Tealive

Overview

Renowned Malaysian brand Tealive has 500 stores located around the world, but this Melbourne spot is a little different. Housed in a former Swanston Street ATM, it's set to be one of the smallest bubble tea stores in the world. Clocking in at just 4.4 square metres, it has room for just two staff at any one time.

Despite its size, Tealive's new hole-in-the-wall serves up an impressive amount of teas a day thanks to its convenient (and busy) location, directly across from the State Library Victoria.

Eugene Hyland

Unsurprisingly, this store's working a smaller menu than the rest of the brand's 500 international outposts, celebrating Tealive's best-selling bevs. Roll past for drinks like the silky roasted milk tea loaded with grass jelly, an iced matcha latte featuring warm pearls, the strawberry custard smoothie and a range of fruity iced teas, along with a milk tea soft-serve dessert. It's an entirely cashless operation, so you simply order and pay via the electronic display out front.

And while this store's got a tiny physical footprint, Tealive is also making moves to up its environmental game across all global outposts. It's swapping out plastic straws for paper alternatives and even sells its own range of reusable bubble tea tumblers.

Images: Eugene Hyland