In the Chinatown-International District, community is the utmost priority. There is no better place to make small talk with friends or listen to elders’ stories than over, well, tea, at Seattle Best Tea. Whether it’s sipping boba, eating homemade ice cream, or exploring their rich collection of heritage teas, Seattle Best Tea is definitively Seattle’s premier community tea shop.
Opened in 1996, Seattle Best Tea has been a cornerstone of the Chinatown-International District. Originally started by a Taiwanese couple as a traditional tea room selling high quality Taiwanese tea, it has become a popular destination for high schoolers and lifelong tea drinkers alike. Immediately upon entering the small shop on South King street, the customer is greeted by the scent of fine leaf tea wafting from the back of the store and friendly faces behind the counter in the front.
The quality of the tea itself is exactly why Cleveland High School senior Nathan Rene loves Seattle Best Tea. “It’s delicious and it tastes like real tea,” he remarked. Rene has been a regular since eighth grade. While he usually changes his order, he recommends the yogurt milk tea with lychee jelly and boba. “It’s quite gas, I rate it a solid 9 to 9.5, it’s delicious.”
Freshman Jackie Lam has also been a regular at Seattle Best Tea. “I think their smoothies are pretty good. I don’t think people [usually] get their smoothies,” Lam said. “[But] I think their boba is the best part. They have the best boba in Seattle. It’s very authentic and it tastes like real tea, not like powder.”
Immediately after taking his first sip, first-time customer Marlon Palmer was impressed. He ordered a strawberry mango smoothie with popping boba. “I love it,” Palmer said. The drink earned the stamp of approval from Palmer, rating it a 10/10.
Famed employee Cris is a staple at Best Tea. Cris has regular’s orders memorized, greets customers with a smile, and loves conversing with anyone. “We are a little family in Chinatown,” Cris said. “This business has integrated the community and [helped it] flourish.” By introducing new and regular visitors to Taiwanese tea culture, Seattle Best Tea has built a strong community with their customers. The community that Seattle Best Tea has built goes beyond Chinatown and includes Garfield. Cris is constantly serving Garfield students at lunch and creating connections with them. “You guys are like my little nieces and nephews” he said, “even after work I think about you guys all the time.”
