG Alley is my favorite out of them all even though I know the formulate their drinks very specifically. although prices are a bit higher than your average bbt places (but many are appearing now with just the same price), I think that you do get your money's worth. Their pearls, whenever I go, are quite consistent in texture. Chewy yet some softness to it. As for their drinks. I NEVER get full sugar and yes the caps are necessary because getting full sugar is way too sweet. Half is already enough, but I normally go for no sugar. Their tapioca is not soaked with that much sugar (as mentioned by the owner) which is always a nice touch. My favorite drink is apple of my eye. simple with apple cider vinegar and ice with a bit of honey. Really refreshing and stimulates your gut. The jelly also adds a great texture to it. Not overly sweet and has a good sour kick to it from the vinegar. Not a fan of their aurora drinks. looks pretty but way too sweet. Not worth the price. My second go to drink is their sweet oolong. Creamy texture even without milk yet the oolong flavours are evident. With milk adds an extra layer of smoothness to it and sweetness so I get both, depending on my mood, and of course with tap! without works too. read more

Always been a fan of this place. Recently tried their Jasmine Milk Green Tea and it was pretty good. Royal #9 has always been my go to......but after having it every week.....52 times a year........I think it is time for me to pass the consistency to try something new....for the next 52 weeks LOL. On a serious note, probably one of the best places for bubble tea and pretty much my go to whenever I go with friends and colleagues. Overall, not much has changed except for lengthier wait times as is the case with any good restaurant/bbt/dessert place within the Markham area, just due to the fact of overpopulated growth and urbanization of city. The Alley will always have a place near and dear to my heart and will always be my top bbt place within the GTA and Toronto. On a side note, when I was a kid.......having a meal for $5 was already considered a luxury. Now I see kids coming out of here like ballers with 5-7 dollar drinks. Times have changed indeed. YOLO. read more

As i waited in line and checked in, Yelp told me it was like my 10th check-in here so alright, I guess it's time to write a review. This was the first The Alley location that I've tried, and I was INSTANTLY hooked. It's priced higher than all other other bubble tea stores around, but it tastes so good that it overrides the cheapass asian in me. I've tried a number of their drinks including royal no.9, Jasmine Green milk tea, garden milk tea, deerioca, morning dawn and northern lights. My favourite go to is the royal no.9 milk tea at half sugar, as i feel like the blueberry black tea already adds a sweetness to it. I prefer the northern lights over morning dawn, and i do want to point out that these drinks takes a little longer to make so expect that :) It's a small location but they are as efficient as they can be, so i don't have a sense of line abandonment even when the line goes out the door. They're polite and knowledgeable about their drinks, really showing a level of professionalism. I also love that i can redeem any drink/size with my points card - makes me actually feel rewarded. I do hope they keep this policy as they transition over to the app, though. read more