Why is bubble tea so addictive? I don’t have the exact answer to that question, but I do know that I’ve fallen victim.
The bubble tea craze has been in full-force, especially in cities like Boston. So by convincing ourselves that we deserved a study break (we probably didn’t), my friend and I decided to go on a quest around the city in search of the best bubble tea places.
So if you’re an addict like me, read on.
Tea Dó Contemporary Tea House
Photo by Victoria Romulo
This bubble tea place is the most modern and is definitely targeted towards a younger crowd. Where else can you get a drink named the “Green Wizard” while singing along to the Nicki Minaj song playing in the background? With its trendy atmosphere and low prices, this location is easily my favorite.
Protip: They have free WiFi, making this place a perfect escape for finals cramming when the library is too full.
Must-try Drinks:
Coconut Milk Tea with Boba: $3.00
– Boba: Good size and texture.
– Sweetness: This one was a bit too sweet for my liking, but I realized after ordering that you could customize the level of sweetness ahead of time.
– Other Notes: This was the only place that we visited where there was a clear and natural-tasting coconut flavor.
Regular Milk Tea with Boba: $3.00
– Boba: Big and chewy; just how she likes them.
– Sweetness: Perfect.
– Other Notes: They put less ice in this drink than the other locations did, which was good because less ice = less watery
New Dong Khanh Restaurant
Photo by Victoria Romulo
Situated in the heart of Boston’s Chinatown, New Dong Khanh is a family-owned and operated restaurant that offers bubble tea separate from their food business.
Protip: They use real fruit in their smoothies.
Must-try Drinks:
Strawberry Smoothie with Boba: $3.50
– Boba: Good texture — not too hard and not too chewy.
– Sweetness: Perfect.
– Other Notes: It was thick and not watered-down.
Regular Milk Tea with Boba: $3.00
– Boba: Chewy and had no off-putting taste; she loved the fact that the boba were natural, with no fragrance or taste to take away from the milk tea itself.
– Sweetness: A tad sweeter would’ve been nice.
– Other Notes: Boba were slightly warm, which meant they were fresh.
Kung Fu Tea
Photo by Victoria Romulo
Located right outside the Symphony T-stop, the location makes it the one of the closest places for Northeastern students. It’s cozy inside, with plenty of chairs and couch-like seating, so it’s a perfect place to go when you want somewhere to hangout with your friends.
Protip: You can customize the level of ice and sugar that goes into your drink. But if you’re in search of Thai Milk Tea, you’re out of luck, because it was the only place without it.
Must-try Drinks:
Milk Tea with Boba: $3.25
– Boba: Very sweet and definitely had their own taste.
– Sweetness: Spot on.
– Other Notes: Definitely more creamy and milky than the other teas that we tried.
Coconut Milk Tea with Boba: $4.50
– Boba: Small but chewy and sweet.
– Sweetness: No complaints.
– Other Notes: The coconut flavor was a bit fake and almost chemical-y.
Grapefruit Green Tea with Boba: $4.28
– Boba: Fairly small and definitely had their own taste.
– Sweetness: Good, especially considering that they used real grapefruit juice.
– Other Notes: There was a perfect balance between the green tea and grapefruit.