(Overall: D) - I visited Strawberry Home and tried one of their new additions to their menu, bubble…read moreice cream! Unfortunately, this dessert may have been a bit too new as the staff had no idea how to make the beautiful arrangement in the advert. While the staff was nice and the shop was minimalistically cute, I found that their ice cream was too icy and unpleasant to consume; additionally their boba tastes like it has been left out a bit too long, which is quite a shame. -- Food: -1 Presentation: E Price: E Atmosphere: E Service: E Menu: E Overall: -1 D IG: @amei.eats

Stopped in here on a friday afternoon and we were able to get quick service. The server was super…read morenice! I ordered a brown sugar boba sundae ($5) and it was delicious! Similar to a bubble tea, but in an ice cream format. The ice cream didn't taste like ice cream, but rather a shaved ice texture. Regardless, it was delicious! They also have a small bench to sit on and cute little shop to buy little random things. 10/10 recommend stopping in!

1st time trying this place. Glad they were at the Astoria fair…read more Matcha boba float $12 - really good, just wish the matcha was a bit stronger Def wanna try black sesame & Thai milk tea next time.

Smoove ice cream has many unique flavors like tamarind, ube, tofu, Thai tea etc. I came for the…read morewaffle and strawberry ice cream. It is a small store with some available seating. There is a kiosk for orders or one can just speak to the associate. This a nice place to go after an evening walk or a date. All of the options are great conversation starters.

Didn't try the drinks or boba, but I did get the spicy popcorn chicken! It was a decent portion and…read moreso good, and only came out to like $7. Would definitely go again if I'm in the area.

got the Lychee Yakult with grass jelly, and hot Coconut…read moremilk tea with boba (both with 75% sweetness). both were good; i'd get the yakult with boba and/or lychee jelly next time! only critique is i wish the hot coconut milktea was more hot instead of warm. no-fuss service and there were a couple small tables and seats with limited availability. would come back!

Daronghua is a staple go-to bakery in the neighborhood for slightly nicer and higher quality…read moreChinese buns and pastries. I love that they have both classic Cantonese bakery items and novelties you don't typically see at other old school Chinatown bakeries. Beyond the milk bread, buns, and flaky pastries, they also sell cakes, tiramisu, and other dessert pastries. I've been very intrigued by the pork floss taro bump cup, which I have yet to try. I ordered my son's birthday taro cake as well as my own birthday durian tiramisu cake from Daronghua. The taro cake had a yellow vanilla sponge with layers of taro inside and taro-flavored cream on the outside. It was so yummy, light, and not too sweet. I also loved the durian tiramisu, which had a palpable but not overwhelming taste of durian. This, too, was so gratifyingly light and creamy. In addition, I've tried a number of their buns. Their taro bun is my favorite, with a generous amount of taro filling. I've also tried their croissant Portuguese tart, which seemed a bit like a gimmick to upcharge at $3 a piece. A classic Portuguese tart with more custard and less pastry dough is way better. Their pineapple roll, which was like a Swiss roll with pineapple jam, was light and fluffy, but only had the slimmest amount of pineapple taste from what I could discern. Daronghua does accept credit card, but imposes a credit card fee. They have seating and service is typically brisk.

I'm on the hunt for the best egg tart in NYC and these had great flavor and were on the sweeter…read moreside (Portuguese style). HOWEVER, these are minuscule and the filling was scant y'all - I'm talking like a quarter inch of filling in an egg tart that's already smaller than the palm of my hand. I expect more for $3 especially as you can get equally good, hefty egg tarts in the same price range or cheaper (e.g, xin fa bakery 1.75, Na Tart 3.25) Service is very quick here and there's tables inside to stop and eat (usually taken by Chinese uncs and aunties tho lol). Bring cash as I don't think they accept card.

I got the pandan iced latte and the cinnamon roll and both were delicious!! The cafe is super cute,…read moreand the service was very fast.

After a morning of exploring Lower Manhattan, I needed a pick-me-up, so I stopped by Sift Cakes and…read moreCookies. The woman at the counter was friendly and helpful. I ordered a large Strawberry Matcha with oat milk and asked for barely any sweetness because I don't like my matcha too sweet. I really enjoyed the matcha. The strawberry and matcha flavors were well balanced, and it was a great drink. To take home, I picked up a slice of the Pandan Chiffon Cake, a slice of the Orange Semolina Cake, and some Black Sesame Shortbread Cookies. My family enjoyed all of the pastries, and we would definitely order them again. Overall, I'll be back for another matcha and to try more of their treats. The shop is small, and they only stock a limited number of cakes and pastries each day, so I recommend getting there early before things sell out. This was a great and unexpected find!

Quite impressed by the mango sticky rice drink here - the sticky rice was warm and actually went up…read morethe straw (unlike Mango Mango's!) Had the persimmon osmanthus a few months ago when it was in season which was also nice and fresh. So many drink options and they all look delish, I have so many others to try!

Not to be dramatic, but the drinks here were pretty terrible. I got the guava grape which was…read moreoverly sour, tangy, and icy--all at once. I asked to adjust the sweetness, and the staff were very accommodating. However, the taste couldn't be saved. I also tried the Jasmine tea here, which tasted watered down. The drinks here were pretty overpriced (my total came around to $10), but I'm giving it an extra star because the staff work efficiently and are friendly.

The yogurt was thick, not super tart, but nice flavor profile. Decent amount of durian chunks- i'm…read morepretty sure the durian is frozen then thawed. Service is kiosk and drinks came out pretty fast. Not bad but pretty average.

Ordered the Grand Slam Fruit Tea. Total came out to be $9.80. Sad to say that I couldn't taste the…read moretea flavor nor the sweetness at all despite it having 50% sugar, more like diluted colored water with diced fruits. Staff was nice. Fast service. Prices were on the more expensive side. Ambiance wise was a cute little place with few tables and chairs. Maybe I'd ordered the wrong drink or shouldn't have asked for less ice (should've just requested for no ice instead). Honestly, I can't really see how they plan on surviving from similar boba tea spots around the corner or across the street in the Little Italy/Chinatown/Lower East Side neighborhood. Hopefully they'll have more business.

Cute JOOY tea shoppe. Can't believe JOOY has expanded so much! I love their wonder grape. It has…read morealways been my go-to drink. Service is fast and drinks are consistent. There was no line, and they also have a kiosk to order upon entry. There's no table seating, but there are a few seats where you can hang out inside. It's a very small store, a grab-and-go type of spot.

Jooy Tea Shoppe is a modern bubble tea spot that focuses on creative drinks, customizable options,…read moreand unique flavors beyond the usual milk tea menu. We walked into a casual setup with kiosk ordering that makes it easy to browse through the large menu and adjust your drink with different sweetness levels, toppings, and add-ons. The shop is more focused on quick visits rather than being a large café space, with some seating available but a feel that leans toward grabbing a drink while exploring the area. The variety of choices stood out, from fruit teas and slushies to matcha and specialty drinks. We tried the hojicha latte, which had a smooth roasted flavor and felt like a nice alternative to the usual matcha drinks. Their fruit-based drinks and slushies also stand out because they feel lighter and more refreshing, especially compared to heavier milk teas. The menu has a lot of creative combinations, so it feels like a place where you can keep trying different drinks instead of sticking to just one favorite. One thing we appreciated about Jooy Tea Shoppe is how customizable the ordering process is. The kiosk system makes ordering simple, especially when the menu has so many options that it would otherwise take longer to decide, and it makes it easier to experiment with different combinations. The pricing is a little higher compared to some traditional bubble tea shops, especially after adding toppings, but the drink selection and specialty options help make it feel different from a standard boba stop. The variety is probably the biggest reason to come here since there are many flavors that are not as common elsewhere. The service was efficient and the ordering process kept things moving, though the wait can depend on the crowd. Jooy Tea Shoppe is a fun bubble tea spot with a wide selection of drinks and plenty of customization options. The creative menu, fruit teas, matcha options, and seasonal flavors make it a good place to visit when you want something more unique than a regular milk tea. It offers a thoughtful, customizable drink experience that rewards exploration and repeat visits.