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 Washington DC tea guide.
The District has no single boba strip. Shops are spread across Georgetown's Wisconsin Avenue, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, the Wharf and Northeast near Rhode Island Avenue, and much of the region's denser Taiwanese and Chinese bubble-tea scene is over the line in Virginia and Maryland. SecreTea near GWU closed in September 2026; everything below was open on our check.
7 Washington DC 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 Washington DC bubble-tea and iced-tea shops as open on 2026-10-01: Spot of Tea (Dupont Circle) (Dupont Circle), Tiger Sugar DC (Edgewood / Rhode Island Ave NE), Taichi Bubble Tea (Georgetown) (Georgetown), BeauTea (Georgetown), Soupy Dumpling & Fancy Cuppa Bubble Tea (Logan Circle), E-Tea (The Wharf) (The Wharf (Southwest Waterfront)) and DC Boba (Columbia Heights).
Spot of Tea (Dupont Circle), Tiger Sugar DC, Taichi Bubble Tea (Georgetown), BeauTea, Soupy Dumpling & Fancy Cuppa Bubble Tea, E-Tea (The Wharf) list brown sugar boba on their own menus or listings.
Taichi Bubble Tea (Georgetown), BeauTea, Soupy Dumpling & Fancy Cuppa Bubble Tea, E-Tea (The Wharf) 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.