The Old Teahouse

Tea tastes very good. Shop is very small and seating is minimal. Cash only payment option causes a lot of embarrassment.

Brilliant everything! I like everything I tried so far– mango milk, coffee milk, taro milk etc. I think they are the best in Collegetown :)
Really inexpensive and pretty quick in service. Only negative is they are cash only which made me not go there when I am passing by more than a couple of times. Deserves 5 stars.

Yum! For me, a trip to Collegetown isn’t complete without a trip to The Old Teahouse for a delicious bubble tea treat. I absolutely love the distinctive smell that wafts through the doors as they’re opened.
My absolute favorite order is a super-​sized strawberry taro milk black tea with boba. My other favorites include the almond and coconut milk black tea with tapioca or pineapple jelly. I’ve enjoyed most of the flavors that I’ve tried. I always think I’m going to try something new, but I love my old favorites so much that now I rarely do!
My only complaint is that their summer hours are completely wonky, but when the majority of their customer base leaves for months at a time, that’s to be expected.

They kind of panicked when Kung Fu Tea came to town because they posted signs around the whole shop that basically said Kung Fu Tea was going to kill you. Glad they finally got some competition though. They had a total monopoly in Ithaca and got away with some exorbitant prices. Since then, they’ve removed those ridiculous signs, reduced their prices significantly and I personally think their product has gotten better.
Now for my recs. Throughout college, I always got the Taro Milk Black Tea. Don’t get me wrong, it’s solid. But I visited Cornell last weekend, hit up Old Teahouse and got my regular order, which I was completely content with. But then I tried my friend’s Honey Blizzard and the Taro Black Tea suddenly became garbage. The next day I came back to redeem myself and ordered the Honey Black Tea, thinking it would be the same flavor as the blizzard. It wasn’t. The same friend came with me that day and got the Honey Blizzard again and was snickering the whole way home. So obviously I came back the next day and FINALLY got the Honey Blizzard. It was delicious. So get that.

The pearl milk tea industry in Ithaca is a duopoly. Old Teahouse and Kung Fu are probably the only two big milk tea places in Ithaca, and if it were up to me, I would choose Kung Fu over Old Teahouse. Kung Fu has more of a traditional black tea flavor. It’s heavier, creamier, and a little more satisfying for me. Old Teahouse has lighter tea, less milk, and a little less flavor to it. That being said, Old Teahouse’s prices are a redeeming factor, at $ 2 for a regular sized cup + boba. This is a steal!
The pearls are pretty good at both places. I don’t imagine that these balls will be perfectly consistent day to day, but both places have acceptable boba. Tastes like they were soaked in honey, which is how they’re supposed to be done!
Overall, the two tea places are VERY comparable and there isn’t a definitive answer to which is better. It’s all personal preference, so you can’t go wrong with either!

Went to this place all 4 years in college and I miss it so much. Definitely some of the best bubble tea ever and the management is so gracious and kind– I hope their business goes well for a long time. Cheap tea and so good :)

Great milk tea! I come here about once a week to get my bubble tea to satisfy my sweet tooth. Nice lounge area with many tables to relax after class or to hang out with friends.
I’ve been to many bubble tea places and to find one this good in Ithaca is a blessing for those who are big fans of bubble tea like me. The workers are very nice and approachable and are more than willing to accommodate you if you want more/​less sugar in your drink. This place also has a stamp card system where you get a stamp for each time you buy a drink. Accumulate 10 stamps and you one free which is definitely a plus.

Best bubble tea. Hands down.
Best part of my Cornell experience!
Absolutely good. My favorite is taro bubble tea

This is my absolute favorite bubble tea place in Ithaca. Whenever I visit Ithaca, going to this place is a must. My favorite drink is passionfruit!

This place reminds me of the bubble tea shops in San Francisco. They use real sugar instead of HFCS, which is a big plus. And a large milk tea with pearls for just $ 3.25 is a steal!
Highly recommended for bubble tea in Collegetown.

My favorite bubble tea in Ithaca. Very consistent and like the one in Vestal.
The drinks can be a bit sweet, but you can ask for no sugar or (my preferred) half sugar. They use non dairy creamer in all the milk bubble tea drinks.
The seating areas and the bathroom are clean and look nice.

I’ve tried a lot of bubble tea places, some of them have friendly staff, but fall short on the tea, others have good tea but impersonal service or are a total hole in the wall.
The Old Tea House is the rare exception. They are incredibly friendly, taking time to remember regular customers favorite drinks and chatting at least briefly even when they’re busy. They take cash only, but they make fantastic tea, do not charge extra for the bubbles and also have a nice clean place you can sit and lounge. These guys are definitely the best shop in town for your $ 3.75!
Edit: new lower prices, $ 3.50 for a large, extra bubbles.

Great place. Friendly staff. They always remember your order. We go weekly and are always happy with our tea. Service is fast even if they are really busy. Space is clean and inviting. I highly recommend them if you are looking for Bubble Tea in Ithaca, Ny.

This is great bubble tea. Being from NYC and having lived in Chinatown, I know good bubble tea. The consistency is always perfect and they add a sizable amount of bobba to the tea. I typically order their green tea blizzard. I’m always pleased. The establishment’s ambiance is great. The back area is nice and allows you to forget where you are. The seats and TVs are also great. My one complaint is that they do not accept debit or credit cards. This is not obvious until you order. They should put up a large sign at the cash register. Otherwise, great place. I’ve been going for 7 years and don’t plan on stopping.

If you’re looking for a place to just relax/​chat with your friends, I recommend this place over the other café-​esque places in ctown because of its atmosphere and comfortable seating. The place used to get really crowded and cramped at nights but now that there is a new bubble tea place in town there’s less people and it’s more calm and enjoyable for me. It’s also open later than KFT. The teas are decent quality, but the flavored ones such as taro taste a bit artificial. For milk teas you may find the tea taste a bit on the lacking side. You can modify the sweetness of the tea to your preference (I usually get half sweet and sometimes even unsweetened), and most drinks come with hot or cold options. I’ve always enjoyed their milk pudding option more than the pearls, but that’s just me. My recommended drink here is honey milk black tea (half the sweetness) with milk pudding.

One of the best bubble tea shops in the city!