Townshend’s Alberta Street Teahouse

The black mango bubble tea had great mango flavor. IT WAS SO UNGODLY SWEET. Holy cow. I went in right before closing and was in my car before I tried it so I couldn’t have it remade.
The shop is so cute & the man that helped me was super nice. I’ll give his place another try but probably severely alter my order. Parking was terrible but that isn’t really the fault of the the shop.
I was a fan of the sizes offered. The big size is 24oz so you get a lot for the money.

relaxing, well laid out interior with eclectic furniture. 2 sitting areas, both cozy. One is more secluded in the back with benches and trees like a home back yard. The other is more like an alley facing the street. Kambucha, Bubble tea and Hot tea were exceptionally of great quality and amazing taste. Thank you for hosting us!

Awesome place for great drinks. A ton of loose leaf tea options for very reasonable prices. They also have kambucha and local liquor available. We haven’t had a drink we didn’t like. Highly recommend!

Okay, so this Townshend’s is basically just like the other one, but it’s smaller and pretty cozy with really nice couches. There were significantly less people at this location, which was a huge plus. I can hardly find anywhere to sit at the Mississippi location when I’m not by myself. There is still the cute tea display and dim lighting that makes Townshend’s what it is. The only reason I like the Mississippi location better, is because the guy at the counter was really weird to me for some reason? Maybe it’s because I was in a group of girls and we seemed annoying? Or maybe I just really like the nice lady at the other Townshend’s and her personality makes his seem inherently less friendly? I don’t know. Anyway, this is still a great place to get tea, but I felt odd after that.

Still amazing as I remember it being years ago. Ordered a specialty drink (can’t remember the name!) with rooibos, coconut milk, honey, and other delicious spices. Tasted like a coconutty chai :)
We enjoyed the Portland sunshine by sipping our latte in the back outdoor patio area, which felt like hanging out in a friend’s backyard. Best way to start off the first day of our Portland vacation!

Looking for a decent milk tea store in the Alberta district was a bit hard as it was getting late (8pm) on a weekday and I had a craving to get some milk tea. I looked up available boba milk tea stores in the Portland area, so I Townshend’s open late. I strolled by here to get some tea.
I ordered a basic milk black tea with less sugar and I specifically said that I wanted it less sweet. (the cashier looked a little puzzle about the request) It’s pretty normal in the LA area to have sugar levels you can request, as the drinks that some stores make are exorbitantly sweet.
I stood the side to wait for my order and it felt like a very long time. Usually, boba milk tea stores don’t take that long to make your drink, unless they are steeping your tea fresh, which might take a while. When I went to the front desk to inquire about my order, I noticed a few drinks sitting there, ready to be delivered but the cashier in the front was the only person doing both order taking and handing out the finished drinks.
I waited there and after the queue was done, he started to give out the drinks that were ready. That was half the story, when I got the drink, it was SOOO sweet. I had thought that were intentionally made it more sweet. I gave it back to them and told them to make it less sweet, so a girl came up to me from hearing what I said to the cashier and said that she already put half of what they usually put in there. The male cashier that I originally spoke to said he was make it less sweet for me.
If the sugar was half of what they usually put, I can’t imagine what the taste of the «regular» one would be but I didn’t want to find out. It tasted like sugar with milk and tea. I got my fixed drink and gave it a sip, it was still too sweet but I didn’t want to have them make it again, so I took off.

This is my favorite place on Alberta.
It’s no secret spot by any means at this point, it’s CRAZY busy most hours. The pro tip here is to go on an off hour. Their amazing customer service and infinite selection of goods also means that the line moves slowly and there is never anywhere to sit. Trust me, this place is worth the patience.
If you’re a tea officianto then by all means dive in, but if you’re a first timer I recommend at the very least bubble tea, cuz who doesn’t love sugary awful for us but good in your mouth amazing?! Next would be their seasonal drinks usually found on the counter to the right in a little list. 2 or 3 amazing mixes and creations by the staff. And then even further into the pro tea level would be their own homemade kombucha. They’ll let you sample any flavor you like and there’s enough to chose from to satisfy any taste buds.
Another tip is that there is a quieter seating area downstairs if you need more peace or other table options. And in the summer there’s plenty of back and side patio action. Pop next door and grab a great snack from Back to Eden and enjoy a perfect day at the tea house.

I was excited to try Townshend’s Iced Milk Tea. I was looking forward to incorporating it into my weekly repertoire. I went on a Friday around 11AM, and the place was hopping. Most of the seats were filled and hands full of mugs and cups. There was only one server for the entire place. I placed my order and patiently waited. Having read previous reviews, I asked for less ice and my preference is on the less sweet. I picked up my large Iced Milk Tea for over $ 4.00 and was happy with the ice quantity, but the tea strength and sweetness was not to my liking. The tea was weak and the sweetness was too strong. If only the two were switched.

I love townshends!!! I lived in Alberta for years and I remember when this place opened years ago. I’ve always enjoyed coming and partaking in the vast selection of amazing tea! The vibe here is always chill and the music is invigorating. Can’t go wrong here :) !! Great place to start the day

I’m addicted to the bubble tea! Since that’s the only thing I order from Townshend’s I can only really speak to that, but the bubble tea is so good! I like all the different tea base options as well as the different bubble options too. And the flavor list can be a bit overwhelming though I usually get the lychee flavor. It’s so good!
The only reason I’m giving this 4 stars and not 5 is that on two occasions, I ordered the bubble tea with aloe jellies and got fruit jellies instead. It not a big deal but I guess I mention this because it’s happened more than once. Otherwise, I love the bubble tea!

I really like this place, and I’ve come here a number of times. The tea selection is great.
I think the only thing that would improve my time here would be the addition of cream or half & half rather than whole milk as a «cream» option. But I have started carrying coconut milk in a flask like a good hipster, and that means I’ve got that option, too. Which is nice.
Great selection. Nice place to get pot (o’ tea).

I have to say I was skeptical that a place that sells kombucha was also going to have good boba, but its delish! I got milk tea w/​boba, which is my standard go-​to when I try a new boba place. I got it less sweet and with less ice and it was refreshing with nicely chewy boba. The back outdoor area looks cool and downstairs seems to be a quieter study area — I stomped down there to several awkward stares hahah.

We dipped into the shop after getting a tattoo just across the street. Bought taro flavored bubble tea with black tea base and tapioca pearls. So delicious! Honestly the perfect treat to get my mind off the dull throbbing pain in my arm.

Excellent tea and tea lattes.
The wait is really long though– even after placing your order. It was about 15 minutes wait time for 2 tea lattes which is tea and steamed milk. Seems a bit extreme. But friendly staff and very good product.
We are fans! I wish we had a shop like Townshend’s in Seattle!

This was a meh.
I thought this was going to be great because of the line that went out the door, but honestly it wasn’t so much.
I got the bubble tea and it tasted mostly of milk. I’ve had bubble tea from the mall that tasted better.
Not my cup of tea.
The shop is well designed and this is a place that is nice to relax in giving that there isn’t a long line or crowded.

What a gem to find this amazing local tea shop. It’s like the starbucks for tea but better. Very spacious and a lot of seating indoors, outdoors, and basement.
When you walk in you get that tea vibe, if you know what I mean. I love all the tea decorations and it’s fun to look at the various displays.
There is a plethora of tea you can order that is brewed in house and options to buy your own leaves to take home. These teas have a lot of health benefits and are good quality drinks.
I ordered bubble tea and you get to choose your combination on what goes in your tea. It uses fresh brewed tea and not that powder stuff. I got a large rooibos tea, lychee flavor with aloe jelly. Also ordered a large mate tea, peach flavor with fruit jellies & large rooibos honeydew w/​aloe jelly. The rooibos lychee was zen and delightful. The peach mate was a little sweet for me but my wife liked the flavor. The just ginger tea is amazing and you feel so healthy and cleansed afterwards.
I will definitely be coming back often to enjoy the tranquility of tea paradise.

This is tea lover’s P A R A D I S E! The tea lover in me jumped with joy when I entered this place and saw the huge tea selection they had! They have over a 100 different teas to choose from, and not to mention the fact that they servce kombucha on tap! I so wish we had this down in LA or the OC. Tranquil Tea Lounge in the OC is the only place that is even remotely to par with Townshend’s Teahouse selection and quality of tea.
When I visited, I tried the Rose Peony white tea — so floral, so refreshing, so good. My friend tried the Kukicha Roasted Twig green tea — it had that roasty taste, which reminded me of hojicha, still good. Both drinks were iced (only $ 3 each for 16oz since they were under the «rare» category). I also bought the clear skin root beer under the apothecary tea and the jasmine harmony green tea loose leafs to bring home and try. Their apothecary tea list are essentially like tonics aimed at healing different issues, like sinuses, allergies, moods, stomach problems, etc. — isn’t that just so cool? Oh yeah, the teas are separated into different categories, such as rare, premium, finest, so depending on which one you get, the price will differ. They also serve «bubble tea» or milk tea drinks, but I haven’t tried those so I can’t speak for how good those could be.
I’d highly recommend if you’re visiting the area! Just drop by after you fill yourself up with some Pine State Biscuits — they are just down the street from each other :)

It’s good for how big of a teahouse it is. People are nice, plenty of seating, excellent for working or catching up with an old friend. Love the kombucha on tap and the miso soup.
If I’m trying to give a friend a true teahouse experience, I’m going to take them somewhere smaller with more ceremony and intimacy. But if I’m having a meeting, getting shit done, and need my probiotic fix, this is the spot. I usually end up leaving when the dreadhead white trust fund Alberta scene gets too overwhelming, but the basement is an excellent hideaway. The back yard is wonderful in the summer, as long as you bring your headphones if you’re working.

Ahhh… teaaaaaa. I’ve been coming here recently after every massage I’ve had (right upstairs) and it’s most definitely hydrating and refreshing.
I love that they serve so many varieties of teas, bubble teas (with actual tea), and something called kombucha. That’s something I have to try soon. I saw a lady chug a jug of that stuff outside and am curious how good it really is.
My go-​to recently has been a small green (tea), almond bubble tea with fruit jellies. I’m not a fan of the boba and they don’t have lychee, but the fruit jellies are the most similar thing they have. I drink it so quickly because it just tastes wholesome and oh so good!
The staff every time are friendly and they have free wi-​fi available for any hardcore study seshes. My recommendation would be to make your punchcards more known. They have them if you didn’t already know. They’re tucked away on the side near the beeswax chapsticks at the counter where you pay. If I’m going as frequently as I have been, I’d love to get a free drink for all of my purchases. That’s how you get your regulars back!

Wow — a bubble tea place that actually uses real fresh brewed tea, an not one of those powder blends in 99% of the other stores around the area. I got the Green Almond Milk tea which had great tea flavor, and tapioca that was perfectly made.
They have a good selection of loose leaf teas that you can order to drink in-​house or to take away as well.