“It’s more than just a bubble tea shop,” say the team bedding Ohayo Tea in Chinatown. After stirring the leaves and seeing what rises to the top, it’s not hard to understand what they mean. First of all, this is the first tea company in Manchester to use freshly brewed varieties in all its fruit tea series. And, secondly, only premium ingredients are used in all drinks. So, whether you want a cup that tastes like it was picked from a tree this morning or understand the value of tapioca pearls, it’s hard not to be impressed by what’s getting poured out here.
The menu itself is packed with a host of unique options and flavours, with several immediately jumping at first-time visitors. For example, the Taro Tapioca Milk Tea, Brown Sugar with Tapioca Milk and Cheese Crème Foam, or purple-hued Quencher. This is before we start on the sugar fiend’s corner, where you’ll find in-house creations like Brown Sugar, Tapioca Milk and Biscoff. Almost everything can be customised and made bespoke, guaranteeing guests get exactly what they want, exactly how they like it in terms of sweetness level, quantities of ice, and specialist toppings. This includes catering to vegans, with the vast majority of items easily adjusted with soya products to offer the same taste with none of the animal produce.
Priding themselves on exceptional customer service — with knowledgeable staff essentially acting as a tea barista or sommelier, ready to make recommendations based on individual requests — at the heart of their tea shop is their Shiba mascot. Made famous through cryptocurrency, well before the Dogecoin, Ohayo Tea had already decided to use the super-cute Shiba Inu breed of dog as its theme, and the tearoom sells an extensive range of merchandise featuring the hound. Umbrellas, hoodies, and plenty more are all available to buy, ensuring guests have a one-of-a-kind souvenir to take with them long after the brew runs dry.