Hey there! I’m going to be writing a series of recommendations for restaurants and cafes in Lawrence throughout the year, and first on the list is the House of Cha!
As someone who hails from the lovely city of Los Angeles, one thing I’ve sorely missed while here at KU is some good bubble tea, something that can be found almost as easily as taco trucks back home. When I found out about the House of Cha and how they serve bubble tea as well as traditional hot tea, to say I was excited would be an understatement. Luckily, House of Cha managed to surpass my expectations, so much so that I actually prefer it over some boba joints back home in LA. Yeah, it’s that good.
Details
House of Cha is located just off of Massachusetts St. at 21 W 9th St. It’s open from 12 PM-6 PM on Sundays, 9 AM-9 PM Monday-Friday, and 12 PM-9 PM on Saturdays.
Website: http://www.hocteashop.com/
The cafe
The cafe is one of those hole-in-the-wall kinds of places where if you blink, you’ll miss it. It’s just off the corner of Mass. and 9th, right by Weaver’s, and sandwiched amongst other small shops.
When you walk inside, you’re greeted with a simple yet modern interior. It’s a small place with a few tables, so it’s not really ideal for large groups of people. In addition to some tables and chairs, there are also some books and magazines provided for you to enjoy while waiting or drinking your tea. Overall, it’s a really nice and relaxed place to chill at by yourself or with a friend or two.
The tea
For me, the highlight of House of Cha’s menu is obviously the boba and bubble tea. The first thing I noticed about the boba selection is that there’s a wide variety of drinks. Whether you want milk tea, a slushie or something non-tea, they’ve got it on the menu. There’s your fair share of standard teas (i.e. Thai tea, green tea), fruity (strawberry, watermelon, lemon, etc.), floral tea (rose, lavender), and even some hard-to-find flavors (taro, red bean, lychee, papaya, etc.). They’ve got flavors to suit all tastes, so it shouldn’t be hard to find something you like. My personal favorite from the menu is the rose milk tea with boba. For those of you who are interested in trying out some drinks, but aren’t a fan of boba (black tapioca pearls), don’t worry, the boba pearls are optional. Based on what I’ve had so far, the drinks aren’t too watered down or filled with too much ice, which makes me really happy, as I’ve had boba before that was more ice slush or weakly-flavored water/milk than an actually enjoyable drink. Be warned, though, the milk tea here is actually hot unlike most places, where all boba drinks are chilled. I didn’t know the first time I went here and I almost burnt my tongue from slurping up my drink. However, it’s still really great that you have both hot and cold options for boba.
However, in addition to boba and bubble tea, they also have hot brewed teas. They have a variety of oolong and green teas available to choose from, as well as some herbal and fruity teas (which are caffeine-free!). Personally, I’ve never tried any of the brewed teas, but I’ll be sure to break from my boba routine and try one.
House of Cha is a great cafe with some great boba. They’ve got a great variety of flavors for both boba and brewed, so you’re bound to find a flavor that you like. If you’re looking for a new cafe to try out on Mass St. and want some delicious boba or brewed tea, then I strongly recommend House of Cha!