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Astoria's Tea + Milk Vies for City's Best 'Street Drinks' Title

By Jeanmarie Evelly | August 11, 2015 4:04pm | Updated on August 11, 2015 7:48pm
 Local bubble tea purveyor Tea + Milk is hoping to snag a prize as the city's best street beverage at the Vendy Awards next month.
Local bubble tea purveyor Tea + Milk is hoping to snag a prize as the city's best street beverage at the Vendy Awards next month.
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Tea + Milk

ASTORIA — Local bubble tea purveyor Tea + Milk is hoping to be chosen as the best street beverage in the city.

The company — which got its start as a favorite at the LIC Flea & Food market and opened its own brick-and-mortar store in Astoria this spring — has been nominated for a Vendy Award, which honors mobile food vendors across the city.

For the first time, the Vendy Awards will be dishing out a prize for the best Street Drinks, for which Tea + Milk and four others are in the running, the competition announced Monday.

"We're really proud to be a part of it," said Tea + Milk co-owner Mathew Wong. "It's kind of a big deal just to be nominated."

Tea + Milk will compete in the Vendy Awards competition on Sept. 12 on Governor's Island, where they'll be up against Smorgasburg lemonade vendor Renegade Lemonade, Dominican drink purveyor Best Juice Uptown, Washington Heights' Catalina's Champurrado and CoCo & Co, which serves coconut oil smoothies.

"We're honored to be picked as one of them," said Wong.

He and friends Wilson Ng and Kendy Ng started Tea + Milk in 2013, with the goal of selling bubble teas and other tea drinks that use fresh ingredients instead of powdered mixes. Popular items include its taro bubble tea, made with black tea and real tarot root puree.

Tea + Milk has served up its concoctions at LIC Flea and Food in Hunters Point as well as the Astoria Flea and Food at Kaufman Astoria Studios, and the team now also has its own storefront at 32-02 34th Ave.

Wong said they're still deciding which of their beverages to serve at the Vendy Awards, but says they'll likely offer two drinks, at least one of which will be a new item.

"We're constantly working on different things, constantly working on new things," he said.

Another Astoria vendor is also up for a Vendy Award — Souvlaki Lady, a popular Greek food cart on Ditmars Boulevard, is in the running for the coveted "Vendy Cup," the competition's top prize.

Other categories to be presented with prizes at the event next month include "Rookie of the Year," "Best Market Vendor" and "Best Dessert."

For more information and to buy tickets to the competition, visit the Vendy Awards' website.