Pekoe Tea Bar, with only 5 locations in the United States so far, brings a new excitement to boba culture. With most boba stores having a cafe-like ambience, Pekoe’s atmosphere is somewhat akin to a bar, thus the name.

One location being in Maryland and one in Virginia, the Bay Area holds three Pekoe Tea Bars with two in San Jose and one in Sunnyvale.

Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to midnight, Pekoe caters to the younger generations for a place to hang during the day or after a night out.

Greeted by exceptionally friendly staff at the east San Jose location, I ordered their award-winning “Foxy Brown” black assam tea, which was unfortunately sold out; Pekoe offered me with samples of any flavors I wanted due to the inconvenience.

In addition to their intriguing lightbulb cups, Pekoe also offers a split cup where customers can get two flavors, one on either side. I ordered the “Gold mine” and “Thai me up” milk teas with the standard sweetness levels.

The “Gold mine” consists of golden jasmine tea infused with golden brown sugar and brown agar nuggets. The “Thai me up” is a Thai tea infused with spices and topped with honey black pearls.

Prices at Pekoe are a bit higher compared to other San Jose boba shops, with most drinks starting at $6.50.

I waited for my order in the white communal seating couches under the hanging lightbulbs; the lighting of the store was dim, with modern purple and pink LED lights to enhance the bar-like mood.

After only a few quick minutes of waiting and listening to the loud club music that Pekoe plays, my order was ready.

The standard sweetness was a bit too sweet for my liking, even as someone with a sweet tooth, but the quality of tea and tapioca pearls were immaculate. Pekoe uses organic syrups and premium loose tea leaves in their drinks.

The tea itself is no better or worse than your local boba tea shop, but the theme seems to be what attracts the crowd.

Rating: 7.5/10