Shiny Tea at Aberdeen Square

Shiny Tea is like Hanlin Tea House‘s scout for Vancouver’s bubble tea market. Back in 2014 Shiny Tea opened its first location in Richmond’s new Aberdeen Square. It soon opened its Crystal Mall location in Burnaby and downtown location in the international village. They were one of the first few stores to enter Aberdeen Square and survived until today in this low traffic mall.

Strength: Hanlin Tea House quality tea at a lower price

Weakness: All their locations seems to be a little remote and discreet

Other Bubble Tea

• Hanlin Tea House (5 Stars)
• Yi Fang Taiwanese Fruit Tea (4.5 Stars)
• Weekend Tea (3.5 Stars)

Shiny Tea Front

Shiny Tea is located on the 2nd floor of Aberdeen Square. It is not located in the food court, but right below it. It is somewhat hidden among the far side of the retail strip, but fortunately, it is facing the Skytrain station. Its white text on red background helped to catch the attention of Skytrain passengers. You must have seen this storefront if you have taken Skytrain to and from Aberdeen station.

Authorization from Inventor of Tapioca Milk Tea

I have always wondered why Shiny Tea has signage about getting the authorization from the inventor of the Tapioca Milk Tea. To me, it’s like a car mechanic telling customers they have received a blessing from Henry Ford to operate a repair shop. Hanlin Tea House‘s opening solved this mystery for me.

Stamp Card

Panda bears’s appearance on the stamp card does not indicate affiliation with China, it simply means their tapioca comes in black and white versions. The rules for the stamp card is simple. You get one stamp per cup and a freebie after your 10th cup. I prefer this method more than the ones that give out stamps base on every $5 or so because customers don’t have to overthink the reward system.

Original Black Pearl Tea $5.49

I ordered the large size, and see the name of “Taiwan Hanlin Internation Co.” printed near the bottom of the cup. My suspicion is that staff also use this line to measure toppings. I ordered regular sugar and ice level and find the unaltered taste very well balanced. The milk tea has a very crisp and refreshing texture. They didn’t use homo milk for the wonderful milk flavour, but this is what I would go for to ease my thirst.

604 Food Critic Assessment

Shiny Tea’s quality is comparable to Hanlin Tea House, if not identical. The lower cost for the same tea comes without the wonderful interior decor Hanlin Tea House has. The price tag of $5.49 is cheaper than Hanlin, which makes Shiny Tea the perfect tea station for a quick grab and go.

Shiny Tea Menu

How to get in touch

• Phone: (604) 588-4242
• Address: #2340 – 4000 No 3 Rd, Richmond
• Hours: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, Thursday to Saturday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm