Sweetgreens Iced Chai: Up to this point, I had been resistant to the ~$15 salads at Sweetgreens, but after returning to Berkeley after traveling, I often crave fresh fruit and vegetables. I caved in and stopped by Sweetgreens for a salad (which was actually filling and quite tasty) and purchased a cup of iced chai to accompany my greens. I really enjoyed this calorie and sugar-free option, with its warming blend of fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamon, and cloves. A surprisingly concentrated flavor. Very re... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks berkeley sweetgreens iced chai 3.5 tea
San Pellegrino Aranciata Orange Soda: I think I've had every flavor of San Pellegrino fruit soda but have never written reviews of any of them. They aren't sodas I would normally choose to purchase; they're certainly better than Sprite or Sunkist, but I find them to be too sweet nonetheless. But when I found myself at Salumi, an Italian sandwich shop in downtown Seattle, I knew I would need a robust citrus drink to cut through a rich, meaty sandwich, and this cold fizzy Orange San Pellegrino worked wonders. Outside of this conte... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks soda orange sanpellegrino aranciata 3.0
Young Tea Roasted oolong tea with grass jelly: This small tea shop in Seattle's Chinatown / International District is just a few steps away from their impressively sized Mitsuwa Market. It takes pride in its traditional Chinese herbal teas, and it comes across clearly in their drinks. The oolong milk tea I had was just right: more tea than milk wth just a bit of sweetness at 50%. The grass jelly was one of the most memorable I've had, with a silky texture and slightly bitter flavor that complements the sweet tea. Highly recommended! 4.0/5.0
recommended tea milktea grassjelly seattle drinks youngtea roasted oolong grass jelly 4.0
Rachel's Ginger Beer: A Seattle-based venture, Rachel's ginger beer is available at restaurants around the city but has a mix of ginger + fruit concoctions available on tap at its Pikes Place shop. I opted for the classic, and it definitely tasted fresh, inducing a sharp tingly feeling in the back of your throat. I've made ginger beers from scratch at home that taste very similar. In other words, there's an important distinction to make: it tasted homemade, but not artisanal. Not as balanced as I hoped it would b... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks soda seattle gingerbeer rachels ginger beer 3.0
La Nostra Gazzosa: A sparkling lemon beverage from Italy that is more like a concentrated, flavored seltzer than a sugary soda, which I far prefer. Though it has 28g of sugar, it's still less sweet than most bottled sodas in the US - just enough sweetness, in my opinion. The drink has a slightly savory aftertaste as seltzer sometimes does along with a refreshingly acidic lemon taste. Good level of carbonation. Altogether, a unique and worthwhile drink. 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks lemon soda lanostra gazzosa 4.0
Asha Tea Milk tea with boba: Though I've been to Asha many times, I've previously opted for their fruit teas every time since they tend to be very good. This time, I decided to give the classic black milk tea with boba a try. Personally, I find that Asha's boba, though housemade, lacks the firmness and pliancy that I prefer from a more substantial tapioca. The milk tea itself is both herbal and creamy. A solid, classic take, though it doesn't reach the same heights as their herbal fruit teas. 3.0/5.0
drinks boba milktea bubbletea ashatea milk tea 3.0