CILO Lab, a gelato and boba tea shop, is now open at The Bellevue Connection in Downtown Bellevue and is holding its grand opening this weekend. Customers who visit Saturday, Sept. 12, or Sunday, Sept. 13, get a second item free with any purchase.
The shop occupies 550 106th Avenue Northeast, Suite 150, the storefront previously held by Don’t Yell at Me, the boba chain that opened there in 2024 and has since closed. CILO Lab is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and customers who use the Bellevue Connection parking garage receive three hours of validated parking.
What CILO Lab Serves
The shop makes its gelato on site and rotates flavors with the seasons. Current scoops include sea salt lemon, pistachio, London Fog, Da Hong Pao, Uji matcha and a jasmine cloud flavor, available in cups or waffle bowls.
Drinks cover tea, coffee and blended items, and any beverage on the menu can be turned into a float with a scoop of gelato. Listed combinations include a mango jasmine green tea float, an Uji matcha latte float paired with Uji matcha gelato and an Uji matcha Einspanner float served with jasmine cloud gelato. Other menu items include a strawberry smoothie topped with cheese foam, brown sugar pearl milk, a creme brulee latte, and two affogato options — a standard version and one built on jasmine cloud espresso.
Matcha is sourced from Uji, Japan, a region known for its green tea production.
The Concept Behind the Shop
CILO Lab describes itself as a modern gelato and tea concept that pairs Italian gelato technique with Asian tea culture. The company says it uses organic ingredients and works with teas including Taiwanese high-mountain oolong, Japanese sencha and Yunnan pu-erh, turning what it calls “thoughtfully sourced ingredients into distinctive scoops and sips.”
The Bellevue Connection, the mixed-use building along 106th Avenue Northeast, houses a mix of restaurant and retail tenants. Itadaki Yakiniku, the Japanese steakhouse at the property, closed in August. BA Artisan Bakehouse, which specializes in breads and baked goods, opened in the building in January 2026, and Men’s Wearhouse also occupies space there.
Downtown Bellevue has several other bubble tea shops, including HEYTEA at The Bravern, CHICHA San Chen in Bellevue Square, Molly Tea Bellevue and TeaByDo at Belgate Plaza.
