Elite Event: Manhattan Tea Party @ Press Tea

This was a great event. George, the proprietor, is so passionate about the products he sells, all the way down to the ingredients and even the soil (that’s important when you’re growing tea!) We learned about the cool new way PressTea prepares tea (like espresso, not like traditional tea) and got to try some of their foods, including ramenrito bowls and baked goods.
My favorite drink taste was the rose hip teapuccino; in fact, I’ve been back 3 or 4 times to buy it since the event. Which doesn’t sound like a lot, but I live on the UWS, so it’s a but of a trek to get down here.
One star docked for the focus on how expensive the ingredients were — the constant attention made it feel more like a sales pitch/​justification than an informative session. I felt like I was stealing his wonderful but terribly expensive food from paying customers.

Ruggy did a great job with this event! It helped showcase this great business who emphasizes fresh, organic ingredients in order to produce a unique, delicious product.
All of Press Tea’s items are great but their ice Chai is really incredible. Their cookies are simply to die! The green tea cookie is unique and flavorful. I’ve been back there a few times, and each experience I’ve taken my order to stay was homey and lovely. I’ve take teas to go and it was just as tasty.
Thanks, Ruggy, for putting Press Tea on our radar.

Did anyone get George’s speech on video? George is the owner and discussed his sourcing practices in detail, and it was awesome. Every ingredient is sourced with care – for the meat, he knows the farmers and knows how they raise their animals, for the teas, he traveled to plantations the world over and took soil samples.
Let me repeat that:
SOIL.
SAMPLES.
I was so impressed. He sources food the way I wish I could at home.
None of which would matter if the place didn’t offer such great food. I didn’t try the burritos much but I did dig into the cookies and pastries. Tobin T. put it well: «This cookie is perfectly baked!» And when I heard him say this, I slowed down and actually paused to look at and taste my cookie, and I looked to Tobin T., and I said: «Yes. Yes it is.» I’d been a little hungry and hadn’t been paying attention.
I could go on. The summary, though, is, this was a great event at a great place that I bookmarked and hope to go back to. I wish there were one by my office or home.
(I think I’m going to have to come back to this place and then cut n paste most of the above into a regular review. People need to know! SOIL SAMPLES!)

4^th Elite event in 5 nights. I’ve gone Elite crazy.
This event is a little different from the others, which is no alcohol. Ever now and then you got to take a break from drinking alcohol. Instead, have a nice relaxing cups of tea from Press Tea.
Cold teas– Signature Fermosa Green Tea with Mont Blanc Crème, Masala Chai Vanilla Latte, Mango Roobios
Hot teas– Rose Black Teappucino, Caramel Roobios Latte
All were great teas with a very distinct and unique flavors. Take your time drinking these teas, so you can really taste the teas.
To munch on something, Press Tea was serving some dessert treats. The owner also hand made every single ramen bowl. I got the shredded pork ramen bowl, which was quite flavorful and great tasting. Quite the popular ramen bowl since everyone was grabbing the bowls as soon it was ready to serve.
Thumbs up to Ruggy and the Unilocal team for making this event happen. Thanks to Press Tea for welcoming us and letting us sample your delicious teas and drinks.
I think I’m good with Elite Events for the next month… or am I.

Thanks to Ruggy and Jando for organizing such a fun event. It was an excellent opportunity to revisit Press Tea and try some of their unique blends of tea and eats. George’s true passion about tea, food and the paleo life style is truly reflected in his passionate explanation about Press Tea’s critical success and mission statement. The tea selections was delicious, and the Mango Rooibos rises above the rest as a personal preference. The Ramenrrito was delicious, yet light at the same time. I’d be happy to trek here that burrito instead of patronizing Chipotle any day.
Thank you George, Ruggy, and Jando for organizing a simple, yet fun event. It was delightful experience that prompted another visit to Press Tea a few days later!

Echoing many of the fellow Unilocalers, I hope that Press Tea opens up more spots (especially near my workplace, specifically in Times Square and East Village please)!
This Unilocal event was one of my favorites with amazing and creative tea and pastries. After hearing George describe the background and process of making each item, I definitely have more appreciation for all the effort that goes into Press Tea. Everything is sourced based on the quality of soil and ingredients, then carefully crafted for taste. George is a health nut who cares about what goes into his body and delivers the same standards to his customers.
Chocolate croissant — flaky on the outside, soft, chewy and warm on the inside. One of the best chocolate croissants I’ve ever had.
Tea infused cookies and scones — jasmine green tea and earl grey madeleine cookies for the win.
Mango rooibos tea — light sweet fragrance that tastes just as good, easily the favorite of the night
Masala Chai Vanilla Latte — creamy, not too heavily spiced or sweet. my personal favorite
As someone who does not drink coffee and only lives off tea, I truly hope all the best for Press Tea and that they open some near me!

I enjoyed myself thoroughly at the Unilocal Tea part at Press Tea.
I’m a big fan of knowing where your food comes from and these guys can not just tell you where it came from… they can tell you who picked it and what the soil conditions are at that location! Ok ok i kid about the telling you about who is picking the tea leaves — but i’m not kidding about the soil. They’ve run tests on tons of locations they wanted to grow their tea at to see how it changes the flavor of the tea — and it’s dramatic.
Their pastries are to die for — they’re really freakin’ good.

I love anything that has to do with tea, so naturally this event is totally up my alley. The second session was really chill, had ample amount of mingling space, plenty of food (extra ramenrito bowls anyone?) and just an overall great atmosphere. Their pastries are outstanding and stands apart from other tea parlors as all ingredients are high quality, specially sourced, and have a «tea» twist to them. For example, the jasmine cookie was divine!
When George, the owner (or «sandwich boy») gave us a brief history of Press Tea and its painstakingly sourced ingredients, it made me appreciate my experience there even more. The innovative idea of making «tea shots» similar to that of espresso makes this place almost futuristic. Indeed, each «shot» I sampled there were very fragrant and delicious — what a great alternative to get caffeinated apart from sugary sodas & acidic coffee! Press Tea’s philosophy and take on drink & grub really jive with my own, and I can certainly appreciate an establishment like this in the concrete jungle.
The «ramenrito» was freshly made and served in small, yet generous bowls, none of the bite-​sized spoons or teeny tiny toothpicks. The ramen was chewy, the corn salsa and bed of greens fresh, and the pulled pork, steak & chicken topping well seasoned and succulent. Vulturism was absent this time, and there were plenty of left overs for those who wanted more. I actually left the event feeling quite full and happy, and would’ve had a few more tea «shots» if I did not have to wake up at the crack of dawn the next day.
Count on me to be back to patronize Press Tea, as I am definitely a huge fan of their unique product!

Why drink coffee and hope for joy? Visit PressTea so you can drink great tea, eat good food, and smile with no issue. Look I hate tea with a passion until I visited this great place. My goodness, it so addictive. Now I understand the feeling, when a crackhead needs drugs ASAP. You know the left leg begins moving rapidly. I’ve been reformed, my god! Give me the tea, man! I have my money ready, just press my natural herbs, and pour it in my cup. Ahhhh, that’s what I’m talking about. Admiring every drop in my cup, so beautiful and rich.
Look enough with the silly jokes!
I want every man and woman to make a pledge with me.
Say your name, I pledge…
To drink right… Throw away your coffee to your left side.
I want to let you know… Swallowing vitamins… all is good
Know who you are, a healthy being… Drinking coffee is icky feeling…
It so so real… I don’t mind you not listening to me… But remember Fitness classes are 299.99… Following a healthy lifestyle is free :-)

This was a great event! I was happy to be in the second session… I hear there were some display eating Unilocalers earlier lol
I wasn’t too crazy about a Tea event, but these Teas are definitely on a different level. The host George was very informative about how they source the teas directly and everything is made with organic ingredients. It was nice to hear how much attention they pay to their ingredients and that they go beyond just labeling things «organic» — they really make sure all ingredients are of high standard.
I really enjoyed the Mango Rooibos iced tea, I’m a sucker for anything with mango. The other teas were nice, but I’m not a big tea drinker, so I don’t have much to compare them to.
The Jasmine Green Tea cookies were insane, I had to stay away from those, they said organic, but I’m pretty sure there’s some crack in there cause those things are addictive!
The ramenrrito bowl with pork was really good, it’s not something I would eat regularly, but it’s nice to know that all the ingredients are healthy.
The place has a nice décor and I hope they open up more locations, I can see myself going in there for some tea.
It was great to meet a lot of new people at this event, helps that it wasn’t packed. Looking forward to the next one!

What a blast!!! I absolutely loved everything about this event!
Press Tea is an adorable spot, great for working in during the day with super friendly staff that is truly passionate about healthy food that comes from the right places. Hearing George talk about his vision, product experimentation, and dedication to health was inspiring. I loved everything I tried and can’t wait to see how Press Tea will expand its products.
You can get your organic, paleo, gluten-​free options here and everything tastes so delicious! The ramenrittto with chicken that I tried was oh so good and I definitely need to come back for more. Also, love the green tea infused cookie and madeleine-​like pastries. And the tea, wow! I could drink the Mango Rooibos all day long (well, not all day, that would be way too much caffeine). The Signature Fermosa Green tea with Mont Black Crème was also fantastic, though now that it’s almost summer time (hopefully?), I am all about that mango.
And, we even got parting gifts, how sweet! I took a massive, half pound (George was not kidding) green tea infused cookie with white chocolate home and made my roommates quite happy. We’re coming back for more.
Thank you Ruggy, Jando, and Chris at Unilocal for setting this up and George, Allison, and Will for being such gracious hosts and keeping everyone happy! Thanks fellow Unilocalers for being your awesome selves! And a big congrats to Chris for a successful first day and event as a Unilocal intern! :)

Seems like this was a winner for everyone. I have to admit being English I was expecting a traditional tea and scones kind of evening but boy I was wrong.
Highlights of the evening were definitely the vanilla chai latte.
The mango rooibos tea, I’m not fond of mangos but this was delish.
The pulled pork ramenritto bowl, spicy yet perfectly balanced.
The cookies omg. was it me or was the chocolate chips melting when you broke into them.
The mini croissants were so light and delicate yum.
I have just one question if I eat all these goodies everyday will I end up cut like George the owner oh and btw fantastic and informative speech about his ingredients. They really have done their home work and know their noodles no pun intended.
Big thanks to Ruggy now a converted tea person and Jando for making us laugh.
Pressed tea could be my new regular go to for a cuppa, which reminds me i still have half cookie left from last night so I better put the kettle on.

Given what I heard regarding the first session, being a little insane and people fighting for food, it seems, I’m glad I came to the second session. Nobody ate the displays at ours :)
I love the décor of the place and the unique ingredients and preparation of the food and drinks here. After hearing the nice, long splurge given by George, I’m sold.
I proceeded to eat my ramenrrito bowls with no thought whatsoever for how bad it was for me, because apparently, it’s not! I was able to try a little of the chicken, pulled pork, and skirt steak — chicken being my favorite. I gave George a little constructive criticism in hopes that their ramenrritos become unbelievably delicious for all :)
Delicious, GIANT cookies — the jasmine tea/​white chocolate one was to die for.
Props to my 2^nd session crew for being tame and awesome — great seeing old faces and meeting new ones!

I want Press Tea to open more locations!
I am still wired and awake from last night’s Tea Party Unilocal and George from Press Tea kindly hosted.
We got to sample all their pastries, famous croissants, their new creation, the Ramenrrito bowl, and of course tea!
Signature Fermosa Green tea with Mont Black Crème — The cream was salty? It was kind of weird, but the green tea on the bottom was spot on.
Mango Rooibos — Mango flavored tea, my favorite of the night. It was not too sweet and it was not too bitter. I will be returning just to get this.
Masala Chai Vanilla Latte — There was a bit too much latte/​milk and I couldn’t really taste the tea much, but the ice probably watered down the batch a bit. I’ve been to Press tea previously this and it was pretty good when made in a single batch personally.
The Jasmine green tea cookie was freaking awesome! I need to come back and order a bulk of these!
Ramenrritto bowl was the highlight of my night. Ippudo and Chipotle had a baby and created this monster of a dish. The flavors were all there and the texture of the ramen was cooked perfectly. There were plenty of bowls coming out but they were gone fast! After patiently waiting, I was able to snag a bowl and shared it with my fellow Unilocaler Wing C. Getting free food is great, but sharing is greater!
Each Unilocaler left with a huge cookie to go. George mentioned it weighs ½ a pound and it definitely felt like it!
Ruggy had to kick us out because of the second session, but I am surely going to return! Thanks to George @ Press Tea, Ruggy @ Unilocal and Jando for making a special appearance again, and Chris the new Unilocal intern!

#43
So i was in the second group for this event, and thanks God, George (the sandwich man and owner), said that he was ok with anything that Unilocaler do, but we all want to know the mystery of the missing display of the first group. I heard they already have it on camera.
I am not a big fan of tea (unless that i am sick), but the «Press Tea» is on of the best tea i have drink in my live, listening to George talk about how healthy the ingredients are their used to make the tea, get me excited about to try them.
Mango rooibos tea — light sweet fragrance that tastes good, easily the favorite of the night and hot drink menu: My favorite was the Caramel Roobios Latté.
The Jasmine Green Tea cookies were incredible, I had to stay away from those, they said organic, but I’m pretty sure there’s must have an additive ingredient because i cant stop eaten them all night.
The ramenrrito bowl with chicken was really good, with the bbq sauce and little spicy given them a great taste.
The was a present to take home, it was a big cookies that have to had cracks or something on it because i want more.
Thanks Ruggy for this event, and Jando for helping and give the second group heads up about everything there.
I scored a Unilocal water bottle.
Ps: Serious guys for the first group who ate the display???

My first Elite event was a cozy tea and dessert tasting at Press tea, perfect for a windy, nippy night and a tea lover like me. Press Tea beckons you with a warmly lit welcome as soon as you enter, with its elegantly decorated walls at one end that remind you of an art nouveau Asian themed salon in someone’s home. That end had a larger table surrounded by cushy chairs and a small couch. Somehow it worked with the rest of the modern touches of the place, the small square tables and wooden benches. Then there was Ruggy with his greeting smile, prepped to give the lay of the place.
At one end of the table was the dessert station, with mini scones, fresh berry jam, green tea madelines, chocolate chip and green tea cookies. Desserts were delightful, with a strong green tea flavor in the madeline and the other cookie. The other end of the table had the Press Tea special, the Ramenrito, offered on their lunch and dinner menu, a mix of ramen with some salad, and either chicken, pork, steak or ratatouille. A vegetarian, I only tasted the ratatouille, which had an interesting mix of sweet, almost fruity sauce and a lightly curried ramen, slightly fried so that the texture was a little crispy. I loved the ramen, but thought the sauce could have been a little less sweet. The tea counter had cold blends, the mango rooibos and the exceptional Mont Blanc Formosa Green Tea blend with mont blanc cream. Warm teas were the Caramel Cape Town Latte and the Rose Black Teappucino. The teas here have distinct, unique, layered flavors that unveil themselves as you drink them. These are sophisticated blends, not simply robustly brewed teas. You want to pour the teas down your throat because they are so good. Don’t. Sip the tea first, and wait while the flavors unfold in your palate. You will be amazed. I was wondering how George got people to leave during the evenings, especially when they have planted themselves in one of the cushy chairs by the wallpapered end. Great tea and comfort does not make for patrons eager to leave.
George the owner gave an impassioned speech about Press Tea and his love of just good, healthy food. This is a man who sources organic (all his teas are organic), and wants to change our eating habits, one cup of tea (well, maybe with a croissant) at a time. Want to know about the Paleo diet? Ask George! But for a buff guy, he sure knew his sweets and how to make them! Who says real food has to be come with abstinence from the sweet things in life! As a baker who uses primarily organic, I understand his quest to use the best ingredients and his struggle to make it affordable. His cookies and his teas reflect the quality of ingredients he chooses. You pay a little more, but the complexity of flavors and the quality that you are getting makes it worth it.
It was a nice mellow night, my kind of event, and I got to meet friendly Elite Unilocalers (yay) and finally Ruggy and Jando (thanks for being the sweet gracious host and asking George to get me a portion of the Ratatouille ramen to try since I don’t eat meat). I don’t know about other Unilocalers but I appreciated the handy lip balm (which I used immediately!) and the little bottle opener key chain with the Unilocal logo (always handy, as I found out when I needed a bottle opener in Aruba).
Thanks, George, for the giant green tea walnut cookie giveaway at the end of the evening and your helpful manager. I will return because your teas are exquisite and I promise not to meld to your little couch.
Thanks again, Ruggy and Jando for a lovely way to close out an evening.

Whoa, how is this possible? Two Unilocal Elite events in two days? I feel special. Thanks a bunch Ruggy and Jando for really making my week. I was going through Unilocal event withdrawal, so thanks for giving me my fix. And on top of it all, I scored a Unilocal water bottle. You have no idea what this means to me. I have been looking for a water bottle for a few months now, but now I don’t have to look further!
I love Press Tea. I came here a few months back and just absolutely loved the concept of tea made in a way like espresso coffee. A machine dedicated to make excellent tea drinks. Wait, is there third wave tea also? I cannot tell you how much I love the wallpaper. Reminds of those opium war days in China and men with que hairstyles.
Thanks to George for an inspiring talk on his labor of love. He’s a bit of a health junkie. Yea, I like that. Go George for finding awesome tea from around he world and being conscientious of food and everything that goes into the body. After all, your body is your temple, worship it, treat it nice with all the good stuff Press Tea has to offer.
Great scones on hand and excellent sampling of unique tea drinks. Oh yea, I can get my caffeine fix here too. I love the ‘fermosa” drink, shout-​out to my Taiwanese roots.
There is now a food line created too which include Hawaiian-​style ramen. Cool, who knew about Hawaiian-​style ramen!!!
Wing — You are my fave dentist. You’re always smiley and the sweetest. I am so gonna miss you when you go South :-(
Ron — two nights in a row? You cool my friend. Yes I did go to Italy for vacay.
Alan — Awesome about Brooklyn Nets! Viva Bay Ridge.
Dorie — Whoa you a lean mean running machine and a sweetheart!
Dione — Yes we stalking thugs lol
Daniel — I’m glad you have cavities too. Misery loves company.
Steve — So glad to chat a bit outside in the freezing cold. Can’t find you on Unilocal.Please find me? Oh yes, you like the Kirkland TP. Cool. The things you learn about Unilocalers.
Sean S — Your conclusions about the faces I was making is not what you think.
Esther — Hope you enjoy the passes. When is the Bronx UYE girlfiend?
Jando — OPENRICE! Did you get into that resto?
I had a great time, as usual. Thanks Unilocal for making my social calendar complete. Whatever would I do without you? Oh right, I would just be a loser trying to buy eco-​sustainable, one-​ply TP.

I already love tea, and Press Tea takes it to a whole new level.
We were treated to a warm welcome (and respite from the crazy cold wind), complete with stacks of pastries and delicious flavors of tea. Snacks aside, Press Tea does not lack in atmosphere. The beautiful wallpaper and comfy seating is a perfect complement to enjoying the food and drink.
George of Press Tea impressed with his passion for quality ingredients and healthy food. I loved hearing that George applies his own personal standards of eating to everything he serves his customers. As you know, I am always on a quest to find healthy and lactose-​free alternatives, and Press Tea offers it all (vegan, gluten-​free, paleo, you name it). They go out of their way to accommodate different dietary needs!
…of course, the pattern is that I bend my dairy-​free rules for dessert. What can I say, I’m a weak soul. I definitely downed my fair share of buttery cookies and scones (yes, dessert can count as dinner in my world). My sweet tooth was in heaven!
The green tea cookie stole the show, and it was decadent to say the least– it melts in your mouth with sweetness. Even the mango rooibos tasted like a fabulous dessert. I will be back to try the chai latte with soy milk instead of regular milk!
The Ramenritto bowls were in high demand, and I was fortunate enough to sample a portion of the chicken version. I was delighted to taste the spicy kick, and the mayo added a nice creaminess. If George wanted to tease us into coming back for more, that sure did the trick. Now I just need to learn his trick on how to stay in shape while being surrounded by such delicious pastries every day!
Thank you so much to Ruggy and the whole Unilocal team, and Press Tea for hosting such a sweet (haha had to say it) event!
Oh– and a big thanks for the humongous warm cookie souvenir that kept me warm on the way home. :)

I learned one thing for certain after coming out of this awesome event: The ingredients — all the way from the whole tea leaves to the grass-​finished beef to the mayo — are REALLY good and REALLY expensive!
Having said that, there’s a real passion for good food, good service, and good atmosphere at Press Tea, and it doesn’t come at a premium cost to the customer. Sure, we were given a smattering of delicious teas, pastries, and ramenrrito bowls to nosh on gratis, but nothing here’s terribly expensive anyway, especially considering what you’re getting. Many of the menu items on the chalkboard actually lack a written price tag because market value of the fresh ingredients they use can impact/​fluctuate their prices… and here I was thinking that only happened with lobster!
Thanks to George (the sandwich man, the barista, the jack of all trades), and his staff for hosting us, thanks to Ruggy and Jando for putting this Wednesday night shindig together, and thanks to all the new faces I met and familiar ones I caught up with. Now that the tea’s starting to wear off, I think I’m off to bed!
P. S. — Bonus points for the bagged green tea-​infused cookie to take with us on our way out… thanks!

«Wing! This event is made for u!»
«Wing! u r extra bubbly today!»
Yes and yes, I couldn’t contain how excited I was to be surrounded by my favs — sweets, pastries, and tea!
And the pastries and sweets are supposed to be healthy? Say what? Forget about wedding diet, this body needs a whole platter to herself please (in which I did)!
The warm, buttery chocolate croissant and green tea, chocolate cookies were beyond amazing! The berry scones with fresh jam — perfect compliment to any tea! I was able to sample all 5 teas too — both hot and cold were perfectly, lightly sweetened and simply delish!
Aside from the sweets and teas, we were also served their new menu item — Ramenritto bowl. Since the sweet owner had to make each one from scratch, only a few were served at a time (if you were more than an arm length away from the table, you definitely won’t get one this round). Thanks Steve L. for sharing your bowl, I was able to sample their pulled pork version — the pulled pork was perfectly seasoned, the wavy ramen was well cooked, the mixture of sauces with the greens was refreshing!
Thanks Ruggy, Jando, new intern Chris, and Press Tea staffs for hosting such an amazing event! When I couldn’t think it could get any better — I was handed a half pound green tea cookie to take home by the sweet owner! Did I mention I still have my press tea gift card from wix lounge event? Definitely coming back to try a full sized Ramenritto!