Happy Lemon

Exotic Fruity Teas: A Taste Sensation

Nestled amidst the neon hustle and bustle of London's Chinatown, Happy Lemon beckons with its cheerfully adorned storefront and an array of technicolor beverages promising happiness in a cup. The anticipation builds outside as you peruse the intricate illustrations on their menu, each drink more tantalizing than the last, before stepping into this aromatic trove of tapioca pearls. The ambiance, let’s say, isn’t one for a lingering tête-à-tête, given its buzzing, transactional atmosphere. But let’s face it, no one enters a bubble tea shop hoping for leisurely blanc table service; we’re here to carry our trophies aloft as we sashay onto the street once more.

The core business here, the bubble tea, meets expectations with meticulous attention. The iced passion fruit green tea comes with a refreshing jolt, awash with real fruity undertones and punctuated by the charming bounce of lychee jelly. Alas, the charming bounce ends at the personnel, as in stark contrast, the dimly disinterested staff could serve as a reminder that services may be cheerful in name only. Personalizing your beverage’s sugar or ice levels seems influenced by a philosophy akin to Soviet efficiency—none. And yet, the flavor journey—a drinkable fruit fantasia—is worth both the shivers and sugar spikes, calibrated or not. Happy Lemon, despite the few paradoxes that dwell within its crevices, succeeds, essentially, in proving that curiosity pays and sometimes becomes downright delicious. — Penelope Savory