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 Tucson tea guide.
Tucson's boba runs along two east-west roads. The Broadway corridor has Ni Hao Tea and BLVCK Boba Tea, which brews loose-leaf tea and tops its signature milk tea with sea foam. The Speedway corridor has Transit Tea, with its build-your-own matcha and tea drinks, and Qing Tea, known for brown sugar milk tea. Near the University of Arizona main gate, Scented Leaf Tea House pours iced teas, some on tap, and north of campus TiTi Boba Corner and UMe Tea round out the list.
7 Tucson 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 7 Tucson bubble-tea and iced-tea shops as open on 2026-10-01: Ni Hao Tea (Broadway) (Broadway corridor (east midtown)), BLVCK Boba Tea (Broadway corridor (midtown)), Transit Tea (Speedway corridor (near Sam Hughes)), Scented Leaf Tea House (University Blvd) (Main Gate / University of Arizona), UMe Tea (Fort Lowell) (Campbell / Fort Lowell), TiTi Boba Corner (North First Avenue) and Qing Tea (East Speedway).
Ni Hao Tea (Broadway), UMe Tea (Fort Lowell), TiTi Boba Corner, Qing Tea list brown sugar boba on their own menus or listings.
UMe Tea (Fort Lowell) 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.