Milk Tea People in LoDo is a local, family-run shop ready to take Denverites down a flavor journey with their organic tea-based beverages and desserts. Kevin Ung, Timothy Gardnder, Jason Hinh and Jon Hinh opened Milk Tea People in July 2021 with the goal of serving quality, organic and fresh tea.
“Our passionate team is ready to welcome guests in this community to give them an unforgettable tea bar experience in delivering what we believe is the best tea beverage yet,” said Ung.
Exploring the world of tea led them to Japanese tea ceremonies, which not only inspired their tea selection, but also the design of their Downtown Denver location. The group spent months traveling the world visiting various tea shops and was particularly drawn to Japanese aesthetics — they set out to create a simple and minimalistic layout so customers could focus solely on their drinks.
“We believe in the highest quality ingredients and won’t settle for anything less,” said Gardner. As a result, their organic, premium ingredients are sourced from around the world — matcha from Japan, lavender from France and tea leaves from China. They use lactose-free, grass-fed whole milk. Their mochi waffles, called Wafchi, are not only delicious but also gluten-free.
Even if you are not a tea fanatic, their teas are known to change minds. The team does a fantastic job highlighting flavors in all their drinks. You can not go wrong with any of their tea options — tea latte, Fresca, tonic or their specialty cream cheese beverages.
I highly recommend the Blueberry Lavender Matcha ($6.50) — ceremonial Matcha infused with lavender cane sugar for a floral creamy texture top with blueberry puree. It’s not overly sweet or floral but it will make your taste buds sing. If you’re feeling more on the adventurous side, then the cream cheese drinks are a must-try. Milk Tea People tops its tea off with a cream cheese foam, and the goal is to sip the tea with some cream cheese flavor in each gulp. It gives the drink a rich and decadent taste. The Jasmine Cheese Cream ($6.50) will be lighter while the Strawberry Cheese Cream ($6.50) will be like drinking a strawberry cheesecake.
If you have a sweet tooth, then the Wafchi ($8) will be the perfect treat. These mochi waffles have a chewy consistency and are covered with gelato from Gelato Boy. They have two options that will change your life: coconut ube mochi waffle topped with vanilla ice cream and coconut flakes, or the matcha mochi waffle topped with lavender ice cream and blueberries.
Ung, Gardner and the Hinhs set out to serve quality teas, but have grown to introduce Market Station to the world of Japanese desserts. Regardless of what you try here, you’ll leave enjoying a flavorful experience.
Milk Tea People is located at 1641 Market St. Suite 133, Denver. It is open Monday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
All photography by Adrienne Thomas.