Tucked in a little plaza just off of Wilmington avenue next door to Spitz and across from Somi, is my favorite little meetup spot, Tea Bar SLC. I would say it’s a hidden gem, but it’s always busy. The bustling ambiance and Westminster student study groups add to the experience.
Their drink menu of fruity flavored tea, milk tea, dressed-up milk, and herbal teas is expansive. More so when you consider the ‘add-ins’ like boba, coffee jelly, pudding, red beans, or any combination above. I’m a sucker for the honeydew milk tea, half-sugar, light ice with boba. Or the kumquat honey green tea, hot.
But their beverages are only one of the reasons I stop in. This particular tea bar has delicious tea snacks. Ranging from savory to sweet, the traditional Japanese snack menu is surprisingly extensive, considering the size of their kitchen. Honestly, I don’t know how they do it.
They don’t have a website that I’ve ever been able to find. And the menu updates regularly. But here are my recent favorite tea snacks. Plan on sharing.
- Tea Bar Popcorn Chicken – crispy, toothsome, suitably “guilty pleasure,” greasy, and served in the appropriate paper bag. Get the spicy version if you’d like to simultaneously clear your sinuses.
- Feeling brave? Get the Fried Chicken Skins. We all know that the thing that makes fried chicken good is the skin. So why not embrace that and skip to the good part.
- Salt and Pepper Squid or Salt and Pepper Wings – these are served with herbs and crispy green onions. They are the perfect salty foil for a sweet drink.
- String Beans – also fried. But you feel virtuous knowing you’re eating your veggies.
- Green Onion Pancake – thin, soft, and simultaneously crispy, these are all your street food fantasies coming together. I order them every single visit without fail.
- Brick Toast – made with fluffy Japanese milk bread sliced extra, extra thick (aka, like a brick), it is like a pillow for whatever you top it with. You can go savory and have some killer garlic brick toast. Still, I always lean towards sweet and go for butter, coconut, or chocolate brick toast. Ok, I mainly order the chocolate.
With prices ranging from $3.95 to $13.95 for Tea Snacks, the average prices fall between $4 – $8, which means that you can get 2-3 things to share easily for under $25. And that is precisely what you should do. Grab a friend. Order a drink. Get a tea snack or two. Share a brick toast. Return often.
Looking for another delightful spot for great sips and small snacks? We recommend Kahve Cafe in Downtown SLC.
1201 Wilmington Ave #109, Salt Lake City, (385) 322-2120
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