106 South B Street
San Mateo, CA 94401
(650) 548-1085

At first glance, it is difficult to be certain what exactly you are getting into at Tpumps.  There are mailboxes that line the left side of the wall; on the right side, a couple of chairs with a table.  There is just enough room in Tpumps for a line to form and for a few others to wait for their drinks off to the side.  The store is not only very small, but it is also doubles as a shipping center.  Although, there are at least two other places in Downtown San Mateo where one can get bubble tea, there are a few things about Tpumps that make it better than their competitors.

For instance, there are many options on the menu – you can get milk tea with green or black tea and you can add flavors such as passion fruit, almond, and chocolate.  The chocolate milk tea with black tea tastes just like chocolate milk; it’s a great option if you are not a huge fan of bubble tea!  The almond milk tea has a strong almond taste and is very sweet – great for almond fans!  My personal favorite is the Black Milk Tea with extra pearls.  If you like boba pearls, I would definitely recommend paying the extra $0.25 for extra; otherwise, the drinks are so big that you might be left wanting a little more pearls when you are finished.  You can also get traditional hot tea, which is also very good and is offered in a variety of flavors (the chocolate one is especially good).  The quality of all the drinks is excellent, so it’s hard not to find something for everyone.

What is unique about Tpumps is that they really allow you to customize your drink.  For example, you can ask for your milk tea to be “less sweet,” “regular sweet,” or “more sweet.”  Their customer service is really superb; the staff often asks you to try it to make sure it tastes good and are always open to your specifications.  They also offer rewards cards – after ten points you get a free drink (one point for each drink you buy) and you can save up your points and redeem them for other prizes.  One thing to be prepared for is the lines.  There is often a wait depending on the time of day; I’ve waited for as long as thirty minutes.  Fortunately, they have some magazines to keep you busy while you wait.  But I would suggest avoiding rush hour and getting a delicious drink without the wait. |Tpumps|

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Thurs: 9am – 10pm
Fri: 9am – 11pm
Sat: 11am – 11pm
Sun: 11am – 10pm

Since raw fish is pretty much as synonymous with California cuisine as avocados, I figured it would be best to open with my favorite spot for amazing sushi. Being so close to the ocean, it’s pretty obvious why the fish here seems to taste better, but this accessibility has also caused many of the places that serve raw fish to become something ubiquitous and uninspired, prepared by just about anyone from fancy grocery stores to uber-hip Asian fusion restaurants.

While I am sure it’s unexpected that inspiration doesn’t have a San Franciscan address, the short drive to the Peninsula has never been all the more worthwhile. Visible mostly by its line of patrons intently waiting outside, Sushi Sam’s Edomata is a quaint local secret worth keeping. If possible, try for one of the coveted seats at the sushi bar, closest to the specials menu posted prominently on the wall. |Sushi Sam’s|

Hours of Operation:
Tues-Sat: 11:30am-2pm
Tues-Sat: 5pm-10pm
Sun-Mon: Closed