Savanna Cowles  |  Contributing Writer

The usual food spots around APU can get old after your third trip to Chick-fil-A in a week. Even Starbucks loses its appeal after spending countless hours studying there.

There are little-known places all around our area to try something new. I stumbled upon The Loose Teas Café and Gifts on Google. Located on Huntington Drive in Monrovia, it has 4.5 out of five stars on Yelp and over 250 reviews. I knew I had to go.

Hidden back by Panda Express and Chili’s, The Loose Teas is easy to miss. A small, discreet building, it doesn’t beg for attention. Inside is a whole other story. Upon entering I was greeted by a massive menu and large wall full of over 100 loose leaf tea jars.

It doubles as a gift shop, and gifts for every tea lover are found here. With a couch in the back to hang out on and a bulletin of local events, I knew this place got packed regularly.

Everything from espresso to teas and handcrafted sandwiches are available. The endless options of milk teas, tea lattes, iced teas, boba and lychee jelly made for a difficult decision.

Drinks average about $4 for a regular size and the sandwiches ranges from $4.95 to $9.95 depending on your choice.

I decided upon a tea called “Coffee Cake” with boba after an employee recommendation. My sandwich of choice was named “Home Grown” and had cream cheese, cucumber, sprouts, avocado and tomato. My friend got a chicken pesto panini and milk tea. We were not disappointed.

The atmosphere was exceptional. Since it was a Sunday afternoon, only one other person was inside the café and everyone else sat on the outside patio. The employees were helpful and had good attitudes.

My only complaint is that I didn’t know about this place sooner. It’s only a 15-minute drive from campus and right off the 187 bus route.