Bar pa tea Roasted oolong milk tea with boba: Located near Soho, Bar Pa Tea bubble tea shop is a sister shop to Pa Tea, another shop I reviewed earlier this summer. The chronology of my reviews is off, though - I actually went to Bar Pa first, not knowing they were related. This milk tea was alright and just average, like bubble tea you can get from any ok tea shop in California. The boba was actually below average, though, as it was too soft. I did however sample their oolong soft serve and thought t was surprisingly good, which is why... (read more) 2.5/5.0

Kirin Rich Green Tea: If you can believe it, I have a months-worth of backlog for snack reviews. I purchased this bottle of green tea back when I was doing a retreat at the Recurse Center. I liked buying large bottles of green tea to drink at work for cost-effectiveness, and I found that the best selection could be found at Hong Kong Supermarket in NYC's Chinatown. I typically purchased Ito-En teas, but I decided to give this slightly less expensive bottle of green tea a try. It was decent, but more bitter th... (read more) 3.0/5.0

Bao Tea House Roasted oolong milk tea: Bao is a little gem in the West Village, easily missable as it’s below street level. But you would be amiss to not try their drinks if you’re a fan of milk teas; they have some of the best I’ve had in the city. This roasted oolong tea is classic but clean, with a nutty herbal flavor and creamy, sweet milk. I asked for it less sweet, and it was perfect for me. 4.0/5.0

Grocers Bottling Co Original Soda: I've reviewed over 100 types of sodas on Tasty Snacking, so it's very rare for me to come across a beverage that has a completely unique flavor. This original soda from Grocer's is one of them. It combines fruit and vegetable juice like apple, carrot, and hibiscus, with spices and herbs like juniper, coriander, bay leaf, and sage, all with a slightly spicy aftertaste from the addition of chili pepper extract. It has a slightly aniseedy flavor that's expertly balanced and surprisingly delic... (read more) 4.5/5.0

GT's Gingerade Kombucha: I've been a little sick recently and found this ginger kombucha to be very cleansing, with a good level of spicy ginger flavor balanced with lemon. It's a sweet beverage but still feels refreshing. Would recommend, even when not sick. 3.5/5.0

Up Mountain Switchel Original Apple Cider Vinegar, Maple Syrup, and Ginger Switchel: Switchel seems to have gotten pretty popular over the past two years, which makes me happy because I especially enjoy ginger drinks. I purchased this one from a Vietnamese restaurant but recently saw that Whole Foods sells it. It's a little too sweet for me, and doesn't have as potent of a ginger flavor as I expected it to. Pretty average as far as switchels I've had. 3.0/5.0