Pearl and Brew, a new bubble tea shop that opened in Palatine this January, offers a variety of vibrant teas, coffee, fruity refreshers and desserts in a modern, cozy setting.
The menu includes milk teas, fruit teas, blended frappes, smoothies and a selection of refreshers. It features familiar options such as brown sugar milk tea and taro, alongside fruit-based choices such as dragon fruit and lychee. Customers can customize their drinks with toppings such as tapioca pearls or fruit poppers for an additional cost. Prices begin at $5.99 for a regular-size drink.
Owner Santosh Mishra mentioned that some of the most popular items so far include the croffle — a croissant-waffle hybrid popularized in South Korea — as well as piña colada tea, brown sugar milk tea and a rotating selection of fruit refreshers.
The limited number of bubble tea shops in Palatine is one of the reasons Mishra, who also owns a nearby Indian restaurant, decided to open the cafe.
“I wanted to create a place for students to come and hang out,” Mishra said.
Since opening, Mishra noted that the cafe has attracted local high school and college students, many of whom come for drinks, studying or socializing.
Mishra believes his Indian background has played a role in his business approach.
“In most cafes, you just have different kinds of coffee,” Mishra said. “Most people don’t know much about tea, and where I come from, tea is the main thing. So I’m just trying to introduce people to all the teas.”
Selecting all the different flavors of tea and bubble tea was a learning curve for Mishra, who wasn’t previously familiar with the wide variety of options the drink typically includes.
However, his experience as a longtime business owner has taught him a consistent lesson.
“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a restaurant or a coffee shop — you have to be with the customer 100 percent of the time,” Mishra said.
He is often present at the cafe, overseeing operations and interacting with customers throughout the day.
“If you want to study, read by yourself, or bring friends here, it will be great,” Mishra said.
Mishra’s goal is to open six to seven more Pearl and Brew locations, with a plan to open at least one per year. A second location is currently in the works in Downers Grove.
Pearl and Brew is at 780 E. Dundee Road, Palatine.
