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 Richmond tea guide.
Richmond's boba sits in two clusters inside the city: the blocks around VCU and Carytown. Near VCU, T. T. Lounge on West Cary Street is an owner-run lounge with couches and table games, TeaDo RVA brews from loose leaf on West Broad, and Oh Mochi and Got Dumplings pair their teas with mochi donuts and dumplings. In Carytown, Kokee Tea, Boba Tea & Snow Ice House and Chumchum Onigiri are a short walk apart. The long strip of boba shops on West Broad past Willow Lawn is in Henrico County, not the city.
8 Richmond 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 8 Richmond bubble-tea and iced-tea shops as open on 2026-10-01: T. T. Lounge (Oregon Hill / VCU (W Cary St)), TeaDo RVA (VCU (W Broad St)), Got Dumplings & TSAoCAA Tea (VCU (N Laurel St)), Oh Mochi Richmond (VCU (W Franklin St)), Kung Fu Tea (VCU) (VCU (W Grace St)), Kokee Tea (Carytown) (Carytown), Boba Tea & Snow Ice House RVA (Carytown (west end)) and Chumchum Onigiri (Carytown (W Cary St)).
TeaDo RVA, Got Dumplings & TSAoCAA Tea, Boba Tea & Snow Ice House RVA list brown sugar boba on their own menus or listings.
T. T. Lounge, Oh Mochi Richmond, Kung Fu Tea (VCU), Kokee Tea (Carytown) 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.