By now, most of you have heard of bubble tea (also known as boba)—but some of you have never tried it before. *Gasp* Since there are a number of you out there who are curious about this beverage but have no idea what to get, I am here to present to you a list of nine popular bubble tea flavors that my friends and fellow bubble tea drinkers have come to love.
Whether you want your bubble tea with different add-ins, iced or hot, with or without tapioca balls, one (or more) of these flavors is surely going to be a match for you. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, ask your bubble tea barista if they can lower the sweetness, since there are places that do offer that option on their menu: 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% sweetness (the standard is usually the 100%).
#SpoonTip: Here are some fun facts to know before buying your first bubble tea.
1. (Black) Milk Tea
It can't get any more basic than this. Fans of English breakfast tea will surely enjoy this classic milk tea out of them all. If it's your first time having bubble tea or if you're not really in the adventurous mood, this is a great starter drink.
2. Mango Milk Tea
This is for those with a fruity palate and a love of mango. From the bubble tea shops I've been to, this particular drink does not have a smoothie-like consistency like one might think due to the natural thick texture of mangoes, which is perfectly fine by me!
3. Green Milk Tea
Like the Black Milk Tea, this is another flavor for tea lovers who prefer green tea over black tea. Since not every bubble tea has the same list of Green Milk Tea flavors, here are a few different names and versions floating around out there that you should look out for: Jasmine Milk Tea, Oolong Milk Tea, Matcha Milk Tea, etc.
4. Strawberry Milk Tea
The first thing that came to my mind after the first sip was Nesquik strawberry milk. As one of my favorite childhood drinks (besides the Nesquik chocolate milk, of course), this drink brought back a boatload of childhood memories and reminded me of how many bottles of strawberry milk I consumed.
5. Taro Milk Tea
Soft serve ice cream. Cookies and cream. If you like any of these sweet treats, then you need to get this Purple Milk Tea immediately. Not a lot of people know what taro is, but don't let the name of this unique vegetable discourage you from ordering this drink—you will regret it.
6. Coffee Milk Tea
If you're anything like the Gilmore girls, who basically need coffee every single day to survive, this is your match. Bubble tea flavors such as this one are sure to keep you caffeinated.
7. Almond Milk Tea
It's not too difficult to guess what the other main ingredient is besides the tea base. Almond milk has become a popular alternative to drinking dairy milk, so a large number of you will be in favor of this one.
8. Thai Milk Tea
Similar to the purple color of Taro Milk Tea, the orange color of this flavor is equally as unusual as it is delicious. If you've eaten at a Thai restaurant before, you might be familiar with Thai Tea. If so, I recommend getting this milk tea version. It's also the perfect eye-catching drink to post on TikTok.
9. Honeydew Milk Tea
As someone from Southern California, where it feels like a heatwave 24/7, I think this is the best milk tea to have—especially with how refreshing it is. You'll feel like you've been brought back from the brink of death during the summertime. And I'm a fan of honeydew melons, so there's also that.
If the bubble tea isn't to your liking the first time around, don't be discouraged; you should take a look online or Yelp to see if there's another place that makes milk teas in your area. Each place can have a different style of making these or can use different ingredients. Either way, there are plenty of other flavors to try if you weren't 100% satisfied with your first choice.
If you're ready to go on a bubble tea run, it's always better going with a friend or two or three—mainly to tell them to get different bubble tea flavors so you can be THAT friend who snags a sip of what they get.