Boba tea spot Sum Tea House is now open in University City

Sum Tea House, a new spot for boba tea, opened in March at 8501 Olive Blvd. in University City. Owner Elaine Truong wanted to incorporate her roots into the space. The name translates from Cantonese to “Heart Tea House,” and the “u” in the logo is the Chinese character for “heart.” Truong explained, “It’s everything I love: it’s Cantonese, and it’s punny … like, ‘Oh, I’m going to some tea house,’ but it’s literally called Sum Tea House.” 

The menu includes both caffeinated and non-caffeinated and milk-based or non-dairy boba options. Truong makes the milk base in-house from scratch. Guests can get classic boba flavors like brown sugar milk tea and Thai milk tea as well as specialty flavors like Crystal Mango that Truong based on a dessert from Hong Kong. Sum Tea House also offers sparkling fruit-flavored drinks, as well as slushie-like “Snowy” beverages in flavors like strawberry and Oreo. For food, guests can enjoy fries, wings, onion rings, crab Rangoon, pot stickers, egg rolls and flan.

The 1,200-square-foot space features bright colors plus anime posters and figurines, various plants and a photo op wall covered in vines and wisteria. Seating is available at barstools along one of the windows or at tables. There’s also an online order and carryout option 

Sum Tea House is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. To stay in the loop, follow them on Instagram.