Ume Tea, a California-based bubble tea chain, is getting ready to open new locations in Walnut Creek, San Jose, San Mateo, and San Francisco.
The Walnut Creek location is set to move into the former home of Mr. Green Bubble at 1539 Locust Street, according to signage on the door. Mr. Green Bubble permanently closed on Sunday, November 16, and the sign thanks customers while noting that Ume Tea will “continue serving everyone at this location.” Founder Summer Li tells What Now San Francisco that the Walnut Creek store is expected to open at the end of December. The other three upcoming locations are currently under construction and are planned to open around the beginning of the new year, with the same full drink lineup and snack offerings.
Ume Tea began in Silicon Valley in 2019 and has grown steadily through a combination of company-owned stores and select franchise locations. Li says the company now has 29 stores, 25 of which are company-owned. The brand has a strong footprint throughout the Bay Area, including shops in Fremont, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Mountain View, and several mall settings. The four new openings reflect the company’s continued pace of expansion in Northern California.
The Ume Tea menu features a wide range of milk teas, fruit teas, matcha drinks, yogurt-based beverages, caffeine-free options, and seasonal releases. Popular items include Brown Sugar Boba and Mochi Black Milk Tea, Mango Coconut Twilight with spirulina, Uji Strawberry Matcha Latte, Passion Fruit Green Tea with boba and lychee jelly, and the Pistachio Dubai Choc Shake. The brand also offers snacks such as popcorn chicken, fries, and chicken strips, which pair easily with its drink lineup.
This will be an excellent landing space for Ume Tea in Walnut Creek, and the added stores in San Jose, San Mateo, and San Francisco will help broaden the company’s reach across high-traffic districts. With multiple projects underway simultaneously, Ume Tea continues to build momentum and strengthen its presence throughout the region. According to Li, each of the new locations is tracking toward a similar timeline, with openings expected in about one month.
