Spot of Tea - Union Market — Restaurant in Washington

After sampling half of their menu over the last year, I can finally say that Spot of Tea has officially solidified its spot as my go-to boba spot in DC. This humble little stall tucked in the back of Union Market has it all -- a delicious and perfectly crafted menu, friendly and efficient service, and simple yet adorable decor that creates a calming space in the middle of Union Market's bustle.

They have a great selection of teas that includes both classic favorites like Thai tea or your basic milk tea, but also a smattering of exciting new flavors / seasonal specials like mango hibiscus or calamansi ginger. If you're anything like me and struggle to make even the most basic of decisions, their menu also features decision guides, listing out caffeine levels, flavor profiles, and a one-line "why you should pick this drink" for quickly comparing between different options.

Regardless of which drink you choose, Spot of Tea is sure to satisfy any craving, whether it's for something rich and milky, fruity and refreshing, or just straight-up caffeine. It'll also include some of DC's best boba pearls, with the perfect chewy, QQ texture (or lychee jelly if you'd prefer). I also love that they default to using oat milk for all their drinks at no extra charge, although you can request a switch to dairy milk if you'd prefer.

While it's hard to pick a favorite from their phenomenal menu, a few stand-outs are: Mango Hibiscus (great for cooling down on a hot summer day) Mango Yuzu Black Tea (great for cooling down on a hot summer day...but also with caffeine) Hot Black Sesame Latte (who needs hot chocolate when you can have a rich, piping hot cup of black sesame latte / milk?)

In addition to their teas, they also create a delicious oat milk soft serve. You can either get matcha, black sesame, or a swirl of the two flavors -- my personal preference is always the swirl, but both flavors are great on their own as well. You would never guess its dairy-free from how rich and creamy it is, and their ice cream is the perfect level of sweetness, with the slightly bitter matcha and nutty sesame seeds breaking through the sugar.

All in all, I truly can't recommend Spot of Tea enough -- absolutely swing by to give their teas and soft...

Updated review 8/1/21: Fantastic customer service! After writing my previous review, Glenn, one of the owners, not only reached out to me to explain the situation behind my experience and apologize for the mistakes, but he also invited me back to sample other flavors on the house with him to get my input and figure out one that I liked! Talk about going above and beyond for customers. Got to figure out some flavors I liked, learned about the background of the shop, and got boba this time that was of the perfect consistency. So of course I've updated the score from two stars to five stars.

Previous review: Saw all the rave reviews so I decided to try it out. Maybe it was just a bad day, but my visit did not live up to expectations (Sunday, 7/25). First off, the boba was not made properly. It was very hard and not chewy at all. Maybe just a bad batch, but consistency is key. Second, the girl there would not stop chatting with customers and people who seemed like her friends. It was clearly delaying my drink and I wonder if it affected the quality of my drink as well with her being so distracted. Very poor customer service. Third, Blue Jasmine was just okay. Not sure what the hype is. Flavor was very light and not very distinguishable. Hardly tasted like anything. Maybe it's just not my type of drink, so I will go again sometime and try another drink. Hopefully the next time the boba and customer service will be much better. If so, I will...

Last Tuesday evening (August 15), I had the oddest experience I think I’ve had in a very long time. I walked up to the counter, the sister there was standing talking to another girl I think worked there, so I waited, and they kept talking. No one turned to look at me, no one acknowledged me, there was no one else in line. I was standing there and they just. Kept. Talking. It was insanely rude, but I figured they were closed because lots of places were closing, so I left.

However, I walked by later and the sister was still there. When I asked her if she was open, she said yes. So I said “oh, because earlier you guys were talking and I figured you were closed.“ Did she say “oh I’m so sorry or anything like that?” No. I love boba and was excited, so I started to order…then changed my mind. Why was I going to give someone money for being that disrespectful? If you don’t want to work somewhere, leave. No need to be insanely rude and lose customers for the business owner whom I’m sure worked hard to build their brand.

UPDATE: the owner was quick to address the problem, and I really appreciate the commitment to customer service. I will definitely try this company...