UMe Tea

About UMe Tea

UMe Tea is a bubble tea shop on California Avenue, the main street of Palo Alto's second downtown. It is part of a chain that began in California in 2019. The company's story page says its first store opened in Cupertino in July 2019. Its logo carries the line "California, est. 2019." The brand tagline is "It's All About U&Me," and the company says it wants tea to be fun, creative and something people share.

The chain has grown quickly. Its store list now shows 36 locations. Most are in the Bay Area, with stores from Santa Rosa and San Rafael down to San Jose and Los Gatos. Others are in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Davis, Santa Cruz, Arizona and Chicago. Nearby branches include a separate Stanford store, Menlo Park and Mountain View, so the brand will feel familiar if you live elsewhere on the Peninsula.

The Palo Alto store page describes the shop simply as handcrafted boba, fruit tea and fresh milk tea. The website does not describe seating. Its focus is on handmade drinks. The company also encourages customers to order ahead and skip the line, which suits people taking a drink with them down the street.

What is on the menu

The menu is split into milk tea, matcha, fruit tea, yogurt drinks, mango and coconut drinks, plus snacks and a section for new items. Toppings show up in the drink names: boba, mochi, taro, tea jelly and lychee jelly. The menu also has a section for UMe Tea merchandise, if you want something with the logo on it.

• Milk tea. Choices include the house UMe Boba Milk Tea, a brown sugar boba oolong milk tea, a crème brûlée Thai tea, a champaca fresh milk tea and a sticky rice black milk tea.
• Matcha. The matcha drinks are made with Uji matcha, in strawberry, boba and mango versions.
• Fruit tea. Options include mandarin iced tea (also sold in a 32 ounce jumbo size), lychee and watermelon green tea, passion fruit green tea with boba and lychee jelly, a grape green tea with tea jelly and the loaded UMe Mega Fruit Tea.
• Yogurt. Yogurt drinks come with white rice or sticky rice in flavors such as mango, peach and guava strawberry, along with slushie versions.
• Mango and coconut. Drinks such as Coco Mango and a Coconut Cha Cha Bowl round out the list.

The lineup changes with seasonal releases, so treat any single drink as an example rather than a promise. The website links to a nutrition tool for people who want calorie and ingredient details before they order. The menu page does not list dairy free options, so ask at the counter if you need one.

How to order

You can walk up to the counter or order ahead. The store page links to online ordering through Square and to the Palo Alto store on Chowbus. The company pitches ordering ahead as a way to skip the line. Gift cards are sold through Square. The website also has pages for catering and for a membership program, which are worth a look if you buy drinks for a team or visit often.

Who it suits

UMe Tea suits students, families and anyone who wants a sweet drink to carry along California Avenue. The long hours make it an easy stop on the street after dinner. If you want espresso, a long sit down or a place to work, our coffee guide covers cafes that suit that better and also lists other boba and matcha shops.

Tips for visiting

The California Avenue Caltrain station is a short walk away, so a drink here fits easily into a train trip. The California Avenue farmers market runs on Sundays all year. UMe Tea opens at 11 a.m. A drink here can follow a morning at the market. See our farmers markets guide for details. The California Avenue neighborhood guide covers the restaurants, shops and parking around the street.

Location and getting there

UMe Tea is at 421 California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area of Palo Alto. Our California Avenue guide covers what else is around.

The California Avenue Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• Sekoya, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Lotus Thai Bistro, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• La Bohème, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Mediterranean Wraps, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• Vin Vino Wine, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.3 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.3 mi
• Peers Park, 0.4 mi

Other cafes and coffee shops nearby: Backyard Brew (under 0.1 mi); ZombieRunner Coffee (under 0.1 mi); SIGNAL Coffee (Sunday Pop Up) (under 0.1 mi); Fambrini's Cafe (0.1 mi). Browse the full cafes and coffee shops list.

Before you go

• Weekday mornings bring a rush of commuters and students, so expect a line between about 8 and 9:30 a.m.
• Some cafes limit laptop use at busy times or have few outlets. Ask before settling in for a long work session.
• Hours often change with the school calendar and holidays. Check the cafe's site or map listing before a special trip.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against UMe Tea Palo Alto store page; UMe Tea menu; UMe Tea story; UMe Tea store list. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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