CHI TEA Opens its Doors in Lombard

The inside of Chi Tea, a new restaurant in Lombard has a fun, casual atmosphere.

Emma Walsh

The inside of Chi Tea, a new restaurant in Lombard has a fun, casual atmosphere.

One of the most popular food trends of 2020 is bubble tea, and a new restaurant in Lombard is wildly popular because of it. The new restaurant CHI TEA opened in August. It serves two types of sandwiches, fries, and an assortment of drinks, either blended or over ice. Each drink is completely customizable. The customer is able to pick between two sizes, regular or large. When ordering the drink, customers are able to add tapioca or flavored boba to the drink. Each drink has a plastic sealed top and the customer is given a straw with a point on one end. The customer then gets to pierce the sealed lid with the straw to create a hole. 

The entire experience is addicting. The inviting atmosphere is only a small portion of why the lines are out the door. The drinks are smooth and taste amazing. My personal favorite is the taro blended with tapioca. After going multiple times , I decided that my runner up is the strawberry with strawberry flavored popping pears added. Because each drink is completely customizable, everyone I know who has tried it out has left wanting to go back. 

A line stretched out the door of Chi Tea, a new restaurant in popular demand. (Emma Walsh)

CHI TEA is located at 413 E. Roosevelt Road, Lombard, Ill. This location is known to have lines out the door due to its popularity. The store is about a 20 minute drive from Central. At approximately 4:00 p.m. on  Saturday, Oct. 17, the line took about 10 minutes to get through and once we ordered, our drinks were ready after about five minutes. On Tuesday, October 27 around 7 p.m., the line fit inside but the drinks still took about five minutes.

The location is decorated in a modern way with black and white striped seating with greenery above it on the wall. Another wall is decorated with the same greenery including a bench and “That’s The Tea” written in gold letters above. It’s the perfect spot for photos with the drinks or sandwiches. The entire interior is photogenic.  They also have hanging lights from the ceiling giving off warm lighting practically asking customers to come inside. Although the shop is relatively new, they have a line out the door almost every day. The service is quick which leaves customers satisfied with their food, drinks, and overall service.

The store is hoping to eventually open indoor seating, but due to COVID-19, customers are currently unable to enjoy their drinks inside. Once an order is placed, the customer is asked to write their phone number on the receipt. Customers are then asked to wait outside until their order is ready. The store then sends a text to inform them when their order is ready. The store is open Tuesday through Sunday. Weekday hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekend hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The atmosphere upon entering is inviting and the smell of the food being made in the back temps customers to order either fries or one of their two sandwiches. The staff is welcoming and the whole restaurant gives off positive energy. Be sure to stop by and try out CHI TEA.