Tea Top — Restaurant in Ellicott City

I grew up drinking bubble tea in Philly, NY, as well as when I’d visit my family in Taiwan. Have also tried all the Local Bubble tea shops in the EC/Columbia area, and Tea Top surprised me with their authenticity the first time I visited. The fact that they use real taro (not the fake purple powder stuff) and brew their own teas stood out to me. When I see too many fruity bubble tea options at other places, I already know they are using powders to make their selection of bubble tea. Their bubbles are fresh and the perfect texture. Their jelly options, coconut jellies, sago and popping boba, brings me back to my childhood. Their milk foam is so delicious with a sprinkle of matcha powder on top. It mixes well with the drink or you can mix it less and sip from the top, allowing you to taste the milk foam and then the tea. I really liked that they also serve a nice variety of food options. Their fried chicken steak sandwich on a steamed bun is delicious, and their coconut shrimp is crispy and a perfect option to go with a bubble tea order. Make sure to get the sweet chili sauce. My fave drinks are: Oolong Milk Foam with bubbles- since Oolong has that delicious earthy flavor and the bubbles are soaked in brown sugar. Yum. Orange Green Tea with coconut jellies- I love that it is fresh squeezed orange juice. Wintermelon Green Tea with Milk Foam- I ask for jasmine tea instead of regular green tea. Delicious. Some people get frustrated with the wait time, but I understand why it fluctuates. They are hand mixing each and every drink ordered, and I’ve never seen such a popular place get 10-15 drink orders for one order before. Seriously, their tea is so good there are customers showing up with large group orders.

If you want the authentic mom and pop feel of fresh brewed tea and hand mixed drinks, you have to wait sometimes.

They have an online ordering website now!!...

The drinks here are absolutely delicious. About a year ago, I began to try the food and love the sushi sandwiches for quick on the go snacks. They are seasoned perfectly and I always get a side of spicy mayo.

I recently stopped in and wanted to try something different. I was a bit disappointed because the teens in the front were not aware of the food menu items. They were innocent in their replies "We work out front, the cook makes that." I asked if they could ask the cook what was in the specified item, unfortunately they replied she speaks Chinese. Then they said "try it, its good." As someone who does not have allergies, ok, but there are some ingredients I do avoid. To rectify this concern, a book with ingredients at the front can be helpful. In most restaurants/quick service, the front of house is aware of the whole menu. I personally suggest more training for the front of house or an allergy/ingredients binder for the...

I went to Tea Top right after going to Tiger Sugar, and I would honestly just go to Tea Top rather than Tiger Sugar if I were in the area. Tea Top was a great experience, and my friends that lived around the area all got drinks from Tea Top rather than Tiger Sugar (if that tells you anything). The two drinks that I was able to try were the Signature Alpine Green Tea and Fresh Milk Trifecta. Overall I thought the drinks were good and I think the best part about this place is that the drinks are very different. I have been to many different boba places, and this was the first time I had heard of these first two flavors. The boba was made well as it didn't feel too soft or hard, and tasted like boba should. The service was good and the drinks were fairly priced as well. I would definitely recommend this place to people that are in Ellicott City or are just...