| rev:text
| - The name "Steepery" is a bit misleading -- though they do offer steeped loose leaf teas, their featured drinks are mostly made from mixes with no actual tea in them. For example, their chai is made from a powder -- not even a concentrate, which is what most downtown coffee shops use, but a powder. If you explicitly ask for real tea they'll be happy to make some for you, but their brewing process is designed to be fast, not to produce a quality beverage: they brew the tea too hot and too short, resulting in a weak, grassy flavor. That said, if you're not looking for actual tea, their creamy bubble "tea" drinks are reasonably tasty if you like tapioca pearls or jello in your drink. Pricing is comparable to coffee shops in the area.
The space is small; it feels a bit cramped with nine tables squeezed into it, and if there are just a couple groups having conversations it gets noisy very quickly. However, it's clean and the tables and chairs are all very nice and in good condition. The decor is simple but nice, the wi-fi is free and there are outlets near most of the tables, so this could be a good place to work on a laptop if you bring your headphones. They also have a couple overstuffed fake leather chairs in the front window if you're looking to sit and read or chat with a friend, though those are already looking a bit worse for wear.
Sadly, the Steepery is not the answer to the dearth of good tea places on State St, but if you're a fan of creamy bubble tea specialty drinks, they might be worth checking out.
|