Local milk tea shop fulfills new owners’ dream

Cheryl Hentz

Contributor

February 9, 2026

SHEBOYGAN – For years, Tessie Dalberto said she wanted to run her own milk tea shop, but wasn’t sure she’d ever have the opportunity. 

Watching her parents operate a small restaurant in China, she said, only strengthened her ambition.

Finally, Tessie said a stroke of luck gave her the chance to bring her vision to life.

“I heard that the owner of Bestea was planning to sell, and the possibility of finally being able to have a milk tea shop seemed like it was a reality,” she said. 

Tessie said when she and her husband, Andrew (“AJ”), heard the owner was thinking of selling, they recognized that taking over an established business would be far simpler and more practical than starting one from scratch.

“It was a good opportunity that landed in our laps, so we’re very grateful for that,” AJ said.

The couple said they decided to purchase the business last August and officially took over ownership in December – keeping the original name to maintain consistency and avoid confusing customers.

“We felt it was probably best to keep the same name since people were familiar with it,” AJ said.

Milk tea gaining in popularity

AJ said milk tea is an umbrella term for beverages that combine tea and milk, served either hot or cold and often enhanced with different milks or spices.

Enjoyed around the world, he said milk tea is especially popular in South Asia, where it’s often the go-to way tea is served.

AJ said most recipes start with a tea base and include milk, sugar and additional ingredients such as fruit or creamer.

Milk teas, he said, are popular for their rich flavor, sweetness, affordability and visually appealing presentation.

“Milk tea is becoming more popular and starting to sweep the nation,” he said. “They’re not really common yet throughout the State of Wisconsin, but they are popping up in more and more medium- and larger-sized cities.”

AJ said the shop’s broad menu caters to a wide range of tastes, but customers most often gravitate toward the basic milk teas – “which is just milk and the tea of your choice.”

“You can also add toppings to those drinks,” he said. “The toppings are boba – which is like tapioca balls – and popping bobas, which are little, flavored balls that pop in your mouth. Those flavors include strawberry, peach and mango. There are also jellies that you can put in the drinks, like passion fruit jelly and mango jelly.” 

AJ said Bestea also serves tea-based and milk-based freezes, which have become another popular choice among customers.

“Freezes are like a milk-based, blended iced drink – kind of like a shake,” he said. “They come in different flavors, like coconut, lychee, taro-flavor and strawberry. Those types of drinks you can get with tea or without tea. You can [also] get fruit teas, which are like a fruit drink mixed with green tea, black tea, Jasmine tea or other teas.”

Tessie said Bestea’s brown sugar milk tea is another popular choice, known for its rich flavor and visual appeal, with the brown sugar made in house – as are its strawberry and taro freezes.

Though the previous owner occasionally offered a variety of food items, the Dalbertos said they plan to reintroduce some of those selections on a regular basis following their grand reopening in early March.

“We’ll have a lot of new food and drink items coming out for that,” AJ said.                                                                        

The space 

Located at 1112 Michigan Ave. in Sheboygan, AJ said the building in which Bestea is located is an old house that was converted into a business.

Over the years, he said the building’s interior has undergone extensive updates and renovations. 

“There was an addition put onto the house at one time and a second business is located in it,” he said. “There is also an apartment that is located above the business.”

AJ said Bestea’s location has its advantages, as it sits on one of the city’s main thoroughfares – Michigan Avenue – and is easily accessible from Eighth Street, which is also lined with local shops and businesses.

Though the business offers seating for 15-20 people, AJ said most customers opt for takeout or place online orders for pickup.

“People who do come in and stay are people who maybe are coming in to work on their homework or work projects, or kids who come in and want to play games while they drink their drinks and socialize for a little bit,” he said. “But it’s not much of a sit-down place.”  

Short- and long-term goals

Beyond fulfilling a dream, Tessie said she enjoys the freedom of being her own boss – setting the rules and running the business the way she believes is best.

Drawing on her experience as a server at Texas Roadhouse and observations from other restaurants, Tessie said she has a clear vision for how she wants to run Bestea.

“I saw the way Texas Roadhouse and other businesses ran their restaurants – whether good or bad – and can use the good ideas and not use the other things,” she said. “I’m trying not to make mistakes that other businesses have made.”

AJ said the top priority is ensuring customers are treated with kindness and feel appreciated, a focus shared by the shop’s two part-time employees, both of whom worked for the previous owner.

The plan, he said, is to hire additional staff as warmer weather brings increased business.

Though he helps out as much as he can, AJ said Bestea is Tessie’s business, noting that he works as a chemistry teacher in the local public school system.

Winter hours at Bestea are noon to 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday. 

As previously mentioned, longer hours are planned for the summer when business is busier.

“Typically, people don’t want to come in and get cold drinks in the winter,” AJ said. “So, we want to expand our menu to include food items and other beverages so people will want to come in for the winter, as well as the summer.”

Though they committed to not making major changes initially, Tessie said a new signature dish could be added soon to draw in customers.

“We’re not saying yet what it is, but that’s in our short-term plan…, and we think it is going to do really well,” she said. 

AJ said they are also considering catering for other local businesses and hope to set up a stand or booth at the local farmers’ market this spring.

Further down the road, the couple said they would like to put in a kitchen and serve hot food.

That, AJ said, would require them to relocate a bathroom to the front of the store.

“Or, we may eventually look for a new location,” he said. “That’s not really our goal right now, but it’s something to think about for the future.”

Regardless of how Bestea grows or changes, the Dalbertos said supporting other small businesses is a priority, even in small ways like displaying flyers or business cards.

“We’re interested in getting out and getting to know other businesses in the area and building those relationships with each other,” AJ said.

Check out Bestea’s social media accounts for more details on the shop, including updated information on its forthcoming updated website.