Tag Archives: tea

Cafe watch: Ha Ha Coffee and Cha Chak on Capitol Hill, plus four more nearby — Yoka Tea, Casa Ella, Visible Coffee Roasters, and Coffee TAB Central District’s grand opening

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The Mango Sticky Rice Sundae (Image: Cha Chak)

The cafe scenes in the neighborhoods across and around Capitol Hill have some new — and new to CHS — additions heading into fall:

Ha Ha is now open — thanks to Harry in the CHS Facebook Group

  • Ha Ha Coffee and Tea: The new owners of a 15th Ave E building have brought milk teas and smoothies to the top of Capitol Hill. Ha Ha Coffee and Tea is now open at 324 15th Ave E. CHS reported last year as book shop Nook and Cranny lost its lease for the space. The building’s new owners include Diem Le who moved the book shop space neighboring the Red Chair Salon through the city’s streamlined change of use process to open the new cafe with a menu of milk tea, fruit smoothies, and coffee. While bubble tea shops and Asian-style tea offerings have proliferated along Broadway and through Pike/Pine, the quieter edges of Capitol Hill have mostly gone unserved. You can check out the Ha Ha menu here.
  • Cha Chak: Another long awaited Capitol Hill cafe opening has taken place. Above Capitol Hill Station next to the plaza across from Cal Anderson you will now find Thai tea and dessert shop Cha Chak. CHS reported in March on plans for the cafe from Montida Lertkiatsakul and Suphanita Roumsak. Lertkiatsakul was part of opening Manao Thai Street Eats at 14th and Pine. Cha Chak debuts with treats including green tea ice cream lattes, Thai tea chiffon cake, and an incredible looking Mango Sticky Rice Sundae. Find it at 118 Broadway E next to the station plaza across from Glo’s. Follow @chachakseattle for updates. Continue reading →

It is Pumpkin Spice Milk Tea season on Capitol Hill — Gong cha and Matcha Magic now open in Pike/Pine

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(Images via Gong cha and Google Maps)

Capitol Hill’s dream of boba — or matcha — on every block is taking a big leap forward this week as two new shops are open for business in the Pike/Pine core.

The “first Pacific Northwest store” in the global Gong cha tea cafe empire is celebrating Friday with “free drinks” at its newly opened E Pike at 12th Ave location.

Don’t worry. If you feeling nostalgia for the Starbucks and coffee-soaked days of old, you can still get your pumpkin spice fill this fall with Gong cha’s seasonal Pumpkin Spice Milk Tea offerings.

CHS reported here in August of 2024 as the project’s permits first popped up to replace fashion boutique Sway and Cake which closed earlier in the year with plans to move to the Eastside.

Gong cha says it was founded in 2006 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Its name translates to “tribute tea for the emperor.” Continue reading →

COMEBUYTEA’s craft take on boba steams up the Capitol Hill tea scene

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(Image: COMEBUYTEA)

(Image: COMEBUYTEA)

Like the Starbucks Roastery a few blocks away continues to draw crowds of visitors dotted by the occasional Capitol Hill local, it seems like the new COMEBUYTEA at the corner of Pike and Broadway might be busy forever.

The first Seattle location of the Taiwanese chain debuted earlier this month with lines around the block waiting for COMEBUYTEA’s take on tea focused around craft and its steam-billowing “TEAPRESSO Machine” that completes “the 5-step Kungfu brewing method” in “a 60 second comprehensive brew” that produces “a perfectly balanced tea every time.” Continue reading →

Capitol Hill, your cheese tea is ready — Atulea now open on 12th Ave

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(Images: Atulea)

Green — or black — tea is topped with a slightly salty froth made of a mixture of cream cheese, milk, and whipped cream. That’s a cheese tea. You’ll now find it along with milk teas and matcha at 12th Ave’s Atulea. Continue reading →

Tea Republik getting ready to blend in on Broadway

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(Images: Tea Republik)

With the light rail connection to the University District right around the block and set to open by early 2016, Broadway and John’s cafe connection to places familiar to the University of Washington crowd will also get a boost before the end of the year.

The signs have gone up for Tea Republik in the 200 block of Broadway E just a block from the coming soon Capitol Hill Station.

Owner Jeffry Kurniawan confirmed the hoped-for December opening with CHS. He and business partner Anton Lim will be opening their second Tea Republik to join the original University Way NE location which opened in 2012 and got a full makeover in early 2013.

The cafe is known for its hangout vibe and “fusion” approach to tea. Continue reading →