NOVEL TEA IS TOTALLY NEW

Now, for something completely different: 20 Hawley Street in Downtown Binghamton is being occupied by a student startup, the kind of startup that serves tea and traditional Chinese snacks. Novel Tea is run by (and seems to be predominantly frequented by) Binghamton University students, though its level of polish and professionalism tricked us into thinking it was a chain we’d never heard of. The owners are from Queens, and they are definitely bringing the Asian flavor in a totally fresh and exciting way. Serving milk tea and bubble tea (with tea leaves from Taiwan), they do not serve coffee, so don’t go in there looking for a cappuccino. However, if you’re craving or curious about the wonder and glory that is Chinese baked goods, look no further, as they offer egg tarts (which are actually Portuguese in origin but were adapted by Chinese bakeries) and roast pork buns. What might be the most exciting item on the menu, though, are the homemade dumplings, which come with a variety of fillings and are made in accordance with family recipes. Visit Novel Tea Monday-Thursday from 3-10pm, Friday-Saturday from noon to 10, or on Sunday from noon to 8pm.