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 Milwaukee tea guide.
Milwaukee's boba runs along the East Side near UW-Milwaukee. TSAOCAA on Farwell Avenue brews each loose-leaf tea to order, AmberLulu soft-opened a few blocks south in April 2026, and Taichi on North Avenue serves fruit teas such as kumquat and kiwi alongside ramen. Serenitea Lounge on Downer Avenue is the sit-down option. On the South Side, TMTea on S 27th Street makes matcha drinks and cheese foam Thai tea, and Boba Street on Forest Home Avenue pairs boba with crepes.
6 Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee bubble-tea and iced-tea shops as open on 2026-10-01: TSAOCAA (East Side) (East Side (Farwell Ave)), AmberLulu MKE (Lower East Side (Farwell Ave)), Taichi Bubble Tea & Ramen (East Side (North Ave)), Serenitea Lounge (Downer Avenue (Upper East Side)), TMTea BOBA (South Side (S 27th St)) and Boba Street (South Side (Forest Home Ave)).
Taichi Bubble Tea & Ramen list brown sugar boba on their own menus or listings.
TSAOCAA (East Side), Taichi Bubble Tea & Ramen, Serenitea Lounge, TMTea BOBA 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.