Shake for life. It’s a slogan you might have seen emblazoned across plastic cups in your Instagram feed—a sort of zen call to arms. Ding Tea’s directive sounds as whimsical as it is catchy.
Ding originated in 2004, the brainchild of franchise founder Xu Wei-xiang, who wanted to bring Taiwan’s authentic bubble tea culture to the United States. Ding uses fresh-brewed tea and real milk, while allowing you to control the amount of sweetness that goes into each drink.
The “shake for life” motto isn’t just memorable catchphrase. There’s a reason Ding has popped up all over Instagram. Unlike other boba shops, Ding uses a cocktail shaker to hand-mix each drink, and each tea is made fresh to order. The Chinatown space is inviting, too. A wall of roses graces one side of the shop—perfect for sharing selfies on social media—and cherry blossoms hang throughout the café, making for a pleasant atmosphere with plenty of seating for groups. An old-school Street Fighter arcade game is a nice touch, too.
Drinks include unsweetened, fresh Assam black tea, jasmine green tea or oolong tea ($2.85); flavored teas ($3.25) which infuse fruit-flavored syrup with one of the three tea choices; milk tea ($3.25); fruit juices; Yakult-brand yogurt; lattes; coffee and hot tea—with available add-ons like boba, jelly and egg pudding. Whatever your favorite flavor, there’s no wrong way to milk tea.
DING TEA 4725 W. Spring Mountain Road #F, 702-998-7510. Daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
