The Alley debuted on Sunday at 68 Cooper Square (across from Cooper Union). As previously noted, this is the first NYC location for the growing Taiwanese bubble tea chain.
After a few days of a soft opening, the Alley will be full time starting on Saturday.
As Eater previously reported on the Alley:
With the aid of social media, Alley’s Instagrammable sweet drinks and decor have attracted fervent milk tea lovers to line up for hours for a sip of tea whenever a new store opens. Chinese people coin tea shops like the Alley as the “internet celebrity tea,” meaning the tea goes viral overnight on social media, like internet celebrities.
In the upcoming New York Alley, customers can pick a drink from a menu of two dozens teas that range from bubble tea to fruit tea. “Brown sugar deerioca” — the brand’s logo is a deer head — is a signature milk-based sweet drink with no tea in it. Alley’s other popular drinks are made of fresh milk and local black or green tea. The tapioca pearls, or what the Alley calls deerioca, are made by the restaurant.
Speaking of lines, EVG reader Sheila shared this photo from Sunday... she counted about 40 people waiting to enter...
