TP TEA – Millbrae — Restaurant in Millbrae

This afternoon, I went to buy two drinks: one matcha latte with QQ noodles, and the other Tieguanyin milk tea. The menu said Tieguanyin milk tea was a popular drink, so I decided to try something new. To my surprise, it was extremely sweet—like overly sweet. I ordered it with 50% sugar and regular ice, but it tasted like very sweet condensed milk mixed with milk powder. It was a complete disappointment. I strongly don’t recommend it to anyone who prefers less sweet drinks. The tea flavor wasn’t strong at all; it was just full of milk powder flavor. I ended up dumping the whole drink. At $7.50 per cup, it was such a waste, and I couldn’t even take another sip. On a scale of 1-10, I’d give the Tieguanyin milk tea a 1.

The other drink, matcha latte with QQ noodles, was also something I wanted to try as a new item, but it didn’t taste good either. I don’t recommend it. After drinking the matcha latte, my tongue felt like it was coated in powder—there was a heavy powdery texture. I ordered it with 30% sugar and regular ice, and while the sweetness level was fine, the matcha flavor wasn’t great. The only thing I liked about it was the QQ noodles. As someone from Taiwan who’s had authentic TP Tea in Taiwan, I really think TP Tea in the U.S. tastes terrible. There’s definitely room for improvement. For the matcha latte, on a scale of 1-10, I’d give it a 4, and I won’t be buying it again.

In the past, I used to order the black tea latte with QQ noodles at 30% sugar and less ice from the San Mateo location, and it tasted good, but I got tired of it and wanted to try something new. Since there was a new store in Millbrae, I thought I’d give the new drinks a try, but I ended up wasting $14. Both drinks were basically terrible! I’ll never randomly switch drinks again! If you want a good matcha latte, I still recommend the one from...

I was super stoked to discover that TP Tea opened a spot in Millbrae and it was everything I hoped for! They have an adorable and spacious interior with huge windows that makes the space feel open and inviting. What really stood out to me was that THEY HAVE SEATING. This is game changing for me because the San Mateo location doesn’t lol. They are also situated near many restaurants with lots of parking, making it the perfect spot to chill after a meal.

I ended my Friday night on a high note with friends, enjoying our favorite drinks and soaking in the relaxing vibes after dinner. It was the perfect way to unwind and wrap up the evening! I ordered my usual Tie Guan Yin, and it tasted noticeably more premium than at other TP Tea locations. It feels like the quality here is better and you can taste the difference. I also tried the Osmanthus Blossom, which was light and refreshing. I have to say, this location has definitely won me over and I’ll be coming...

I visit this location when in the area and experience is a hit or miss.

PROS:

It is pretty big and located in an area surrounded by good restaurants. They also just added bubble waffles to the menu! It is family-friendly and a great place to hangout with family and friends, even for a brief moment.

CONS:

Unlike another location, this one does not offer the option to add notes when ordering through the Snackpass app. I usually ask for the brown sugar boba milk tea to be split into two cups at the other location and they do so no problem. When I asked this location if they are able to split cups for drinks, they said "only when we're not busy". When I asked if they could split the cup for the brown sugar boba milk tea specifically, I was told it was not possible because of the cream and sugar that they put on top even after I shared that the other location does so all the time. I found it a bit odd, but understand each branch...