状元茶事 Tea Scholar in New York

"Tea Scholar is a new Boba shop in the heart of Flushing, sharing a street with many other competitors in the Boba tea business. The staff were efficient and quick, utilizing many of the similar tactics and logistical work as their competitors. What makes them stand out is their cup design, which includes a little teapot on the lid. The drinks though, left a lot to be desired. We got the Avocado Mango drink, and it was alright, though the avocado did overwhelm the mango quite a bit. The rest of the drinks looked good though, and I've heard good things about them."

"Loved this place—better than Molly Tea and our favorite tea spot in NYC! We prefer deeper tea flavors and not very heavy, and the White Peach Oolong was especially fragrant. The owner is super friendly and generous—she let us sample several teas when we said it didn’t taste like last time, and she remade new ones for us. Will definitely come back next time we’re in New York! Thanks a lot."

"The jasmine milk tea is good at 50% sugar, with a strong jasmine tea flavor that comes through nicely. The cup design is also really cute. However, the tapioca pearls was cooked too long, it was too soft and many pieces were stuck together. On the plus side, the topping itself is sweet, which adds extra sweetness to the drink. If you’re getting tapioca pearls, I recommend ordering 30% sugar since the topping sweetens it more. If you’re just getting the milk tea without toppings, 50% sugar is a good choice."

"The staff is very nice! We tried three different flavors. You need two drinks for the teapot. I would also suggest to get 70% sugar. I loved the tea and it’s a cute little spot!"

"Was in Flushing for hot pot and since there are no decent bubble tea spots in NJ, I knew Flushing was where we could get our fix. We originally went to Molly Tea across the street but there was a line out the door (which I later learned that they are paid to be there), so we went to Tea Scholar. We stopped in on a Saturday around 4, and it was a little busy. Since they make the drinks fresh (and I assume brew the tea fresh), it does take about 15 minutes to make. I had the fresh Jasmine milk tea with tea jelly, and it was so good. I rarely ever see tea jelly. The tea is very fragrant and you can tell it's good quality tea. It's definitely a splurge though, because we paid $21 for two drinks. Or maybe that's just how much good bubble tea cost nowadays. Not sure I'd come back next time I'm in Flushing just because there are just so many other bubble tea spots that I would want to try. But it definitely satisfied the bubble tea craving."

"I stumbled upon Tea Scholar (状元茶室) last Saturday while walking in Flushing, and I’m so glad I did! If you aren’t looking closely, you might miss it because the storefront is set back from the main sidewalk and sits slightly below street level (behind some barriers and the busy street food stalls). They were having a promotion where buying two drinks got you a miniature ceramic teapot, and as a fan of cute things, I couldn't resist. It is the most adorable little thing—about the size of a hawthorn berry! The staff even put dry ice and a bit of water inside the tiny teapot and attached it to my cup. It was literally "steaming" like a real tea kettle while I walked down the street! I had so many strangers stop and ask me where I got it. The Vibe: The interior is beautiful and clean with a sleek white aesthetic. I especially loved the wall decor—the "Tea Scholar" sign has these intricate patterns that look like traditional Chinese embroidery. Even though it's a wall graphic, it looks very elegant and high-end. Pro-tip: Don't let the construction barriers or the crowded street stalls (like the busy pancake cart) block your view. I’ll definitely be coming back for more."

"2nd visit- there was literally no wait on a rainy weekday yay. I tried the osmanthus milk tea as well and it had a really pleasant osmanthus tea flavor that wasn't overpowered by the milk. Can't wait to try the rest of their menu! Their blue and white takeout bags are so pretty. Wow does Molly Tea finally have some legit competition? They're definitely still going through opening pains and perhaps also not as staffed as their pink branded competitor so I ended up wait 20+ minutes for my drink. There were a lot of online orders ahead of mine it seemed. At least there was seating inside the store to wait. If you order from here during the afternoon, just order ahead and then go wander around before returning. The packaging style is quite similar in terms of cup design, sealing the drink with a lid, tea savoring straw etc. Their best advantage is that out of all the bubble tea places with jasmine milk tea that I've visited, this place had the lowest price by far. I didn't drink it the day of and it kept well in the fridge. The drink was sealed so I think that really helped to maintain the flavor of the tea. I would say that it is a really close contender to Molly's. So if you're on the look out to save some money but also need to satisfy your jasmine milk tea craving, this place is a good choice."

"Really cute packaging, especially the teapot . Their Osmanthus bloom is reallyyy good and has a sweet salty floral taste to it. Their grape slushie was also really good. Staff members were very helpful too."