Teavolve: good boba and brunch in Harbor East

I was born and raised in California, so coming here was a bit of culture shock, especially when it came to food. I don’t consider myself a foodie, but I will admit my taste buds have high expectations.

Almost everyone around me knows there is one thing I miss especially, and it’s boba, bubble tea, pearl milk tea or whatever you want to call it. I’m from the suburbs of Los Angeles, and there are at least five boba stores in my city and its neighboring cities.

Another favorite pastime my friends from Los Angeles enjoy is finding cute and yummy brunch spots.

During my freshman year, I definitely missed both quality boba and good weekend brunches.

Naturally, I was super happy this summer when my friend from California took me to a place that solved both of these problems: a restaurant called Teavolve Café & Lounge.

Since this summer, I’ve been to Teavolve at least three times, and I just recently went this weekend with another brunch-loving friend.

Of course, I ordered my usual drink: the blended matcha green tea with boba. I’ve had my fair share of boba at Hopkins, from Bamboo Café, to T-swirl Crêpe, to Kung Fu Tea. I’d definitely say the best ones are from Teavolve and Kung Fu Tea.

The sweet, chewy texture of the little pearls mixed in with the refreshing taste of matcha green tea is perfect for anyone who has the slightest craving for boba or is feeling a little rebellious and wants to try something new.

But if boba isn’t for you, then no worries! Teavolve also has great brunch and lunch options. Last weekend I ordered the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict, which I found was super popular on Yelp but is only offered on weekends.

I loved it. The mixture of Baltimore’s famous crab cakes, with Canadian bacon on top of perfectly poached eggs, was delicious. It was very filling and came with a side of fruits and a side of potatoes, which I was too full to finish.

This meal was on the pricier end of the menu ($16.75 to be exact), but Teavolve definitely has many other options. Its dishes range from breakfast paninis to signature salads to favorite egg dishes.

As you can guess from its name, Teavolve also has a wide range of drink options and has two menus (back and front) for drinks alone. Not only do they have many options for loose leaf teas, but they also have fairly extensive brunch cocktail and beer selections.

Moving on from the food, another thing I look forward to at brunch restaurants is the atmosphere. Located in Harbor East, the restaurant is basically right next to Baltimore’s beautiful harbor.

Getting to the area is fairly simple. You can either take the Purple Route of the Charm City Circulator, which thankfully is free, or you can take an Uber, which costs approximately $9. Bonus: It’s only 11 minutes from campus.

If you’re up on a weekend morning and are looking to treat yourself to an incredible brunch experience, definitely consider trying Teavolve Café & Lounge.

No matter when you go, it provides a great meal and, if you’re like me, more than a little pseudo-foodie-based nostalgia.