The University of Minnesota campus is home to more than one bubble tea shop. If you haven't yet tried this Taiwanese drink, let me break it down for you. Bubble tea is usually black or green iced tea with a fruit flavoring and tapioca pearls. The countless customizable options make bubble tea appealing to many students. From tea shakes, chai lattes, and flavored boba, there is something for everyone. So here is a bubble tea guide for you to discover this popular drink right here on the University of Minnesota campus.

Kung Fu Tea

Location: Dinkytown and Stadium Village

Best for: Variety

With two UMN locations, Kung Fu Tea is one of the best places to customize your drink. With milk caps, popping boba, and flavors, their signature Kung Fu Milk Tea with pearls is one of our favorites. They also have many unique and standout fruit flavors such as grapefruit. 

Kung Fu Tea is attached to a restaurant, and while we would recommend studying there, they have a great little seating area for catching up with friends. 

How to Save: Sign up for their email list for exclusive discounts and promotions.

Sencha

Location: Stadium Village

Best for: Studying

Perhaps the most widely recognized on campus, Sencha is a popular study spot for many students. With fast wifi, great seasonal specials, and an amazing Thai Tea Latte, it's sometimes hard to find a seat. Sencha also has a wide variety of rare loose leaf teas to settle in by the window and start that mid-term paper you've been putting off.

How to Save: Have you tried Sencha's rewards program on belly? Scan a QR code on your phone at the register and get points towards free drinks!

Chatime

Location: Dinkytown

Best for: Group Study

Dinkytown's bubble tea study hub is always bustling with students. Its "drink options" are some of the best as everything is laid out step by step. Our recommendation: choose 50% or below for the sweetness level and you have the perfect bubble tea. 

How to Save: With their punch card, buy 10, get the 11th free, also check them out on Pocket Points.

Tasty Pot

Location: Dinkytown

Best for: Milk Cream Tea and Hot Pot

While Tasty Pot is a full restaurant with some amazing hot pot varieties, you can just pop in for some bubble tea! Tasty pot departs a bit from the more common fruit teas with a menu focused on milk and milk cream teas. 

Bambu

Location: Stadium Village, below Wahu

Best for: Dessert

One of the newer places on campus, Bambu not only serves impressive bubble teas, they also have coffee, ice cream mochi, and ché. Ché is a Vietnamese dessert, (think dessert bubble tea) that is often made with coconut cream. Bambu has some crazy amazing flavors to choose from. (If your feeling adventurous, try the avocado!)

DIY with United Noodles

Location: 2015 East 24th St.

Best for: Cost 

Ok so while making your own bubble tea may be cost-effective, walking into United Noodles is not. As the largest Asain grocery store in the midwest, they have everything from rice to crazy Kit-Kat flavors. Be sure to bring some extra cash and have a bit of fun finding crazy snacks, unique produce, and of course... tea!

How to Save: The University of Minnesota gives out $5 gift cards to United Noodles for turning in coupons in the Gopher Guide!

So there you have it, the best spots to get bubble tea here at the University of Minnesota. How many have you been to?