Amidst Chicago’s bustling bubble tea scene, Gathers Tea Bar distinguishes itself with its commitment to quality ingredients and handcrafted beverages, meticulously brewed to order. Offering an expansive menu of milk teas, tea lattes, and fruit teas, each beverage is curated with the precision and care akin to a gourmet restaurant dish. Gathers exudes the ambiance of a local artisanal cafe rather than a corporate chain.
The brainchild of Peter Li, with a background in accounting, and Victor Lei, seasoned in the culinary realm, Gathers is the amalgamation of their expertise. Li’s initial venture into tea culture in 2019 was later joined by Lei’s culinary prowess in 2022, resulting in a dynamic partnership.
Both hailing from Chicago’s Chinatown and bonded by their shared heritage, Li and Lei reminisce about their teenage years spent at the iconic Tea Leaf Cafe on Wentworth Avenue, a Taiwanese milk tea establishment.
“We’re ABCs – American Born Chinese… We are born and raised here. We are normalized into American culture,” reflects Li. “It’s like a generational gap: old-school versus new-school.”
Originating in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea, particularly milk tea with boba, made its way to the United States in the late ’90s. Traditionally concocted from various black teas mixed with powdered non-dairy creamer, the beverages are sweetened, iced, and sealed with a plastic top upon order. A distinctive fat straw allows patrons to puncture the plastic top and savor the chewy tapioca pearls.
The art of crafting the pearls, boiled and steeped in brown sugar syrup daily, is a testament to Gathers’ commitment to quality. Referred to as “QQ” texture, the pearls boast a springy, bouncy consistency, meticulously maintained by preparing fresh batches every two hours.
This dedication to freshness extends to the beverages themselves. Unlike chain establishments that emphasize extravagant flavors laden with sugar and artificial syrups, Gathers places the spotlight on the essence of tea.
“We started off as a traditional Taiwanese tea shop, but we try to bridge cultures and bring in teas from all over the world,” explains Li. From matcha and hojicha from Japan to chai from India, Gathers offers a diverse array of teas alongside traditional fruit and milk teas, all tailored to their distinctive style.
Li’s travels to tea hubs in New York and California inspired him to adopt a brewing style that accentuates the tea’s flavor profile. Each tea, directly sourced from Asia, undergoes meticulous brewing to ensure optimal extraction and flavor.
Gathers also explores innovative flavors, such as a banana milk tea recipe infused with brown sugar for a Bananas Foster twist, or a pumpkin latte featuring real pumpkin puree for an authentic taste. The current spring specials include a mango matcha boba topped with fresh cream, boasting vibrant layers of flavor.
In addition to culinary creativity, Gathers prioritizes operational efficiency, implementing strategies like adding ice at the last moment for delivery orders to prevent dilution. Each recipe undergoes meticulous development, akin to crafting a restaurant menu item.
With a dedicated following, including students and hospital workers from nearby UIC, Gathers is often bustling with activity. Despite its rapid growth, the team remains committed to maintaining quality and hospitality, epitomizing the essence of bubble tea in American society.
“There are certain things that are trends that will probably die out. [But bubble tea] is here to stay,” affirms Li.
