On the outskirts of Japantown, Sinceretea lives up to its name. I had just finished ordering a few drinks that contained a green tea base when one of the workers came over and delivered the bad news. After a rush of customers, they were all out of green tea. Thankfully, she continued, they were making a fresh batch specifically for my order.

The design of Sinceretea is chic and modern, with booth seating on the inside as well as an outdoor patio. Bright green umbrellas hover over white tables and chairs, and the interior matches this color scheme. Sunshine splashes through the storefront window to bedazzle the white walls and wooden benches, which are adorned with cactus pillows for comfort, and succulents complete the friendly atmosphere.

A small menu offering specialty teas and a handful of classics is separated into five sections: herbal tea, coffee, milk tea, special tea and yogurt tea. I ordered the kumquat elixir ($4.65), which comes with mango jelly. The base is a butterfly pea tea that gives the drink a purple tone, and the jelly adds a little sweetness to blend with the overpowering sourness of the fruit. It seemed like an ideal summertime refreshment. The brown sugar milk tea ($4.35)—my personal favorite—had a sweeter side, thanks to the added brown sugar crystals and regular tapioca pearls ($0.50 extra). For anyone with a sweet tooth, this is the choice.

I expected to be overwhelmed by refreshing mint as I tasted the passion mojito ($4.65), but the effect was quite the opposite. The passion fruit, lime and green tea created an unexpected blend of fruity and citrus. Last, I tried the peach yogurt tea ($3.95), which was reminiscent of frozen yogurt, if not a little watered down. I’d stick with the other options. Sinceretea’s beverages can also help wash down a variety of snacks, such as chocolate chip cookies ($1.99), muffins ($1.99) and silvanas ($3.99), a Filipino dessert consisting of handcrafted sandwich cookies made of cashew meringue wafers with a buttercream filling. The shop also has glass teacups, tumblers and fancy tea sets for sale.

The owners of Sinceretea built their shop to not only cater to Japantown residents, but also hold events for baby and bridal showers. As evidenced by its offerings, a little bit of sweetness should help the shop go a long way.

Sinceretea
392 E Taylor St, San Jose.
408.908.9469.
sinceretea.business.site