I had to go here a couple of times before writing this review. I've been so loyal to kung fu tea for so long that I was so happy that there was another option in VCU. Honestly the tea isn't that great, and it's the same price as other tea prices in richmond. I tried so many different types of tea here, like the strawberry raspberry tea, the lychee black, and the lemontwist. Out of all of my visits, the drinks came out late, and parking on broad street kinda sucks. Otherwise, it's a cute little tea shop. Make sure you bring your punch card because if you by 10 teas, you get one free. I have 8 punches, but I don't think I'll be coming back. read more

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This is a cute, quaint, Taiwanese boba tea place that serves some pretty amazing drinks! The Thai tea here is smooth and sweet. It's better than most places in the area that also serve Thai tea. The honey oolong milk tea is delicious; it's blended really well, and you can tell that they don't use powder in their milk tea drinks unlike other places like Kung Fu Tea. Also, their popcorn chicken is packed with flavor! If you're someone who loves food that isn't bland at all then the popcorn chicken is the way to go! Quick tips/facts: -Passion fruit bubbles are actually just passion fruit poppers but still just as delicious. -The bubbles/pearls/boba are mini and homemade. -Boba tea originated from Taiwan. -The workers brew the tea here, so it's all natural. read more

After circling the block a few times to find a parking spot we finally got into Gigi for a few bubbles teas. Nice clean interior (and bathroom) with an exposed upstairs seating area that gives a lookout to everything beneath you. We ordered a few milk teas. Matcha, Lychee and Taro...the Lychee and Taro were swallowed whole by me before I could take a picture SORRY. Everything tasted fresh from the tea to the bubbles and red beans. The staff here are courteous and helpful. Thanks for a great experience Gigi we can't wait to come back for some of your snacks!! read more

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My friends and I (group of 6) dropped by here spontaneously, but we loved it so so much! They were very helpful- my friend ordered a L Thai tea w bubbles, but they had only enough to give her 1/2 and asked her if she'd like another topping as well. They saw she was hesitant on which one to pick and gave her a small sample of each topping!! On top of that, we each loved our drinks. They are fresh, and not overly sweet, and the toppings are soft and chewy. One thing we noticed was that they don't put ice into the actual cup but put it into the shaker, so that your cup is filled to the brim with just drink!! I think that was a nice touch. Overall, awesome experience would go again :) read more

Gigi Tea Time - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Excellent boba!! The lady working was so nice. She made sure I liked my order before I walked away. Their seating area appeared to be closed -- likely due to COVID. I got fruit tea with lychee jelly and passion fruit popping boba. So delicious, didn't have ice but was cold and yummy! Very affordable to have both lychee jelly and popping boba -- or whatever toppings you prefer. Near VCU's campus, easily walkable. For a traveler, this place was very easy to find. Will definitely try to go again before my stay ends! read more

Gigi Tea Time - Fruit tea with lychee jelly and passion fruit popping boba. Delicious! - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Finally there's another option for bubble tea other than Kung Fu tea. This is a good place for you and your couple of friends to chill and talk. The decorations are cute, and the ladywho served us was nice. I see other reviews say they put less milk and more tea so the taste of tea is stronger. It is true but I think the milk is important too. I'm not sure if they used the wrong milk or what but I can't taste the flavor of milk. They can use coffee milk or evaporated cuz these kinds of milk jas stronger taste. I also ordered the Taiwanese fried chicken, but it taste like regular fried chicken. It still taste good but it is not what I think of. read more

Really good first time here while in Richmond! Came in with a friend and was sad to discover that they ran out of boba just before we walked in :( We didn't have time to wait for 45 minutes so we settled for other drinks. I got a taro slush with red bean as my topping and really enjoyed! It was definitely a lot of drink for 4.50, so worth the price. The red bean was delicious and the taro slush itself had a great flavor. I feel like sometimes the consistency of taro slushes tend to be a bit weird but this one was great so no complaints! The person up front actually recommended that combo for me and I really loved the two flavors together! The place itself is super cute and seems like a great place to sit with friends for a while. Solid experience, wish I can come back and try the actual boba haha. read more

Gigi Tea Time - Taro slush with red bean - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

First off (who I think is the owner) is really kind! The tea is incredible and they have really yummy vegan options! The upstairs is so cute with a great ambiance and little board games set up for costumers and overall a lovely shop! read more

A homemade, local Taiwanese bubble tea and snack shop! I love how not commercial this place is, as it is owned by a cute couple who have brought the taste of home to Richmond. I would say that they have a decent selection of bubble tea with quality. I love that one of the owners serves me and really cares, whether it be about being motherly and warning me to be careful with hot tea or asking if I need more napkins for my sandwich. It's really sweet and this is what I love about local spots, this is what makes Gigi great and different from Kungfu tea (which I adore). I like that the shop has an upper level where you can work and overlook the street. If there's a lot of people, it can get loud and isn't the best place for a phone call. There's lots of character with the whiteboards you can write on. Tip: The wifi password is on one of the whiteboards! I like seeing all the art or messages people write to mark their presence. I got the Chinese hamburger ($5) and the honey oolong milk tea ($3.75) with non-dairy milk and bubbles. So the "hamburger" is a special type of stuffed bread, kinda like a stuffed pita sandwich. But it's a typical Taiwanese snack filled with very aromatic, juicy, tender pork, cilantro, and jalapenos. The meat is braised in a delicious sauce of soy sauce and its natural fats, so the result is that the sandwich will have lots of yummy juices that will leak on the plate. It's really great, and that was enough to fill me for a light dinner with the boba. read more

I can't believe it's taken getting horribly sick to finally get me to try this place (I'm such an avid coffee drinker, but I'm trying to minimize my dairy and acid intake because bad cold,) because I'm in love! (And I don't even like tea! But it seems I just haven't been drinking the real quality stuff, because their tea is AMAZING.) The people who work/own the place are some of the kindest, charming, most sincere and adorable people I've ever met (when I came in mid-work, in a dizzied combination of sweating off a fever and sweating in this stupid September heat, the owner gave me towels and made my iced tea lightning fast to help out; they're good people who really seem to care, and also seem very authentic and down to earth.) You want to give business to a shop whose name, interior and people are equally charming, and you can taste the attentiveness and passion in their import Taiwanese teas, which are uniquely softer and smoother than the crappy store-bought super concentrated, bitter teas that turned me off from tea in the first place. And speaking of the interior; it's minimal, clean-chic. It's such a cute, tasteful setup, with an open counter where you can watch the whole surprisingly complex process of their blending tea or tea drinks (they have milk teas, lattes, slushes, plain teas, etc. and a whole array of in-house made bubbles and gummies and gels to sweeten it up) to order. There is an awesome lofted seating area overhead with a few tables for lounging (the place DOES have customer Wifi, so you can get some work done while sipping a refreshing tea, which is a nice change from just getting sickeningly buzzed on coffee.) It really feels like you stepped off Broad Street in to a cafe in a large East Asian city, like Seoul or Tokyo, or well, Taipei (they're Taiwanese, and it's super authentic-- no powders or artificial flavorings, which make things much smoother and not cloyingly sweet!) That being said, I haven't had the chance to drink anything more elaborate than a straight iced tea, but I'll definitely bring my punch card in for a boba milk tea or latte or slush when I feel better. I've tried the Lemon Green Tea and Ceylon Black Tea, and they were smooth, surprisingly depthy in flavor without any additives (no sugar or cream necessary) and made me feel refreshed after drinking them. It just tastes very pure, which is a nice change from pre-spiced over-complicated shelf blends. You can also request sweetness intensity and customize your bubble/gummy blend, and the owner is knowledgeable enough to make delicious recommendations about flavor pairings, sweetness balance and hot or cold; the people here are very approachable, so don't be afraid to put your tea's fate in their hands! It'll be awesome, swear it. Overall, I can't wait to come back when I feel better and get a milk tea and post up with my laptop up in the loft and get some writing done; the interior is so cool, it feels inspirational, hip and soothing at the same time! This place is not to be missed: It's really a gem. read more

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Quite a trek to get to Gigi Tea Time but once you're there you'll discover this charming bubble tea shop. You walk in and you're immediately welcomed by the owner and two tv screens. Choose from original, non-dairy milk, special fruit, tea latte, or smoothie/frozen yogurt and then your choice of topping(s). I've only been here a couple times and each time has been great! What I love the most is that you can really taste each tea's genuine flavor. I believe this is because the owner takes the time to brew each tea rather than scoop powder. Taste and you will see, it really makes a difference! I always walk out feeling a bit healthier knowing I drank a brew as opposed to powder. As for drink suggestions: if you're looking for something cold and sweet, try their Strawberry Frozen Yogurt drink. I was a bit hesitant to try it at first because KFT has a similar one and I did not like it at all. But, one of my friends suggested it and I'm glad I listened. It fulfilled what I had envisioned a Strawberry Frozen Yogurt drink to taste like. If you want something more liquid-dy, I've ordered their Honey Oolong Milk Tea with Mango Star Jelly one too many times. But hey I can't help it -- it's just that good. read more

Gigi Tea Time - honey lemon oolong with mango star jelly - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I love small tea spots. This place served smoothies, jelly teas, cold teas, and boba drinks as well. It is a small/medium sized spot with a second floor where tables are placed. The bottom floor is the entrance where you order and receive your drinks. The menu is not extensive but do not mistake that for lack of drinks. I feel their flavors and concept is quite distinct from other typical boba spots. I ordered the lemon green tea so that is all I can speak of and I enjoyed it. The drink do not taste heavy or filled with cubes of countless sugar. It appears as if the joint is operated by a wife and husband whom both are extremely kind. Even with a phone call, her " Thank you for calling" made me feel very welcomed. I wasn't able to photo the menu but go check it out for yourself. read more

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I went here 4 days in a row. Its my favorite bubble tea spot in Richmond for sure. The flavors are unique and the service is good!!! (Gotta support local businesses) I really liked the ceylon black tea green tea latte with coffee jelly and the roasted rice tea drink. There's a lot of seating upstairs but it might get a little hot during the summer. If Im in Richmond again, I will definitely come back. read more

Gigi Tea Time - Menu - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Pretty good, next time I'll try the flavors listed on their Top 10. Great customer service! read more

Gigi Tea Time - 2. Matcha Milk Tea w/pearl bubbles 8. Papaya Frozen Yogurt w/pearl bubbles - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Here's what this comes down to. The bubble tea spot is conveniently located right across the street from VCU so I'm assuming it gets a lot of business. Only problem is if you're a bubble tea fan (tried a variety of bubble tea chain spots) you'll find this bubble tea spot to be very generic and lacking a more natural and tea based taste. I ordered the Honey Oolong Milk Tea and it tasted more watery than milk and tea based. Yes it was refreshing on a hot sunny day, but it won't change my mind about their bubble tea. It simply falls short compared to bubble tea chain spots like Kung Fu Tea, Gong Cha, or even Tea Do. read more

I love this TEA place, yeah I have to emphasize that part. Unlike other tea places around Richmond, GiGi tea actually serves BREWED TEA and not that powered crud your body shouldn't be having. GiGi tea uses real brewed tea as their base then depending on your order, they'll put a tea-bag or two to get your desired flavor. See, it's all natural. Plus, they use honey instead of 'liquid sugar'. I have seen them use a bit of the liquid sugar on some drinks, but maybe only a teaspoon of it. I personally, prefer this tea place over Kung Fu Tea, which is quite frankly twice more in price than GiGi tea. Kung Fu Tea (about 5 min walk away) and TT Lounge (10-12min walk away) is practically pure power. But hey, if you're into fake flavors and want diabetes from all these added sugars which will probably make your insulin levels shoot up, go for it ;) I find this place really practical if you're on a budget. My personal favorite is the Iced Jasmine Green Tea! read more

Gigi Tea Time - Jasmine Green Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Love this quite small tea shop and the main focus I would say is TEA. When you walk in its not a very large shop but the staff is friendly and they have a cute upstairs seating area. While I was waiting in line, what I am guessing was the owner was nice enough to give me a small sample of THREE different smoothies (It whatever was extra from what she just made) but hey I was greatful. Looking at the menu I knew I wanted Matcha or Taro & I really could not decide. Luckily while waiting I was given samples of both and I immediately knew what I was gonna get. She was also nice enough to give me suggestions on what jelly would go with my drink too. I ordeted the Taro smoothie with lychee jelly and got my boyfriend the strawberry smoothie and pinapple jelly. BONUS when I told her it was for my bf she even threw in some strawberry heart jelly to "show my love" . Both smoothies were tasty and loaded with jelly,I got a nice chunk with ever sip. Fyi the added jelly to my drink did make it on the sweeter side but you can change how sweet you want your beverage which I will do next time. I love that you get a punch card and how nice the staff was . I will definitely be back to try the tea. From what I saw she brews all of her tea in house & with tea bags but the smoothies are powder base. It was only one person making the drinks and working the register & each drink is made one at a time .Heads up if you dont have a lot of time or your in a rush this could take a minute especially if their is a line. read more

Gigi Tea Time - Strawberry Smoothie with strawberry HEART jelly & pinapple jelly at the bottom - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

This is the best tea place I've had in VA. I haven't tried with boba or jelly so I can't review about that. But the tea is perfectly sweet enough and had that authentic tea taste. I tried the Honey Oolong and Lychee Oolong my cousins got and those were definitely really good. I got the Coffee Mix Black Tea Latte and it's PERFECT. It wasn't too sweet and had the rich coffee and tea taste. The shop is pretty small but seems like there was upstairs seating. There was only one worker when we went so it did take a while for her to make all of them. I do really like their cute leaf logo, and they have a stamp card so don't forget to get one!! read more

Gigi Tea Time - RichmEnd lol - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Yummy hehe I'm coming back Good customer service and nice explanations of products. Price is good also. read more

Gigi Tea Time - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I was pleasantly surprised by Gigi, as I'd heard mixed reviews. First impressions: the inside is very clean and still has that new house kind of smell. It's pretty quiet, which makes it much more relaxing than Kung Fu Tea. There's a nice seating area upstairs where you can enjoy your tea in peace. Gigi has a smaller total amount of flavor options than the other boba places on campus, however, they offer some pretty pleasant-sounding tea blends (unlike KFT which only has black tea and green tea supplemented with different syrups). It definitely doesn't have that overwhelmingly artificial feel. I love the topping options at Gigi. I was really happy to see that they have coffee jelly, as it's not super common in the states. They also have shaped jellies - strawberry heart and mango star - which are really pretty to look at. The shaped jellies are not only cute but pair really well with the tea, especially the fruity flavors. The first drink I tried here was the cocoa milk tea with coffee jelly and I loved it! The flavor of the drink reminded me of Filipino chocolait but with consistency of milk tea. So good! I also tried some of my friends' matcha smoothie and toffee milk tea - both were good but the flavors weren't very strong. In my experience, you can't go wrong with their original teas or special fruit teas. The first ones I tried were the raspberry & strawberry fruit tea with strawberry heart jelly and jasmine green tea with mango star jelly. The jasmine tea had a strong jasmine honey flavor while the raspberry strawberry tea was very fruity like juice. Both were refreshing with just the right sweetness. I am a big fan of jasmine tea, but I think I actually preferred the raspberry strawberry tea. Their lychee black tea is also good. Overall, the flavors here are very appealing to the Asian palette. (It's pretty fob, for lack of a better description.) I feel like I've found a little hidden gem. This might be my new favorite tea/boba spot! read more

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Very clean and the lady working is very nice! The drinks are very sweet so make sure to ask for less sweet if you want. The bubbles are cooked well too. They're also wearing masks and gloves. Only parallel parking read more

After coming here a few more times, I realized their consistency is lacking. Sometimes the sweetness is perfect, sometimes it's too sweet, and the last time I think they completely forgot it. Overall I think their teas are better quality than some of the local bubble tea places; however, it's just frustrating when you get the same drink and it's different every time. I also recently tried their Taiwanese Chicken and it was ok. Nothing too impressing and it was seasoned with a very strong spice. The batter on it was also sticking that well too. read more

If your looking for a welcoming spot to drink your boba come no farther then Gigi Tea! I started going in there for their amazing Taro milk tea and stayed for their customer service. The people at the register are always so nice and although I don't do it often, the upstairs area is a great place (with free WiFi) if you're looking to study. It's on Broad st so parking is a little hard but in my opinion it's worth it. I usually walk there in between classes because it's in the heart of Richmond. read more

Gigi Tea Time - 1. Taro Milk Tea with boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Fantastic bubble tea with sooooomany options! Choose from a wide variety of add-In's and flavors. Tiny place with a mighty menu We drive 35 mins for our GiGi Tea fix! It's worth it! read more

I'd never been here but my friend's apartment is next door so I just tagged along. I was disappointed for the following reasons: - It took FOREVER for my drink to come out along with my friends. It took half an hour for my friends drink to come out. - pricer than most boba places I went to - my drink wasn't that good.. I got matcha milk and it was watery and tasteless. Not many bubbles at the bottom. - seating arrangement was poor. There's only room upstairs in this loft area but only three tables. With all of that said, I wouldn't come here again. KFT will always have a place in my heart. read more

FRESH boba! This place is AMAZING! Fresh boba, jellies, an amazing service. My problem with most boba places is their use of really old and stale boba, you won't have this issue at Gigi Tea Time. Definitely a must if visiting the Richmond area! read more

I studied abroad in Taiwan, the origin place of bubble tea! You can bet, I tried almost every tea shop I passed. The milk tea was delicious! They didn't use powders to make flavored drinks, they used genuine tea leaves to brew delicious tea! After trying so many milk teas, I feel that I am qualified to be considered a milk tea expert. :) When I returned, I tried Kung Fu Tea and was sincerely disappointed. Kung Fu Tea's drinks are made with powders and pre-made, they taste the furthest from the deliciousness of Taiwanese milk teas. This results in the inability to change the sweetness level, which is important to me. I can't stand overly sweet drinks. Once I found out about the new milk tea shop, GiGi Tea, I was hopefully but also skeptical. Upon my first visit to the store, I told the owner about my study abroad in Taiwan and how I have been craving authentic milk tea. She told me that she studied the art of tea making in Taiwan! She listened to me as I told her about my favorite teas, and helped me pick from the menu a tea that would be most similar to one of my favorites. It was delicious! Definitely the closest to the same taste milk teas had in Taiwan. Their menu is also very inclusive. They have powdered teas, for those who do prefer the powdered bubble tea. They also have dairy-free teas! Not to mention, you can completely control the amount of sweetness, whether you want sweetener or honey, and the amount of ice (I'm also a picky customer who likes customization). I am now a frequent visitor, and have tried numerous items from their menu. My top 2 favorites are the honey oolong milk tea, and the green tea black tea mix. Their French crepe and flan are delicious treats! I love their loft area seating, and enjoy meeting at GiGi Tea to catch up with friends, draw on the white boards, play some board games, and enjoy delicious tea! P.S. Because I love milk tea and writing parodies, I created a short video showcasing my love for milk tea, at GiGi Tea. Feel free to enjoy some laugh worthy extra-ness. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwrOY6L-MnI) read more

I'm a huge huge fan of jasmine milk tea and out of all the places I've tried around the downtown area, this one gets it right! Not tannic and not very sweet, just the right balance! I can't speak to any other flavor but I will also say the boba pearls were fresh and yummy. Definitely worth checking out read more

This is the BEST tea shop in Richmond! I had tea from other places outside of Richmond and I still believe Gigi Tea Time tops them all! I only like to drink my tea, milk tea, and smoothies from here! The customer service is exceptional, the interior is so relaxing and beautiful, and the tea is made to perfection! I tried all of the milk teas here , my favorite is the Taro Milk Tea!!!!! Additionally, you receive a punch card and after your tenth purchase you get a drink for free! read more

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So I've made this my happy place. The place smells like sugar and tea and you can sit on the top floor with a little balcony. If you're an avid boba lover then you hit the jackpot because this is the best boba you can try, at least in Richmond. Not only boba they have heart shaped and star shaped jellies. They also have a double cup where your drink splits in half in case you're indecisive about your drink options. Drink wise, unlike a lot of places like KFT, for some reason the tea aroma doesn't get diluted, even with the milk, it's the closest thing you'll get to authentic taiwanese bubble tea. They also ask you to try it to see how you like it after they've made your drinks, it's more personal and comforting. I'm going to try so many more things! It's a new expewience every time! Ceylon Milk Tea: 5 stars! Right on! Brown Sugar Milk: 4 stars! I add lots of sugar to it and it reminds me of the milk back in asia. It comes in a round bottom cup. I love it. Matcha Milk Tea: 5 Stars! read more

Gigi Tea Time - Brown sugar milk with bubble - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Really good. Got the Thai tea with boba and taste as it should! Matcha boba also good. Very nice man working the front, nice environment, clean shop read more

This is the best boba in Richmond i love that they have honeydew which is my favorite flavor and hard to find at chain places, they also have cute good snacks and are sooo nice read more

I'd like to claim some type of expertise in bubble tea, considering I drink too much of it and used to work in a boba shop. So, trust me when I say this place is worth a visit! They have a very large variety to choose from, and what impresses me most is that they have options for both real milk and powdered creamer (lactose-free) for their drinks. You can also do all sorts of adjustments with ice and sugar, and drinks can also be ordered hot or cold. If you're looking for bubbles in your drink, make sure you ask for them to be added to your drink- none of them come with toppings initially, and I believe it's a 50 cent upcharge for each topping. On my visit, I got a large oolong milk tea with bubbles and less ice and sugar which ended up totaling to about $6 (pretty standard). My order came out perfectly, and the customer service was exceptional as well. I started a punch card (buy 10 drinks get 1 free), so now I have even more incentive to return. I definitely loved this establishment and look forward to trying different drinks. read more

Delicious boba with so many options!!! I've tried about 3 or so boba places in Richmond and this one ranks #1 so far. I love all of the customization options. read more

I prefer Gigi over Kung Fu Tea . The atmosphere is welcoming and I really like the sitting area up top. read more

Gigi Tea Time - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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I have been coming here for around a year consistently and it is a great local tea business. Very consistent and great flavors.

Woman works there is so kind and very welcoming. Bubble tea was amazinggg! Might choose a different flavor next time though.

It's tea time! first time visit to Gigi and really my first time getting bubble tea! Got the coffee milk black tea latte and added bubbles! I was impressed with the taste and the price for the amount that you get! This location is pretty small so I wouldn't recommend going with a large group! Also, they have lots of different flavors so if coffee isn't your thang I'd check out the menu for the other options available! Cheers! read more

Gigi Tea Time - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

They have super unique flavors. I ordered the roasted rice green tea which I've never seen any other bubble tea place have. Their tea was delicious and the people working there could not have been any sweeter. If you want bubble tea in Richmond you need to come here! read more

I love their smoothies I had to download the app! The first time I had a mango smoothie with passion fruit jellies inside and it was amazing they added a lot of them inside my drink so I had some with every sip! My second time getting a smoothie I got strawberry with yogurt. Both were so good they didn't even last more than 10 minutes! Not to mention the owners are very nice and welcoming! Good thing I live close :) read more

Gigi Tea Time - Strawberry w/ yogurt smoothie - Bubble Tea Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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