Bôn Tea House — Restaurant in Centreville

I was incredibly bummed when I found out that Bon Matcha closed last year. However, I was incredibly excited to find out that Bôn Tea House was opening in Centreville - bigger and better than ever! My wish back in 2018 came true, and Bôn Tea House is now a sit-down cafe.

Opposite their small carryout window as Bon Matcha, the space they now occupy as Bôn Tea House is very spacious. One can actually sit down to enjoy their soft serve or beverage! I love the cozy, zen atmosphere and minimalist decor.

Their menu still features their signature matcha soft serve. They also rotate in seasonal flavors (i.e., honeydew, strawberry, cherry blossom, misugaru) that you can find on their Instagram (@bonteahouse). In addition to soft serve, they have drinks like matcha latte, matcha limeade, and matcha colada. The quality of matcha that they use is an organic ceremonial grade sourced straight from Kyoto. Again, seasonal flavored drinks are also on rotation. What's more, they launched an espresso program in early July and feature coffee and classic espresso drinks using Lost Sock Roasters. The menu continues to expand, and I can't wait to see what other items pop up.

I've been here a couple of times since their opening in Centreville. The soft serve is just as spectacular as it was when it was Bon Matcha in D.C. You can't go wrong with a swirl matcha cone or cup. I've also had their matcha limeade and matcha latte, both of which were very refreshing.

If you haven't tried Bôn Tea House, you need to go experience one of the best matcha soft serves and drinks...

March 2022 Excellent matcha soft serve ice cream! Honestly the best matcha soft serve I've ever had 😋. Service was pretty good, but I think they need to hire more people. There was only one staff member when we visited, and while the guy was efficient, it still takes a while to make the special drinks.

The place itself is neat, clean, and open with a few plants for decoration. There's a variety of benches, high chairs, and normal height seating and tables around the place. There are two bathrooms in the back, but I can't remember if they're unisex or not. There is a hanging divider at the order counter.

The lone staff member was friendly and efficient (and wore a mask). He made sure to give us a napkin and spoon with each of our soft serves. Sadly, he didn't pile on as much ice cream as they used to at Bon Matcha. Either they're changing things up or the staff need more training/practice. The prices are a little bit lower than Bon Matcha's, so it could be the former reason.

Interestingly, they have a rewards program. Not exactly sure what they offer, but I would have definitely signed up if I lived closer 😣. Best...

I love supporting local businesses, and I never leave negative reviews for them—but this experience was too frustrating to ignore. I’m a huge matcha fan and have been coming here regularly because of how well they use it in their drinks. But lately, the service has been beyond disappointing.

As a regular, I expect at least decent treatment, but instead, I feel like I don’t matter. The biggest issue? They don’t actually serve until closing time. I understand if it’s a few minutes before closing and you need to start cleaning machines—but 15 minutes before close is outrageous.

Tonight, I tried to order 15 minutes before closing, and they flat-out refused, saying, “Sorry, we’re not making drinks.” When I tried to respond, they turned away and ignored me. What made it worse? The place was still full of people, and others were still ordering without an issue. So why was I denied?

I come here multiple times a week, even going out of my way to support this business. But after this experience, I won’t be coming back. It’s disappointing when a small business, which relies on loyal customers, treats them like an...