torotea — Restaurant in Diamond Bar

I’ve visited ToroTea 3 times within a week because my first visit left a wonderful impression. I’m not from the area, but willing to drive for good quality tea. If you’re tired of the typical boba tea shops that are filled with artificial flavorings/powders, unhealthy syrups and fluff that mask the poor quality tea flavor, then you will be in for a treat at ToroTea.

The moment I walked in, I was captivated by the beautiful minimalistic aesthetic. Everything was artfully arranged, and being a creative, that truly speaks to my heart. I was greeted by cheerful staff that were knowledgeable about the selections they offer. I’m an indecisive person and like to know all my options 😅. They told me the tea is all imported and custom-selected from Taiwan. Although they don’t carry “boba” here, they make all their jelly-like mochi chewies from scratch daily, and naturally flavor them with teas and natural sweeteners.

The moment of truth was when I received my first drink: the jasmine oolong with osmanthus jelly. Since I prefer less sugar in my drinks, I ordered “less sweet”, even though they told me their “perfect sweet” is not as sweet as your traditional tea shop. It was perfectly sweetened to my liking and I could taste the floral, slightly woody flavor of the jasmine oolong. There was no bitter aftertaste, and the chewy osmanthus jelly added an additional layer of floral that I really enjoyed. This first drink has become my favorite out of the others that I tried, which were all tasty but different in flavor profile. I ordered my husband the Zesty Oolong with assam black tea jelly, which had a nice, refreshing hint of citrus. The tea jelly further enhanced the flavors. He is selective with his tea drinks and was really impressed when I brought it home, even though it was an hour after the drink was made.

Some other drinks we have tried and really enjoyed was the Koan-Im milk tea. Another friend compared it to the Metal Buddha milk tea from Orobae in Irvine (which has been closed and we were really bummed about, but now we found a better option without the crazy lines!). I’m sensitive to lactose and milk protein, but didn’t have any issues with their milk teas.

When I met Amery, who is the owner, she mentioned that they use high quality creamers from Ireland. She shared how she is passionate about high-quality teas and has been doing all the research to ensure each drink has been thoughtfully crafted, and it shows. She was very open to honest feedback, which I really appreciated.

I’ve shared ToroTea with several of my friends and family, and those who have tried their teas have been hooked. My kids also love it, especially their jellies! If you’re thinking about coming here, give it a chance and you might find yourself appreciating the art of tea, and coming...

Update: This has become our staple to go boba place. Now that the initial hype has dropped it’s much faster to get your drink orders and there are no longer any drink maximums. However it’s definitely still busy especially on the weekends and a line will form. They’ve opened online ordering which was fast and convenient. Place your online order and then you’ll get another email when your order is ready. They’ll also call it out in store.

Original post- (10/10 would get again, lovely brewed milk tea. The line is generally about 8-15 people deep regardless of when you go on the weekdays. You can only get 2 drinks per person during the weekdays and 1 drink per person during the weekends.)

Drink flavors:

Popcorn Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Mochi- strong fragrant popcorn flavor, roasted sweet, buttery. This is a favorite for my mom

Koan-Im Oolong milk tea- A more roasted oolong milk tea. I like it with the osmanthus jelly to make it more floral. This is a classic for my bro with their brown sugar mochi for a more sweet roasted flavor.

Jasmine oolong milk tea- I wish it was a stronger Jasmine flavor. You can taste some oolong. This might have been more milky as a one off but the tea flavor wasn’t as strong as I was hoping.

Crème Brûlée milk with brown sugar mochi- It’s pretty much self explanatory. The perfect sweet is still sweet without making your teeth ache too much imo. If you’re not a sweet person or you want something with tea, I would not get it. Husband likes this (he normally wants the brown sugar milk tea with boba full sweet at most places) but thinks he might prefer the extra sweet.

Misty oolong- More basic oolong milk tea good with the brown sugar mochi. More oolong than the Jasmine Oolong

Osmanthus citrus refresher with osmanthus jelly- Refreshing and light, the jelly is sweeter than the drink. I would personally consider getting extra sweet but that would probably make it more lemonade than an osmanthus refresher so feel free to disregard. Others like it as the perfect sweetness since the jelly adds to the drinks overall sweetness.

Calamansi Oolong Twist- Good oolong tea mixed with calamansi ?syrup. Refreshing but not too sweet flavor. It’s more tart than the osmanthus refresher. I like adding osmanthus jelly for extra sweetness and a floral flavor. Probably wouldn’t go with the brown sugar mochi for this one as it would overpower the...

Osmanthus Citrus Refresher - Just as the name suggests, the Osmanthus Citrus Refresher is refreshing, light, and feels like a breath of fresh air. Initially, I tried it sweetened, but it was too sweet for my taste. The second time, I opted for no sweetness, and it was perfect. The quality of the ingredients shone through, making it a perfect choice for a warm day.

Popcorn Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Tapioca Mochi - This drink was a surprising hit, especially for my mom, who usually isn't a fan of milk tea. The lightly roasted aroma was delightful, and we both enjoyed it unsweetened, which provided just the right balance without the bitterness often found in traditional unsweetened milk teas. The brown sugar tapioca mochi added a lovely chewy texture that complemented the drink well.

Mulberry Oolong - My personal favorite! The Mulberry Oolong was light, refreshing and suitable for any weather. The little mulberries at the bottom were a delightful surprise. I found myself slurping the straw to get every last drop because it was that good. Unsweetened, it hit the perfect note for me.

Misty Oolong - A good cup of oolong always hits the spot, and Torotea's Misty Oolong did not disappoint. It was very good and I highly recommend it to oolong tea lovers. The flavor was spot on and satisfying.

The most significant plus for me was that none of the drinks upset my stomach, which is a huge bonus. I highly recommend giving these drinks a try, especially if you prefer them...