From its emergence in 1980s Taiwan, bubble tea has gone mainstream and expanded around the globe. Fancy a taste? Try different combinations of traditional tapioca or flavored filled gel boba with fruit and milk teas at these East Side shops.
Mr. Bubble Tea
503 N. Green River Road
We recommend: taro milk tea with tapioca boba, which includes the ground root vegetable, giving the tea a purple hue and a sweet potato taste
The menu includes yogurts, smoothies, and shaved ice, but what this store specializes in is its namesake. Milk tea choices include chocolate, matcha, tiramisu, and lavender. Feeling fruity? Add pops of blueberry, mango, green apple, pomegranate, or 14 more flavors. For a caffeine kick, mix coffee boba pearls with a cappuccino, latte, mocha, or Vietnamese coffee. Good luck picking a flavor!
Bubble Teatalk
619 N. Burkhardt Road, Ste. G
We recommend: soothing, floral Rose Garden milk tea with mild tapioca or strawberry boba for a fruity pop
Here, you’ll find flavors that look as good as they taste. Tapioca pearls add sensation to a crème brûlée milk tea that includes yogurt and cream cheese foam, topped with a layer of roasted sugar. Brown sugar gives the “dirty” version a marble look. Coffee-flavored gels boost the banana, chocolate drizzle, and chocolate foam topper in the Funky Monkey. Another milk tea comes with your choice of boba and a scoop of caramel pudding. Also on the menu are cotton candy, birthday cake, cookie and cream, bubble gum, and piña colada milk tea bases.
Yang’s Shabu Shabu
4700 Vogel Road
We recommend: jasmine-based white peach tea with mango gels for a calm-meets-bold flavor combination
Alongside a menu of steamed dumplings, spring rolls, crab rangoon, and General Tso’s chicken, this sit-down restaurant also serves drinks with refreshing boba. Start with a base of taro, coconut milk, mocha, fruit, or Thai tea, then add bubbles in flavors like tapioca, strawberry, and mango.
