By Jenny Ye

When something new happens in a small town like Great Neck, news usually travels fast. This time, however, it’s different. Located right on Middle Neck Road, tucked away next to 16 Handles, a small tea shop called Mr. Wish quietly opens its doors for the first time. Passerby’s eyes skip over the GRAND OPENING sign hanging on the door, opting instead for the bigger, brighter stores advertising froyo or bagels.
If you, by any chance, decided that this often overlooked store was worth your time, you’d be in for a treat. Immediately after walking in, you will be greeted warmly by the one or two people working behind the counter. The workers are polite and friendly, giving you their recommendations of drinks upon request. On a normal day, when you give them your order, your drink will be on the counter and ready to go within a minute. If the store is busier and the drinks take more time, there is a plush white couch and tables for you in the front of the shop while you wait. Pop music plays softly in the background, giving you ample opportunity to chat with other customers.
The menu selections center around bubble tea, but they have far more than that. Mr. Wish aims to please, also containing varieties of sodas, smoothies, and more. On the side, they have a rack containing various sweet and savory snacks. Everything is on the cheaper side, tending to be five dollars or less. This is a great deal, considering that all of their ingredients are fresh, and center around fruit or other natural ingredients instead of artificial powders and preservatives. However, this blessing is also a curse because once the shop runs out of an ingredient for the day, they are out.
The tea is definitely worth it, though. I tried their fruit tea, which contains actual fruit like mango, peach, and passion fruit. The tanginess of the fruit in conjunction with the subtle sweetness of the tea creates a precise sugar to tea ratio and a nice blend of flavor , which leaves you wanting more. I also had their milk tea with boba. The tea itself is silky and sweet but not overpowering. The boba, made fresh, is still hot and soft, overall making it one of the best bubble milk teas I’ve ever had.
Looking at Mr. Wish as a whole, it offers cheap, freshly made drinks, a nice atmosphere, and a friendly staff, making it a perfect spot for meeting with friends, a quick pickup, and much more. I definitely suggest trying one of the many options the tea shop has to offer.