T&T Cafe [Chinatown]

T&T Cafe in Chinatown, San Francisco

T&T Cafe first opened on the edge of SF Chinatown in 2016 and has been serving locals and visitors ever since. They have a variety of toppings and tea flavors for you to try out as well as snacks that many people seem to enjoy (heard their popcorn chicken was the bomb). This isn't a place for those seeking an insta-worthy cafe to hang out at - this place doesn't have their own cups nor does it have a "boba" neon sign. However, their service, variety of choices, affordable drinks ($3.75 for a regular Jasmine Milk Tea), and quality of boba remind me of a family-owned store in a mall in Asia and that is the reason to check out this place and support their business!

Here's the breakdown:

Tapioca Balls:

The balls were good overall but had its drawbacks compared to many other boba places I've visited. Some of the balls were definitely a bit too chewy and hard so that it made it more difficult to enjoy the drinks itself as you were chewing every other tapioca ball. However, it was pretty good for a place that had a less than 30 second wait time once you ordered.

Overall Taste:

After my first sip, I wanted to declare that place a complete fail for me because of how bitter it was compared to what I was expecting from boba, especially knowing that many places in Chinatown make it too sweet. However, my consecutive sips made me understand and appreciate the drink a lot more. The bitter aftertaste was jasmine and herbs as if this milk tea was actually just brewed loose leaf jasmine green tea with a bit of milk added. It wasn't sweet but I could feel the jasmine - it was the first place that seemed to have such tasteful drink where the actual tea is not hidden under the sweetness or the added milk.

Sugar Levels:

I wasn't able to choose the sweetness level but that actually made it even better in terms of taste. It made me realize that there is potentially a reason so many places, especially in Chinatown, don't customize their drinks as they know exactly what tastes good.

Ice Levels:

I had my drink on a very cold day in San Francisco so even the minimum level of ice would've made it pretty cold. The drink didn't taste watered down at all and the cup wasn't filled with too much ice.

Boba:Drink Ratio:

The ration of boba to the actual drink was perfect - you are able to finish the boba together with the drinks without leaving any behind.

Overall Rating: 6/10

Go visit T&T Cafe at 601 Broadway and let me know your thoughts in the comments!