Bubble-tea and iced-tea shops we checked, and how to cold-brew loose-leaf tea at home. For hot tea, tea rooms and loose-leaf shops, see the Cincinnati tea guide.
Cincinnati's boba is split between Over-the-Rhine and the streets around UC. In OTR, Boba Cha makes sea salt milk tea on Main Street and Qlicious pairs bubble tea with Japanese cheesecake on Vine. Near campus, Tea 'N' Bowl and Drop In Tea face each other on West McMillan Street, and Clifton Bubble Tea is on Ludlow Avenue. On the east side, Milk Jar in Hyde Park lists its tea bases by origin, from Fujian jasmine to Ceylon black.
6 Cincinnati shops, checked as open on 2026-10-01. Listed in no particular order; this is not a ranking.
| Tea | Leaf per Water | Example Batch | Steep and Serve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green or white tea | 8.5–10.6 g per litre | 9 g leaf : 1 L cold water | Fridge 6–8 hours, strain, drink as is (Rishi) |
| Black tea or oolong | 8.5–10.6 g per litre | 9 g leaf : 1 L cold water | Fridge 8–10 hours, strain, drink as is (Rishi) |
| Taiwanese oolong, lighter batch | 7 g per litre | 7 g leaf : 1 L cold water | 2–3 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge (Eco-Cha) |
| Herbal blends and rooibos | 8.5–10.6 g per litre | 10 g : 1 L cold water | Fridge 10–12 hours for herbal (Rishi), at least 12 hours for rooibos (Rooibos.Africa) |
| Sencha, quick concentrate | 10 g per 210 ml | 10 g leaf : 210 ml chilled water | 15 minutes undisturbed, small glasses (Ippodo) |
| Where It Steeps | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator, 40 °F (4 °C) or colder | 6–12 hours by tea type | Green and white shortest, herbal and rooibos longest. The FDA puts a safe fridge at 40 °F or below. |
| Room temperature | 2–3 hours (Taiwanese oolong only) | Eco-Cha’s short counter steep; strain and refrigerate the tea once it is done. |
| Chilled water, quick | 15 minutes (sencha) | Ippodo’s method gives a small, concentrated cup rather than a pitcher. |
Sources: Rishi Tea & Botanicals, How to Make Iced Tea; Eco-Cha, How to Brew Oolong Tea; Ippodo Tea, Cold Brew Sencha; Rooibos.Africa, Brewing; FDA, Refrigerator Thermometers: Cold Facts about Food Safety.
Every tea type, with leaf weight and fridge time: Cold-Brew Tea Ratio Chart.
We checked 6 Cincinnati bubble-tea and iced-tea shops as open on 2026-10-01: Boba Cha (Over-the-Rhine), Qlicious Bubble Tea & Pastries (OTR) (Over-the-Rhine), Clifton Bubble Tea (Clifton (Ludlow Ave)), Tea 'N' Bowl (Clifton Heights (near UC)), Drop In Tea (UC) (Clifton Heights (near UC)) and Milk Jar Cafe (Hyde Park) (Hyde Park).
Drop In Tea (UC) list brown sugar boba on their own menus or listings.
Boba Cha, Clifton Bubble Tea, Drop In Tea (UC) make fruit teas, according to their menus or listings.
Use about 9 g of leaf per litre of cold water and steep it in the fridge: 6–8 hours for green or white tea, 8–10 hours for black or oolong, 10–12 hours for herbal blends (Rishi’s guidance). Strain, then keep it refrigerated at 40 °F or colder.