I love this place---all of its locations are wonderful. Great food, great drinks, and personable staff. No matter whip shop I go to, I feel well taken care of and always leave happy. They are super cute as well :) read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Awesome iced coffee made by Lucas! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

We would've walked right by the place if my son didn't see in the window. Very easy to walk by, but you don't wanna miss it! This place was scrumptious!! I had a Dulcato, which is similar to the Rhode Island favorite Coffee Milk, and a heated chocolate croissant!! Absolutely delicious! read more

See all

I've been to the Newport location of Empire Tea & Coffee many times, but I just visited the Bristol location for the first time. 1 - The location of this shop is everything. It's right on the gorgeous Bristol Harbor & within walking distance of all of the cute offerings of downtown Bristol. It's basically connected to the Bristol Harbor Inn, so if you're staying there, you'll have caffeine just a few steps away. 2 - It's adorable. I've never seen built in mini "booths" quite like these before. There are outlets EVERYWHERE & a good, strong wifi signal. I sat & worked for a few hours, & it was comfortable & stayed at a manageable noise level. There are huge windows facing both the harbor & the street & they let in a wonderful amount of light. I can imagine this spot being a super cozy option to get your caffeine fix & your vitamin D fix in the winter. 3 - There are so many drink options & specials. I stuck with my usual (iced vanilla latte with oat milk & cinnamon) & it was the smoothest & maybe even the best latte I've ever had. 4 - There are plenty of options for meals & snacks, but as soon as my eyes found a gluten-free blueberry muffin, that's all I wanted. I asked if they could heat it up for me & they did. Phenomenal. 5 - Sweet staff! Efficient & kind. Tip your barista! read more

See all

I recently visited Empire Tea in Bristol. This was my first time visiting this location. I am participating in the Rhode Island Food Fights Coffee Challenge. This shop made my top 3. They had a special drink for the challenge called Dulcato. It was so good. Strong coffee flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. I also ordered a piece of chocolate babka that was also delicious. There was lots of parking available near the location and there were about 6 tables available to sit down. It is also right near the water, so a great location to walk around with your coffee afterwards. If you are in Bristol, you should definitely check it out. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Still unhappy they voided my earned points, my points were earned, first time back since I found out they voided my points, I didn't add to a new point score because why bother. read more

Stopped in before seeing the ships docked at the pier for 4th of July. Ordered the Bee Sting latte (Summer special) and the plant based brekkie. Everything came quickly. I've ordered this latte before at the Newport location and it came out different. I think it was missing the cayenne pepper and some other ingredients because it did not taste the same which was kinda disappointing yet still good. The brekkie was excellent and I would order it again! Vibe: Relaxed, Casual, Cozy Service: Attentive, Friendly Pricing: Budget-friendly Special Features: Small outdoor seating in the back with a view of the harbor. Located right in downtown. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - The Bee Sting and plant based brekkie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

First time at Empire, and I'm hooked. Vanilla Iced coffee was chef's kiss! The berry tea was impeccable. Customer service was top notch. Vibes were all positive. Please stop by! It's a great establishment with great offerings. You will love it. Trust me! read more

See all

I thought I had ordered online but it hadn't gone through. Luckily it didn't matter because service was so quick. It was great!

A sweet coffee shop in a great location. A nice variety of drink and food options for such a small place. My vanilla latte was delicious. Service was great. I had a yogurt bowl that was also great. Not a ton of seating but certainly enough. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Harbor view - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Bacon and egg bagel breakfast sandwich and coffee were fresh and very good. So was the açaí bowl. We tried a chocolate chip donut too which was different and yummy. All the pastries looked so good. Service was quick. We took it outside and ate by the water. Great experience. read more

Cute little local tea room. Always pleasant and helpful with variety's offered. First time having a London fog tea. Delicious! Love taking a walk in the morning downtown and stopping in before my way home. read more

It's a great spot to stop for an iced tea or coffee on a hot day. They even sell bags of coffee to go which make great gifts if you are in town visiting. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - View from inside to the water - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Empire Tea & Coffee is a quality cafe that never disappoints! If you are a huge bubble tea lover like I am, then you will love that Empire offers various bubble tea flavors (which is difficult to find around here!) The coffee and food menu selection is fairly limited compared to some other cafés, but the staff are incredibly friendly and the coffee is delicious! Empire Tea & Coffee is on the water, where you can easily access the docks to walk along Bristol Harbor. There are many local businesses in the area, and various areas for public parking. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Pomegranate Bubble Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Very small - but powerfully good. We stopped in on the way to Newport. I wanted to use my RI Food Fight Iced Coffee Celebration coupon at this location, though, based on other Yelp reviewers' comments (thank you, Morgan C!) and wasn't disappointed! I like the interior, with its combination stark and welcoming interior. My husband & I thought the private two-tops were ingenious: very comfortable, which they wouldn't seem to be at first glance, and with adequate room despite their limited use of space. My iced coffee was excellent, and the pastry solid. I may actually have to visit one of the Newport outposts too, even though it was my goal to use coupons every day & not pay for an individual cup of coffee all month. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

So today I was taking a nice stroll in this lovely town when I became quite parched. I then stumbled upon Empire Tea and Coffee and knew it would hit the spot... well I was wrong. I was greeted with a rude welcome and a little bit of attitude. I tried to brush it off but I kept hitting hit with tragedies. Other than the fact that this place is extremely overpriced, they are also slow, AND refused to warm up my cookie. The place was a ghost town and it took 15 minutes to make my drink. When I finally received said drink, I was astonished. Not only did it taste like trash on the side of the road, there were three pubic like hairs in my drink and a bunch of random debris. I immediately threw out and felt disgusted. I will not be coming back to this place after this terrible experience and I still feel disgusted. Thanks a lot for ruining my day Empire... I would've been better off drinking sewer water. read more

Super quick, super small-gorgeous views. Too small but it was a beautiful day so took my lucky charms latte down to the water and sat on a bench. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Lucky Charms Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

I love Empire Tea & Coffee, so much so that I'm the official Yelp Duchess of the Newport Broadway location (yes, yes, you may bow down, thank you). However, up until today, I had actually never been to the Bristol location! I think it just might be my favorite of all of them, though. It's definitely more similar to the Newport Bellevue location in terms of design - think elevated two-top tables with charging outlets to encourage computer work, and a smaller and starker layout - but the service was prompt and friendly, and I actually had an amazing salad for lunch here as well! It was the Kale Salad, and it was huge and well worth the $9.50 I paid for it. Chock full of avocado, sliced green apple, crunchy pepita seeds, and a tangy and rich carrot-ginger dressing, it kept me full all day and I even had some left over for lunch tomorrow! I haven't seen that salad on the menu at any of the other locations, so I'll definitely be returning here for that! The barista, Sky, was super professional and accommodating, and made our drinks and food quickly and accurately. My boyfriend enjoyed the turkey sandwich he ordered, which was simply prepared, but served on delicious fresh bread. We love Empire, and ever since visiting the Bristol location for the very first time today, we love it even more! read more

Pretty good spot to grab a good tea, pastry, or coffee. The espresso isn't amazing, but decent as it stacks up to any other place in Bristol. The bakery item availability is very unpredictable, but sort of makes it fun to try new things when your favorite is unavailable. The location is also well positioned in Bristol and parking is generally easy. read more

First visit to this fine coffee purveyor left me feeling both caffeinated and happy/amused. The coffee on brew was fresh and paired nicely with their bakery choices. The staff was friendly and entertaining. Everything you would expect when visiting beautiful Bristol RI. Definitely recommend giving this charming business a visit. Also, offers GF options too! Offers indoor seating and mobile charging. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Coffee Fiend - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

The day has finally come and I've been able to stop by after they've gotten over their new hiccups. This is an awesome coffee shop in a prime location. There is some funky seating, but enough. Very conducive to working or studying, and they have charging outlets at nearly every seat. Staff was friendly and quick and they made our orders with ease. I would definitely come back again. This is an excellent addition to Bristol! read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

This sweet coffee spot offers delicious light breakfast and lunch options (including sandwiches) with marvelous matcha and latte combinations as well. The whole grain croissant is a unique favorite! You may order ahead using their app or grab and go. The small seating area inside is not yet available. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Whole grain croissant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Such a cute place to get hot coffee and avocado toast! Try the lavender coffee or even a boba drink. *Not too much seating inside and parking is to the street. read more

What a great little tucked away spot. They do their own roasting and they present a new medium roast daily woohoo. I'm coming back here. All of their tables are bamboo and particularly designed. Someone had a vision. They are on the small side so I could see this place filling up quick. Today's roast was of Ethiopian origin - it has notes of stone, fruit and dark chocolate - it was spicy and juicy with a smooth finish. The host said it had an acidity to it. I didn't find that. It's not really a spot for laptop work - and that's a big thing for me. AND I love Ethiopian coffee. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - They have these really cool sitting cubbys made from bamboo - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

See all

Full disclosure - I am not a morning person. I need coffee to speak. Empire coffee offers a delicious cuppa joe! I love that they have a full, but not overwhelming, espresso beverage menu along with numerous tea options. Their breakfast sandwiches are made to order, so give yourself a little time if you are ordering food. My experience was pleasant. The lovely young barista was running the show single-handedly, so it was not the fastest option, but I'm glad I chose Empire over some of the many other coffee options in Bristol. The patron in front of me was definitely a difficult customer, but the barista handled it well and provided exceptional service. One suggestion - they might want to put some light background music on. There was an uncomfortable silence in the air. I'll still be back though! read more

The service was wonderful and the atmosphere was pleasant. We caught them right at closing, but they were kind and helpful. read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - a row of wooden benches - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Good coffee. Good breakfast sandwiches. A stone's throw away from the boardwalk on the waterfront.

Generally I like this place. They have the best egg sandwiches in Bristol 'to go' (not including sit down restaurants) However the workers behind the register are a pain to deal with. I tried to order an açaí bowl and as usual I mis pronounced it and the person behind the counter kept saying "what" it was so annoying she knew exactly what I was saying but was literally trying to embarrass me. It was awful. Also if you order a bunch of sandwiches they tell you it's going to be a while.... Like they don't want to make them. It's just awkward and sometimes you are forced to go in vs. online order because there's always something going on with their system. It's a shame because this would have been a five-star review. read more

Yet another small spot I just recently started coming to. And boy I have been missing out. It is very small with limited seating. But if you can manage to grab a spot in the back, you will have a nice view of the harbor. The food is very good and fresh. Definitely made to order. Not like that that coffee chain we have in Bristol. The coffee is very good as well. It can get very cramped in there depending on when you go in, and you may have to wait in line for a few, but it's worth it. It's located right at Thames Landing, and there is both street parking as well as parking behind their location (where Thanks Waterside is). If you haven't been, and you love fresh coffee, pastries and breakfast sandwiches give this place a whirl you won't regret it! read more

Snagged a London fog latte here on a windy and chilly day and it hit the spot! Hoping to try some of there other lattes soon!

Stopped by Empire Tea & Coffee while visiting a friend in the Bristol area. Knowing I love coffee, my friend insisted I visited this space before heading home. Well let me tell you, Empire Tea did not disappoint!! Its a fun space with funky wooden booths and a nice little back space. I wouldn't say seats are super comfortable, but it is a nice space to sit down and enjoy some treats. I wouldn't call the menu super healthy, but the espresso beverages are lovely and the staff is sweet and helpful. Can't wait to check out this sweet spot in the summer! read more

Why do I feel I'm met with irritation, on each visit? Regardless, the coffee is perfect, and there's enough variety of interesting baked goods, and the ability to sit at the window in the sunlight, which is so important in the winter, or anytime! I had an interesting new product, peach bubble tea with (!) bursting bubbles, which was delicious, refreshing, and fun! It's just the regular gruffness of the people behind the counter, that is unappealing. There is a steady turnover of help, but maybe one irritated person trains another. I come to a venue 50% for the atmosphere, and 50% for the food. Otherwise I would take something to go. So service is a reason to return, or not. read more

Such a great place to sit back and have a nice cup of tea. The view is amazing, I can sit there for hours, just looking out the window with a view of the bay. The coffee and tea selection is top notch. A great place for a mid afternoon tea. Highly recommended. read more

Shot of espresso was served to me in a paper cup. It did not possess any complexity and was pretty bland and slightly bitter. I asked if they had any seltzer or still water (espresso is traditionally served with either) and the question was met with a look of confusion and annoyance. But they do have bottles for sale. The shop itself was pretty nice. Plenty of seating and lots of natural light. The merch shelves could definitely do with some dusting. Overall, if you're looking for an amazing espresso or coffee this would not be a good bet. read more

This adorable little shop is located right by the water in Bristol center. There's plenty of seating for my fellow coffee shop junkies to peruse the Internet with ample plus and USB outlets. My go-to when trying a coffee shop for the first time is a Iced Mocha. The pricing was spot on with other local boutique coffee shops. The staff was friendly and accommodating when I asked for the drink they did not have on the menu. 2% wasn't available, so she offered to mix skim and whole for me. I liked rather than keeping milk out in canteens, she gave me my milk in a creamer...the little things right? read more

The online ordering has made this place even better for me. No longer have to wait, and the coffee and food is still great. Love it!

Had a pleasure enjoying a nitro brew with a yummy homemade oatmeal cookie and that is awesome to know their pastries are homemade and let's not forget there is a big selection of teas if your not a coffee drinker. Coming from Granada Hills CA the coffee here what sure fit in with California read more

See all

A nice new addition to the Thames St business. More choices to get my coffee and tea. Very happy to have this fine purveyor of coffee and tea here in Bristol. read more

See all

This place has gone downhill. I used to love there bubble tea. But now there "large" is $6+. For a drink that comes in a carnival cup. Just skip read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

I prefer this quiet Empire location over any other! The young woman behind the counter is always kind, quick and helpful- and their food and coffee are always consistently excellent. The honey latte is a must try, and their welcoming space is one that promotes and supports our beautiful Bristol community. Thanks! read more

Empire Tea & Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

See all

Don't get the açaí bowl. Worst I ever had. It was not freshly made it came right out of freezer and was hard as a rock, it was also very small. The workers at this store are the so slow, they just stand doing nothing while your waiting for your order, they also make you feel like they don't want to make your order and that your a bother to them. Hope you have better luck than me. read more