Live in Champaign-Urbana long enough and you’ll see plenty of restaurants come and go. For me, this was the second review of a café located in the Latitude Apartment complex. However, this is the first time I’ve looked at a place specializing in drinks, specifically bubble tea. Thankfully, the atmosphere of Bearology is immediately familiar to anyone who frequented now-closed Hammerhead Coffee. There is a small, shaded area of outdoor seating, tables that seat four, couches to lounge on, and plenty of space between everything so you can relax without another customer sitting uncomfortably close by. However, the exposed ceiling and cement floors don’t do much to dampen sound, so expect the space to get noisy quickly if large groups of people congregate in Bearology. Also unfortunate is the lack of nearby parking, so expect to park a block or two away. User-facing touch screens walk you through the ordering process. With plenty of customization options, I appreciated the helpful staff on hand to answer my various questions.
To start, I satisfied my hunger with a large cinnamon roll ($3.50) provided by Central Illinois Bakehouse. Although the selection of pastries is not large at Bearology, it is still reassuring to see pastries provided from a business local to the area. Sadly, the cinnamon roll may have sat in the display case too long, as the edges were a bit tougher and chewier than the flaky exterior suggested. Thankfully, the interior was just as soft as I expect of any cinnamon roll. There was also plenty of frosting, but I did want more cinnamon to balance out the sugary sweetness.
Ready to wash down the pastry, I took a few sips of a black sesame smoothie ($7). Unlike white sesame seeds, black sesame is a stronger tasting and more bitter version of the white sesame seeds that are often served on hamburger buns in the United States. Popular in several countries of Asia and Africa, black sesame is still new in the States. Since I wanted to really taste the black sesame, I ordered my smoothie without any added sugar or ice, although I did request whole milk. I am glad I pared-down my smoothie, as the bananas blended into the smoothie were just enough to compliment the bitter black sesame without smothering the taste completely. As one conciliation to my sweet tooth, I requested extra boba in my smoothie. Considering I sucked out these chewy tapioca balls for several minutes after I finished my smoothie, I’d say I made a good choice. It’s also important to note the glasses most drinks at Bearology come in are yours to keep. All subsequent orders are 10% off provided you bring back the glass.
However, I didn’t want to have only cold drinks at Bearology, so I ordered a cappuccino ($4.50). As with the other beverages, hot drinks are also customizable at Bearology, so I asked for chocolate in my cappuccino. Arriving foamy and not too warm, I got right to enjoying it. It was a solid experience. I’m not sure how the chocolate was added, but I didn’t notice any traces of syrup or chocolate chunks on the bottom of my cup as I’ve experienced at other places around town, so that’s a positive in my book.
Wanting to switch things up, I ordered the 24K Golden Tea ($7), a specialty of Bearology. Combining lemon, honey, and green tea together with edible glitter certainly made the drink appear true to its name. As I waited for a hot day to order this drink, I took it with the full amount of sugar and ice, which proved wise. When taking the first sip of my tea, I was hit first by the sweet honey, although the bitter green tea soon followed. Not long after that came the sour taste of lemon, although cut significantly by the added sugar and ice cubes. For something different, I added lychee instead of boba, although the last few lychees were frustratingly difficult if not impossible to capture with my straw. Overall, the 24K Golden Tea reminded me of lemon shake-ups often served at county fairs, but without quite so much sugar and ice.
Escaping my brief respite from the heat, I walked outside with my new Bearology glass. Although I liked my glass and appreciated the willingness of Bearology to cut down on waste, I can’t deny the rather high prices of the drinks I ordered. Also, the lack of food and convenient parking are issues for me, as it’s hard to justify the trip without getting a lunch/dinner for the same amount I pay at other cafés. Bearology makes great drinks, but it will remain a place I go when craving a fancy drink instead of part of my rotation.
Bearology
608 E University Ave
Champaign
M-F 7:30 a.m. to10 p.m.
Sa + Su 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Photos by Matthew Macomber