Koreyinz: Bringing New Modern Tea Culture to Pittsburgh
Welcome to Koreyinz — Pittsburgh’s very first modern boba tea truck! As pioneers of the modern boba movement in the city, we’re proud to introduce a new generation of tea: New Modern Tea — a flavorful evolution that blends centuries-old tea tradition with today’s innovation and style.
At Koreyinz, we don’t just serve tea — we reimagine it. Rooted in East Asian tea culture but crafted for modern tastes, our drinks are thoughtfully created using high-quality tea leaves, fresh ingredients, and cutting-edge brewing techniques. From the moment you take your first sip, you’ll taste the difference — richer textures, bolder flavors, and unexpected combinations that elevate the classic tea experience into something fresh, fun, and totally craveable.
The Koreyinz Menu: Crafted for Taste, Built for Joy
Our menu is a curated lineup of modern tea expressions — each drink a blend of premium ingredients, thoughtful technique, and fun presentation:
New Style Fresh Milk Tea: Brewed with mountain-grown tea leaves and organic lactose-free milk — smooth, refreshing, and deeply satisfying.
Snowy Whipped Cream Milk Tea: Topped with fluffy, house-made whipped cream for a luxurious, melt-in-your-mouth finish.
Cloud Foam Milk Tea: Finished with a silky, slightly salted milk foam layer that adds depth and contrast to each sip.
Fruit-Infused & Sparkling Boba Tea: Bursting with fresh fruit, edible carbon dioxide, and chewy or popping boba — it’s the flavor party you didn’t know you needed.
Bubble Tea (Boba): A fan favorite with chewy tapioca pearls or bursting fruit balls — endlessly customizable and addictive.
Our signature lineup reflects the playful, boundary-pushing nature of New Modern Tea. Whether you’re craving comfort or adventure, there’s a Koreyinz tea for you.
Koreyinz: Redefining Tea Culture in Pittsburgh—One Sip at a Time
As Pittsburgh’s very first boba tea shop to specialize in modern-boba tea, Koreyinz (pronounced kr·ee·uhnz), tea isn’t just a beverage — it’s a celebration of heritage, innovation, and community.
Born from tradition and crafted for today, Koreyinz brings a bold new vision to the city’s tea scene — inspired by the vibrant New Chinese modern tea movement redefining how tea is enjoyed around the world.
The Koreyinz Story: Where Craft Meets Culture
Founded in 2023 by a passionate team of seasoned bobaristas and tea lovers, Koreyinz was built on a simple idea: to bring Pittsburgh a modern tea experience rooted in quality, culture, and creativity.
We focus on delivering handcrafted drinks made with fresh-brewed premium tea leaves, organic lactose-free milk, and only the finest ingredients. Our mission is to celebrate the rich heritage of tea while pushing boundaries to create pure bliss in every cup.
Even our name tells a story — Koreyinz is a playful fusion of “Korean” and “Yinz,” a beloved Pittsburgh term that brings people together, just like our teas do.
What Is New Modern Tea?
Modern tea is not your average steep-and-serve or your average low-quality boba tea and creamer. It’s an elevated drinking experience that fuses traditional techniques with contemporary flair — think advanced brewing, unexpected textures, and bold layers of flavor.
This new wave of tea has taken Asia by storm, especially in China, and we’re bringing that energy to Pittsburgh. Imagine creamy cloud foam, fresh fruit infusions, velvety whipped toppings, and just the right pop of boba or bubbles. That’s the Koreyinz twist.
New Modern Tea is more than just a trend — it’s a redefinition of how tea is made, shared, and enjoyed. Unlike traditional tea, which sticks to time-honored recipes and preparation methods, modern tea experiments boldly with flavor, texture, and presentation.
We use advanced brewing equipment, premium loose-leaf teas, and real ingredients like fresh fruit, cream, edible carbon dioxide, and toppings. The result? A drink that’s as delicious as it is Instagrammable — whether it’s a citrus-forward fruit tea, a velvety milk cap brew, or our Milk Tea Cloud.
But New Modern Tea is also about the vibe. At Koreyinz, we’re not just building drinks; we’re building a community — a place where people can connect, recharge, and enjoy something special in a vibrant, trend-forward setting.
More Than a Drink — It’s a Vibe
Our drink is more than a cup of tea — it’s a space to relax, connect, and sip something special. Koreyinz creates the perfect backdrop for catching up with friends, studying, or just indulging in some well-deserved “me time.”
We believe that tea should be fun, inclusive, and inspiring — something you look forward to, every time.
Come visit Koreyinz and experience the future of tea in Pittsburgh.
Where tradition meets trend, and every sip feels like home.
New Modern Tea vs. Traditional Taiwanese Boba Tea: What’s the Difference?
Tea lovers, get ready — there’s a new wave brewing. While both New Modern Tea and Traditional Taiwanese Boba Tea offer deliciously drinkable experiences, they come from different origins, feature distinct ingredients, and reflect evolving tea cultures. Here’s how they compare:
1. Origin & Cultural Roots
Taiwanese Boba Tea
Originated in the 1980s in Taiwan. Classic boba tea (also known as bubble tea) blends brewed black or green tea with milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls. It’s sweet, creamy, and iconic — and it kicked off the global boba craze.
New Modern Tea
Emerged from mainland China’s recent tea renaissance. It reinterprets traditional Chinese tea culture with modern flair — using premium tea bases, layered textures, minimalist design, and innovative flavor combinations. It caters especially to younger generations seeking new experiences.
2. Ingredients & Quality
Taiwanese Boba Tea
Usually uses powdered flavorings or syrups, and non-dairy creamers. While delicious and nostalgic, ingredient quality can vary. The star of the show is chewy tapioca pearls, soaked in brown sugar or honey.
New Modern Tea
Focuses on fresh-brewed, high-grade tea leaves (often sourced from mountain estates), paired with real fruit, organic lactose-free milk, house-made foams (like cheese or milk caps), and thoughtfully layered toppings. It’s crafted for a more refined, less artificial taste.
3. Flavor Profile & Texture
Taiwanese Boba Tea
Sweet, milky, and often rich — classic flavors like taro, matcha, or brown sugar milk tea dominate. Tapioca pearls are the key texture element.
New Modern Tea
Emphasizes balance and complexity — often less sweet, with floral, fruity, creamy, or sparkling textures. Drinks may include cheese foam, salted milk caps, whipped toppings, carbonated tea, and crystal jelly for a more dynamic, layered mouthfeel.
4. Innovation & Presentation
Taiwanese Boba Tea
Beloved for its nostalgic comfort and consistency. Most shops follow the classic format: milk tea + boba = happiness.
New Modern Tea
Constantly innovating. It’s more than a drink — it’s a sensory experience. Drinks are visually striking, often with seasonal specials, limited-edition blends, and creative toppings you can customize.
5. Brand Experience & Aesthetic
Taiwanese Boba Tea
Cozy and casual. Many boba shops emphasize fun, bubble graphics, and youthful energy.
New Modern Tea
Sleek, minimal, and design-forward. Think: clean lines, lifestyle branding, and a café-style atmosphere made for relaxing, socializing — and yes, Instagramming.
Traditional Taiwanese Boba Tea
vs.
New Modern Tea
Origin: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Taiwan (1980s). With the popularity of bubble tea, pearl milk tea gradually became popular. In the late 1990s, the invention of the automatic sealing machine promoted the development of its take-out stores across the globe.
China (late 2010s). It has developed in recent years with the rise of national trends and the increase of consumers' health awareness. Focus on the aroma of the tea itself (such as floral, fruity, rock rhyme), some will add seasonal fresh fruits (such as lychee, bayberry) or herbs (such as osmanthus, mint), highlighting "natural and healthy". With consumers' rejection of "non-dairy creamer and high sugar" in Taiwanese Bubble Tea, tea brands began to explore traditional Chinese tea (rather than Western black tea), paired with fresh milk, and emphasized "original leaves, freshness, and zero additives". The packaging and marketing incorporate ancient elements, focusing on "Oriental aesthetics", becoming a new tea beverage category that is different from Taiwanese Bubble Tea.
Base: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Milk tea with tapioca pearls. mainly black tea (such as Assam and Ceylon), with milk or non-dairy creamer (creamer), and a large amount of syrup for flavoring.
Fresh-brewed premium teas. Mainly original leaf tea paired with fresh milk (not creamer).
Ingredients: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Powders, syrups, creamer, additives
Real fruit, whipped cream, milk caps, fresh milk
Sweetness: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Often very sweet but customizable
Balanced or customizable
Textures: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Tapioca boba. The core is "pearls" (tapioca starch balls, which are chewy after boiling), and later derived coconut jelly, pudding, taro balls and other ingredients.
Boba, jelly, foam, fruit, carbonation
Presentation: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Simple, nostalgic
Stylish, layered, aesthetic
Experience: Traditional Boba Tea vs New Modern Tea
Quick refreshment
Full lifestyle drink experience
At Koreyinz, we blend the best of both worlds — honoring the classic comfort of Taiwanese boba tea while embracing the innovation and elegance of New Modern Tea. Whichever you choose, you’re in for something delicious.