There’s a new bubble tea and ramen concept coming to Milwaukee’s East Side.

Tai Chi Bubble Tea is slated to open early next year at 2028 E. North Ave. That’s the former home of Nice Times, Snack Boys and Hotel Foster. North Sports Bar was another concept proposed for the space earlier this year; but those plans have since fallen through.

Behind the new Taichi Bubble Tea is Jianming Mei, a local sushi chef who says that the franchise offered him the opportunity to branch out and open his own restaurant. He says he loves the Taichi concept and is excited to bring a location to Milwaukee’s East Side, hopefully as soon as February.

Mei says that he will be making some changes to the building on North Avenue, including converting the bar into a prep area. Dine-in seating will be available both on the ground floor and lofted second floor area. Patio seating is expected to be available during the summer months.

Taichi Bubble Tea, a franchise founded in Rochester, New York in 2015, offers a wide range of bubble tea along with ramen (including tonkotsu, miso and shoyu) and poke bowls for both dine-in and carry-out. The brand currently has 40 locations across the U.S. including two in Chicago.

Taichi will add to a growing list of locations where fans can find bubble tea, ramen and poke bowls – all offerings that have grown in popularity over the past five years. The cafe will join a cadre of other East Side spots – including Freshfin, Fusion Poke, TsaoCaa and Elite Boba – offering variations on all three themes.