The oolong wait for handcrafted boba in southern Brooklyn is nearly over, as local entrepreneurs prepare to open new bubble tea shop in Bay Ridge on July 22.
Tea and Milk, a boba brand started by Mathew Wong and Michael Lam, is making its way to southern Brooklyn at 6756 Fourth Ave., offering bubble tea and sandwiches. The shop will sell tea in popular flavors like taro milk and brown sugar oolong, made with all-natural ingredients.
The grand opening will kick off at 12:30 p.m. on July 22 with music, dancing, buy one, get one free sales, and complimentary gifts for the first bunch of customers.
Wong and Lam first started their brand selling boba at the Long Island City Flea & Food market in 2013, and opened their first storefront in Astoria in 2015. Last year, they branched out to Manhattan — with much success.
Wong accredits their success to their elevated drinks with real ingredients and their inclusive, family environment. The business owners are excited to offer Brooklynites natural ingredients, unique from what most franchises offer.
Tea and Milk’s “traditional” menu features classic milk tea, a jasmine green tea, cold brew coffee, and more. But they also offer a “concept drink” menu, with taro root milk tea, a strawberry lychee green tea, and other unique brews.
As business grew, the pair decided to make the jump to Brooklyn.
They looked at different neighborhoods like Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Park Slope, but decided those markets were already oversaturated with tea shops. Bay Ridge, they thought, instead held a bigger space and a market that would appreciate what Tea and Milk offers.
“We wanted to kind of take over each borough. That was part of our plan since the beginning,” Wong said. “We are creating an elevated bubble tea environment and we think that Bay Ridge deserves it and could have it.”
“We could’ve gone an easier route where we just franchised out different brands,” Wong said.“But we wanted to do it this way because we wanted to create a safe environment for our communities. An environment where people can come in, have fun, play some board games [and] talk about life.”
He said their team of baristas have been a part of the company for a long time, and enjoy getting connected to the community.
The shop will open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the week, with a full menu of treats.
