Strolled in here and the tea here is soOoo good!!!! Iced Matcha is on par with matcha in Japan!!!!…read moreIced Cardamon tea is nothing like what I ever had!!! Inside is bright and just perfectly decorated!!! Stop by on your stroll toward Chinatown!

I've walked by this place many times and finally decided to go. I like the bright, spacious, simple…read moreinterior. I was interested in multiple teas so decided to book the tea flight. I didn't know much about it going in besides that I have to book in advance and can't request it on the spot. Summary is I like their teas but the service/operations were bad. It wasn't clear on their website but turns out tea flight lets you try shot glass sizes of 6 cold teas plus a pastry from their counter. Then you can pick a full size drink of anything from their menu (doesn't have to be limited to the 6 from the flight). I've had tea tasting at other places before where there's more interaction and educational aspect from the barista, but that wasn't the experience here. Nothing wrong with that, just setting expectations. The timing of things was what went wrong. The website says it's a 30 minute experience, so I booked 1:30pm in order to make it to a 2:00pm appointment down the street. I arrived ~1:19pm, and the barista asked for me to wait until 1:30pm. I know I was early so I was fine with sitting and waiting. The barista didn't start preparing my flight until ~1:33pm which already annoyed me because I had to leave at 2:00pm. There was constantly a stream of customers coming in which is understandable she needs to address them, but I don't understand why she can't make a cup for my flight here and there since there's 6 to prepare. While she was preparing I was finally allowed to pick my pastry, and by the time it came out of the oven it was ~1:40pm. By the time I got my tea flight it was ~1:48pm. I tried to give each tea a proper sip before chugging them. By the time I ordered my full size drink to go and leave it was ~1:08pm. I ended up being 10 minutes late to my next appointment and felt rushed during my experience....unpleasant. I don't know what 1:30pm appointment lasting 30 minutes means especially if it's not meant to be a guided session. Is it 30 minutes for the barista to make my flight? I can see how the tea tasting takes more time to prepare than a typical drink, but what's the point of requiring bookings beforehand if I'm not getting my experience at the time I requested, not like they reserved a seat for me at the bar either. I also don't appreciate the lack of attention during my tea tasting which is meant to require more service from the baristas. When I first arrived, barista A was the only one there and doing everything. As she was in the middle of preparing my flight, barista B and C arrived. B started working on non-customer order tasks, and C seemed newer with less awareness of how the tea tasting is supposed to work. B served me my flight and gave a brief intro but I didn't find it any more useful than reading the printout myself. A was busy the whole time but didn't check on me even when I finished my flight and tried to make eye contact to request my full size drink. I ended up getting the attention of C for the full size drink. I know the $22 tea tasting isn't any fancy luxurious experience, but it's still meant to be a bigger offering than a typical customer ordering a pastry and drink (let's say $15 tab). I was genuinely disappointed by the service from the lack of efficiency and getting tossed around. As for the actual teas, yes I like them all and would love to drink more. I ordered a matcha latte for the full size drink since it wasn't an option in the flight and I genuinely wanted it. My ranking is: 1. matcha latte, 2. sencha, 3. black tea latte, 4. black tea, 5. cardamom rose, 6. honey lemon, 7. white tea. White tea is last due to personal preference of not liking the stone fruit taste associated with it. Honey lemon is low due to the honey and lemon having bitter and undertones, not refreshing and tart enough. Black tea latte is slightly higher than black tea itself because it reminds me a bit of Hong Kong style milk tea (not the same tea blend but similar). Black tea is actually really good. It's smooth in flavor and texture. It's not too dry or overly bitter. Sencha is my favorite from my flight because even though it's not as deep and earthy as matcha, the one they use is so bright and refreshing with seaweed notes. Matcha latte is my favorite because it's properly strong (for cafes), nice green color, smooth, creamy, naturally sweet, and has umami aftertaste.

((4.75 stars)) Tera…read moreis a cool spot tucked into a deceptively large space. soothing ambiance from the stone, wood, and a snapshot of nature translated into its minimalist interior. the sometimes-cafe and full-time dinner/adult beverage waypoint of the LES. there's seating at the bar and front window as well as a limited number of seats in the private tatami room-- requiring table service and certain ordering prerequisites. i discovered this place when walking down Essex Street randlomly and spotting some signage outside. the cafe hours have been reduced from all weekdays to only Fridays and weekends during the mornings and afternoons. otherwise Tera operates as a Korean-inspired dining experience (don't quote me on that as i haven't been here during evening hours). the cafe experience is relaxed yet elite...you can get your standard lattes, americanos etc. but also Tera also offers unique co-ferment coffees in a pour-over style service as wells a number of tea options. i've enjoyed a number of Americano coffees to-go as well one of the co-ferment pour-over coffees at the bar. the Americanos were top-notch and served hot...the right amount of coffee flavor and acidity spread out over hot water in a cup. yum. the pour over coffee was really: elegantly served and presented without feeling pretentious at all. the co-fermented coffee was tasty -- it hit a lot of notes which included cherry and chocolate lightly (imo) with a smooth coffee flavor. can't remember which pour-over i got as i found the menu a bit confusing, but i landed on a pour-over option that really hit the mark on a lazy weekend afternoon. the service is friendly, and not too chatty, but I think Tera is still figuring out its daytime identity versus its nighttime one. would highly recommend stopping by to enjoy the coffees and teas here...and i imagine evening here are just as charming without feeling forced or inauthentically grandiose.

The tatami room is easily a top 5 favorite interiors I've visited within the year. A lovely blend…read moreof serenity and chic. Really glad I could casually grab a reservation only one day before and experience it before this place gets even more attention. The perilla jeon is juicy and a simple bite, but the abalone jang bap is such a standout. The seaweed covering the risotto is intricately weaved into each other and resembles a meat floss texture. It's fascinating to both look at and eat. The workers were all so kind too. Very patient and very welcoming.

Food: Actually my favorite matcha spot in nyc so far. Matcha isn't great here, but there's decent…read moreflavors at this shop, not too sweet and still earthy. Also black sesame which is great Service: standard Ambiance: definitely a cute store where could work for sure!

I've been here twice and would recommend the strawberry matcha. During my last visit I tried a…read morespecial menu item that had a yuzu honey cream top. I didn't like my drink, the honey definitely over powered the matcha. I also noticed that they may not hand whisk their matcha, it seemed like they were using premixed matcha, but I would double check with someone before ordering. I also ordered the tuna onigiri and it was pretty good but my first 3 bites were straight rice (that seems to be the case at most places so I didn't dock any points for that). Once I got to the tuna it was pretty good! I would say good luck getting a seat here because there were some folks with laptops and others just lounging but it's been super busy both times I've gone.

This is such a cute little modern Japanese cafe on Bleecker St, although honestly we probably…read morewouldn't have even realized it was a cafe if it weren't for the little A-frame sign outside listing coffees and matchas. I got a Noortwyck latte (banana, toffee) and a strawberry matcha. You order up front at the counter and pick up drinks from the little red checkered table in the back. Service was really friendly. There's actually a decent amount of seating, some tables had signs reserving them for people who weren't planning to stay and work/study. About half the tables seemed open for laptop use, so it was nice to be able to grab a seat for a little while. Both drinks were really delicious. Not overly sweet but still super flavorful and easy to enjoy. I wouldn't hesitate to stop by again for coffee or matcha.

Super excited that Asano is branching out! I've been to their UES location around the time they…read morefirst opened, and had really enjoyed the matcha they brought to the very matcha-less UES scene. The concept of having a third space to do work or chat in during the day, and converting back to a restaurant during the night, is a cool concept that I hope we see more in the future, so other independent business owners can get a better shot in opening their own cafes! Asano has a nice variety of teas and coffees, with unique seasonal flavors that rotate every couple of months. Their matcha is solid, and my friend who tried their special latte, the Asano, said it was tasty as well. They also have some pastries if you'd like to grab a bite to eat. This spot is located inside the restaurant Noortwyck, so it has plenty of seating and natural lighting! There's also free wifi here, so most people coming in bring their laptops to work. The only thing this place doesn't have is outlets, so plan accordingly! I was lucky enough to run into the owner of Asano when I visited, and she was such a kind, friendly person! Wishing the best for Asano moving forward, and hoping to see them branch out into new locations!

Y'all, I'm literally STILL thinking about my Coconut Matcha Latte!! This spot has been on my list…read moreto visit! We came at around 4pm, so it was unfortunately too late for me to try their Viet Iced Coffee options (bc it'll literally keep you up for the next 12 hrs...iykyk), so I opted for a less-caffeinated option. The drink altogether was $9.25 (base price + tax), WHEW! Highly rec leaving the sweetener level as is to fully taste the coconut flavor. It was DELISH!! The coconut doesn't taste artificial whatsoever and the condensed milk adds a lovely creamy taste. I almost inhaled my bev! Some seating inside, with additional seats outside. Le Gaz is also attached to a concept store (similar to Rhythm Zero/Bandit Running). Staff is overall super friendly. While the drink was on the pricier side, I will be back when I feel like treating myself!!

Le Gaz is aptly named as it is gas, and by gas, I mean rocket fuel. The cà phê sữa đá hit me with…read morethat strong, unapologetic Vietnamese coffee style: roasty, bitter, and sweet. Not for the faint of heart. Quick service, decent seating along the windows of the store, and connected to a clothing store so you can browse while you wait.

This place was incredible! I felt like I was transported out of New York City. The space is huge…read moreand I especially loved all of the plants. The only thing is that it does smell a lot like a gym, because there is literally a climbing gym below this café. This would be a great place to study and work, but I will say it was quite busy on a Saturday afternoon, and there were pretty much no open tables available. I appreciate that there is an elevator available, so that's great in case you're with folks who can't or do not want to take the flight of stairs up. I ordered the Hong Kong style milk tea (iced), and I also tried the pineapple bun and scallion bun. I will say the buns were just OK; I feel like I've had better buns in Flushing or other places in Chinatown. But it is nice that they have Hong Kong style milk tea, which is not too sweet. In general, I would say that the wow factor of this place is more so the ambience and the space itself rather than the food or drinks.

I almost want to gatekeep this hidden oasis, but I can't because it's too good not to share…read more It's like a little jungle tucked inside NYC. Located on the second floor with tons of seating, but it was packed with people working (makes sense once you're there). The staff was amazing and gave great recommendations. I got the brown sugar caramel mocha, my sweet tooth was very happy. Perfect caffeine fix. Honestly, I stayed way longer than planned just chatting with friends. Such a nice escape from the NYC hustle.

4.5 stars and rounded up! Dropped by on a freezing morning…read moreto try their matcha pandan latte and pandan honeycomb cake, was super impressed! From the outside you can tell this is a tiny cafe, two seats in the window with about seating for 10 people, 12 if you really squeeze. Walk in and order at the counter, they have menu of Vietnamese-and-Asian-inspired coffee and tea drinks, I've been seeing them posted everywhere and have been wanting to try everything! Notably they're most well known for their pandan latte (both espresso and matcha versions), though I'm also curious to try their black sesame latte, black matcha with ginger, jasmine matcha with pandan, calamansi latte, and Phin honey oat latte (or PHO lol). For those not familiar with pandan it's a fragrant leaf that imparts a light florally flavor and scent. It's particularly used in Southeast Asian desserts and what I predict will be the next new trend as Vietnamese coffee culture influences start popping up stateside. I got the pandan matcha $6.55 + $0.90 for oatmilk, and the pandan honeycomb cake $6.95, another staple they're known for. The pandan matcha was FIRE. Perfection in a cup to me, I've been on the hunt for pandan drinks now that they're starting to trend in NYC and I'm 100% here for Le Phin's version. The amount of pandan flavor and sweetness (not too sweet) balanced with the grass light bitterness of the matcha was what I was hoping for. Their honeycomb cake was bouncy, chewy and delicious with plenty of pandan flavor as well. A little on the sweeter side for me though no complaints other than the price felt a little high though I get inflation and it's really quite a novelty item. I'll definitely be back to try some other drinks!

Cute little spot where many others were working on their laptops like I was. It's tiny but there's…read moreabout 8 seats inside along with some benches outside. They do have wifi and outlets, which is nice. I ordered the Pandan Matcha Latte ($7) and they even brought it to my table. The drink had just a hint of pandan, but mostly just your typical cup of matcha. Not bad, not great.

What sets this place apart for me is they have the option for a dark hojicha, which is a deeper…read moreroasted flavor. The lattes are on the milkier side, but it doesn't obscure the flavor in any way. I've ordered their seasonal chestnut hojicha and their pecan cold foam latte--both prominently featuring the flavors. WiFi only on weekdays, which is smart given that there's only 10 indoor seats in total. I had a good time just getting some light work done here.

Met someone here for coffee and tried the chestnut hojicha latte. It was yummy, but a little overly…read moresweet for me - I prefer the hojicha lattes at Kettl and 108 Matcha.