
The popularity of Asian food in the Columbus area now extends to a beverage. Bubble tea, created in Taiwan during the 1980s, usually contains milk and sugar along with a wide range of "toppings." While these add-ins include red beans, pudding and jelly, the most common one is tapioca pearls that give bubble tea its distinctive, Instagram-ready look.
Whether you're a bubble tea newbie or long-time fan, you'll find your perfect drink at these wonderful tea and juice shops (and one sushi joint!) around Columbus.
809 Bethel Road, Columbus, OH 43214
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If you want a primer on bubble tea, head to The Brewed Leaf. Customers rave about the authenticity and wide range of drink options available. In addition to tapioca pearls, you can choose from toppings such as wild rice, red bean, pudding, and aloe. The Brewed Leaf even has tea topped with a layer of cream cheese, a popular variation in China that gives the tea a welcome savory touch. Settle in with your drink over one of the board games the shop keeps on hand. Hours are 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily.
2781 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43202
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It may not be a traditional culinary duo like spaghetti and meatballs or bacon and eggs, but Chicken & Tea has become a favorite combo around Columbus. The food truck serves bubble tea along with traditional Taiwanese fried chicken dishes, including their signature giant chicken cutlet that's the size of your head. Complete your meal with sweet potato fries or fried broccoli, green beans, or mushrooms. Chicken & Tea operates March through November, so check their Facebook page for updates. Standard hours are 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. weekdays and 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. weekends.
982 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43201
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ZenCha Tea Salon has the elegantly soothing ambiance you associate with drinking tea. ZenCha's mission of promoting international tea arts is accomplished by their professionally-trained "tea ambassadors," who are charged with providing elite customer service and helpful knowledge to all customers. The tea menu lists nearly 100 options from Asia, Europe and Africa, while bubble tea comes in delicious flavors such as peach, hazelnut, and caramel. Enjoy classic afternoon tea, including finger sandwiches, scones, and petite sweets, weekdays from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Stop in from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday, when brunch is served all day.
921 E. Johnstown Road, Columbus, OH 43230
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East meets West at Pochi Café with its blend of bubble teas and made-to-order sub sandwiches crafted with fresh meats and cheeses. Sandwiches like chicken parmesan, cheesesteak, and Italian come in 6-, 10- and 20-inch sizes. Other drink choices include smoothies with exotic flavors such as taro-coconut, peach-lychee, and mango-passion fruit. The updated diner-style seating area suits Pochi Café's stated belief in "The Art of Relaxing." Hours are 10:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. weekends.
2899 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43202
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Like a little karaoke with your bubble tea? Little Moon Café & Tea hosts Karaoke Night every Saturday from 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. With other regular events such as Monday Game Nights and Tuesday Euchre League, the charming café is a great place to hang out with old friends and make new ones. Each Monday at 1:30 p.m., Little Moon also serves as the base for Clintonville Entrepreneurship Center, a community resource for current and aspiring small business owners. Little Moon is open daily from 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. except Friday and Saturday, when hours are extended to 10 p.m.
1502 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43201
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How good is the bubble tea at Knobu Sushi? Satisfied customers talk about the bubble tea as much as they do the sushi. What makes Knobu Sushi's bubble tea so special? The right degree of sweetness, size of the tapioca pearls and pearl-to-tea ratio. Sushi itself comes primarily in three different forms: rolls, burritos, and poke bowls, with each order customized for your choice of ingredients. Hours are 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
1440 Bethel Road, Columbus, OH 43220
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"Life is uncertain ... eat dessert first." Sometimes you just want to get down to the good stuff, and those are the times you head to Wali Dessert. Bubble tea fits perfectly into their menu of ice cream, smoothies, juices, and baked goods. Sit back in one of the comfy chairs or couches and indulge your sweet tooth. Order online for quick take-out. Wali Dessert is open noon - 10 p.m. every day but Tuesday.
5025 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43214
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Want a light lunch to go with your bubble tea? Tea Zone Bakery & Café fits the bill. The menu features ramen and udon, two classic noodle dishes, along with lunch boxes that include your choice of protein with rice and kimchi. Be sure to try the bingsoo, a traditional Korean shaved ice dessert topped with fruit, ice cream, and other yummy add-ins. Don't leave without picking up some of the amazing baked goods such as potato bacon bread, apple fritters, or fresh fruit cake. Hours are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
3951 Easton Square Place E., Columbus, OH 43219
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Add a little variety to your bubble tea at Koko Tea Salon & Bakery. Instead of tapioca pearls, go with popping pearls filled with strawberry, mango, or peach juice. Koko specializes in cupcakes, another sweet treat with widespread popularity. Mix and match from the extensive list of cake and icing flavors that includes salty caramel, cake batter, peppermint, and Hawaiian coconut. If you want a more classic tea experience, Koko's downtown location at 361 E. Broad St. is open exclusively as a tea house. Events include lunch hour teas, traditional high teas, mimosa teas, kids' teas, and themed teas. Reservations are required. Hours at Easton Square are 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon - 6 p.m. Sunday.
1990 N. High St., Columbus OH 43201
The name may not be literal, but it's close. Between bubble tea, fresh tea, slushes, espresso, and punch, Millions of Milk Tea has a seemingly endless number of beverage options. While beverages are the main event, Millions of Milk Tea also has a similarly impressive menu of Chinese appetizers, soups, and entrées. You could probably eat lunch AND dinner every day for a year without ever repeating a meal. Millions of Milk Tea is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Which beverage found in Columbus fits you to a "tea?"

Here at Cutler Real Estate, we love food in every form! More specifically, we love the diverse groceries and authentic items found in the unique purveyor shops that stock everything from meat and cheese to exotic spices and sauces. With a calendar full of meals to fill, we want our shopping list to be as tasty as possible.
If you're looking to introduce new cultures and cuisines into your diet, you've come to the right place. On this list, you'll find twelve of the finest specialty and gourmet food shops around Northeast Ohio that deliver the world's flavor right into your shopping cart.
An homage to fromage, Fromage du Monde welcomes Canton residents into a world of cheese. This artisan cheese house is ready to serve you selections of the finest cheeses sourced from regions around the globe. Sample a few favorites with their cheese flight, pair the best cheeses and meats on their charcuterie board, or order up a cheese panini and cup of homemade soup for lunch. Interested in becoming a cheese connoisseur? They'll gladly teach you how to "speak cheese."
While we love a good cappuccino, we also love to curl up with a book and a nice cup of tea on a cold, wintery Ohio day. What better place to stock up on everything tea than the Ohio Tea Company? Opened in November 2015 by Terry Gabet, Ohio Tea Company is your source for loose-leaf teas ranging from favorites like Earl Grey and English Breakfast varieties, to herbal blends like Berry Blues and Lemon Ginger. Don't forget to stock up on tea filters and an infuser to start enjoying tea on a grand scale.
The right oils can lend remarkable flavor to any dish. At The Olive Tap in Medina, you have the opportunity to taste the difference and experience the quality that has earned the freshest olive oils and balsamic vinegars industry acclaim. They carry a selection of gourmet specialty foods like pastas, tapenades, olives, sauces, salsas, and jams to help you curate a meal precisely to your desired taste. Hoping to test out a few new recipes? The folks at The Olive Tap will be happy to suggest tasty dinners you can prepare with their oils.
3441 Tuttle Road Ste 103, Shaker Heights
Spice up your pantry while supporting your local Northeast Ohio nonprofits by shopping at Spice For Life. Spices, herbs, salts, peppercorns, chili peppers, and seasoning blends are all on deck at this stall within the Van Aken District Market Hall. While their products will make your plate a tastier place, their kindness makes our world a better place too. All of their profits are donated to various nonprofit organizations throughout the area that support human trafficking victims and prevent future instances of this prevalent problem in Ohio.
You don't need to travel across the Atlantic Ocean for the best European foods — simply head to the west side of I-71 in Brunswick and stop at European Specialty Food Market. Check off your entire grocery list as you shop their imports of meat, fish, cheese, pastries, sweets, and alcoholic beverages. Get a jar of borsch, just like grandma used to make. Cook up a fresh smoked sausage from Hungary, kielbasa from Poland, or weisswurst from Germany. Wash it all down with French wine or a Belgian beer, and you'll be overjoyed that you can eat so well without a passport.
Heinen's Grocery Store is a Cleveland institution. Since the 1920s, this butcher shop turned grocery store has been the one-stop-shop for everything you need to fill your refrigerator and pantry. Among their inventory of fresh, frozen, and packaged foods, Heinen's also carries local favorites from the state in nearly every department. Experience Ohio the way it was meant to be tasted by loading your shopping cart up with produce, cheeses, meats, and pastries from local farms, butcheries, and bakeries.
A hidden gem that you must unwrap, Mel's Sweet Shop lets you indulge your confectionary cravings. Once known as Penny's Sweet Supplies, Mel's is a cake decorating and baking supply store full of delicious goodies. They'll make sure you're stocked with the molds, frosting, fondant, and candy you need to make any sweet treat. Keep an eye on their calendar, too — they host candy making and cake decorating classes throughout the year. Just do us a favor and save a bite for us.
25650 Aurora Road, Bedford Heights
Say hola to the vibrant tastes of Latin America at Las Americas Latin Market & Restaurant. This specialty grocery store is full of flavor and ready to give your meals a little Latin flair. If you're new to Latin foods, you're in luck! Las Americas is also a restaurant. They serve up delicious Mexican and Peruvian cuisine so you can sample, savor, and plan your next meal.
Authentic South Asian groceries and cuisine are available at Sunny's Asian Food. This family-owned establishment lures you in with their sweet complimentary chai and aromas that tempt you to venture over to their kitchen in the back of the store. Serving up homemade Indian foods all week, we dare you to taste an item off of their menu and try to leave empty-handed. Once you sample their authentic offerings on the all-you-can-eat buffet, you'll fill your hands with as many groceries as you can carry so you can make these South Asian staples at home.
Cheese and mustard — you need both in your refrigerator, and Old Brooklyn Cheese Company has them ready for you. Not only do they carry local, domestic, and imported cheeses, but they also produce their own raw milk cheeses using milk from Hartzler Family Dairy in Wooster. The Old Brooklyn Cheese Company cheeses are only rivaled by their handmade mustards — or as they like to call them, Cleveland Caviar. Grab both, get home, and savor the flavor of Cleveland's finest cheese and mustard pairings.
8064 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls
We don't have just one reason why we love Grand Pacific Popcorn Company — we have nearly 40! #1: Cheddar Pretzel Ale. #2: Bulldog Blend. #3: Red Cinnamon. Better yet, why don't you pay a visit to their shop in the Grand Pacific Junction and sample their savory, sweet, and seasonal flavors. While you're there, pick up some old-fashioned candy and soda to keep your sweet tooth satisfied all year long.
14492 Pearl Road, Strongsville
Jerky, smokies, sauces, and snacks — the best of the best are available at Jerky -n- Spice. They've got palate-pleasing variations of beef jerky, turkey jerky, exotic game smokies, seasonings, salsas, condiments, and sauces that cater to every taste imaginable. Where else in Ohio can you taste kangaroo, ostrich, alligator, buffalo, and antelope in the same shop? If you'd like to make your own sausage or jerky at home, they'll provide you with a kit and give you a few tips.
Where's your go-to destination for specialty and gourmet foods around Northeast Ohio? Let us know in the comments!