Looking for the best boba in Boston?
What is bubble tea?
Boba (also known as bubble tea) is a cold drink built on either a milk or fruit tea base, with tapioca pearls settled at the bottom. It originated in Taiwan, and is mixed by hand with a cocktail shaker or sealed using an automated machine at most shops. You drink it through an extra-wide straw and chew the pearls as you go – soft, slightly sweet, and completely addictive. Variations range from hot bubble tea and smoothies to slushies, and the occasional alcoholic version if you know where to look.
What are toppings?
Toppings are where you make the drink your own. Boba, tapioca, and pearls all refer to the same thing – the classic chewy base. Beyond that, options include jellies (coconut, lychee, mango, nata, coffee, and grass jelly are the most common), popping boba, and pudding, among others. Some tea houses include one topping in the base price; others charge $0.50 to $1.00 per addition.
Where is it from?
It was created in Taiwan in 1988 and became popular in Southeast Asia in the 1990’s. It hopped over to the United States in the 2000’s, and has exploded since 2010.
How much does it cost?
Expect to pay $5-10 for a drink with toppings.
Where can I find it?
Some restaurants offer bubble tea, but it’s rarely done well – undercooked pearls and weak tea flavors are common occurrences. For the real experience, stick to dedicated tea houses where boba is the focus, not a restaurant menu addition. A quick search for “boba” or “bubble tea” on Google will pull up the closest spots.
How do I order it?
Ordering is straightforward once you know the format: size (usually regular or large), temperature, flavor, and toppings. Most shops will also ask for your sugar and ice preference. Normal is a safe starting point, but if you prefer things less sweet, 50 or 75% sugar is always an option. Same goes for ice.
“I’d like a large honeydew milk tea with boba, less ice and normal sugar please” is what the Tea Do baristas hear from me three times a week.
Can I make it at home?
Boba 101
- Pearls take about an hour to cook, so if a tea house opens at 11am, don’t expect boba to be ready until closer to noon. This isn’t always the case, but don’t be surprised if it is!
- For toppings, boba and jelly is a great pairing for fruit teas, and boba and aloe or pudding works beautifully with milk teas.
- Many tea houses have custom plastic bags sized to fit your drink, so your hand stays dry and warm on the way out.
- Bubble tea is fully sealed at the top, which means you can toss it in a bag or hold it upside down without issue. That said, keep it upright and make sure nothing can compress it. I learned the hard way that tea does not belong in the laptop compartment of a backpack, as it will squeeze the sides and pop the cup open.
- Bubble tea doesn’t keep. It’s best within 1-4 hours of being made. In my personal experience, Tea Do holds up the longest at around six hours; Kung Fu Tea starts to turn after two. The liquid is fine, but the pearls will soften, break down, then harden – the same way pasta does sitting in water. Drink it fresh, and never overnight!
Enjoy your new tea obsession!
Now that you know what bubble tea is, it’s time to name the best tea houses in Boston and beyond.
BOSTON
Tea Do
Tea Do (pronounced “tea dough”, meaning way of the tea)
Locally owned and operated, with locations across Boston, Philadelphia, and Maryland. Tea Do is my #1 highest recommendation in Boston. The boba is the softest and chewiest I’ve found, the flavor selection is the most extensive, and the prices are among the most reasonable in Boston, sitting between $5 and $7 a drink even after a recent modest increase.
A tip worth knowing: come in the afternoon, when they switch from smaller pearls to their signature larger boba. It makes a difference.
Beyond the standard menu, they offer a custom drink menu with creative flavor combinations – worth exploring. The food menu covers takoyaki, onigiri, karaage, and other snacks, and if you’re staying a while, they keep Jenga, Connect Four, and Uno on hand for fun game nights with friends.
Favorites: Honeydew milk tea, coconut milk tea, almond milk tea, lychee black tea w/ lychee jelly & boba, peach black tea w/ aloe, Thai milk tea
Sweet Boba
Sweet Boba is a local tea house in East Boston that I am OBSESSED with! The balls are huge like Tea Do’s, and they have so many amazing flavors. It’s owned by a sweet husband and wife duo and everyone who works there is incredible. You can expect to pay $3.50-5.50 for a drink with toppings. They also have egg puff waffles, smoothies, shaved ice, and macarons available!
Favorites: Honeydew milk tea with boba, brown sugar milk tea with boba, Honey lemon fruit tea with boba and lychee jelly
Chatime
Massive chain – 1,000 stores worldwide. In Boston, you can find two in Chinatown, one on Huntington Ave by Northeastern, and one in Allston off Harvard Ave. They have fresh, chewy boba, a little smaller than Tea Do’s. They have a solid menu of smoothies, milk teas, and fruit teas. They have a loyalty program via LevelUp, and often offer discount vouchers on Groupon.
Favorites: Lychee black tea w/ boba & lychee jelly, oolong latte, Thai milk tea, mango coconut smoothie
Kung Fu Tea
Huge international chain. Their boba is soaked in brown sugar, so it has the most flavor out of these teahouses. However, it usually lasts the least amount of time in the fridge before drinking – max 2 hours (Tea Do is good for 4-6+ hours, Chatime 3-5 hours). They have a great rewards program on their mobile app. Visit them in Boston at Symphony, Chinatown, Allston, or in Cambridge or Malden.
Favorites: Kung Fu milk tea, pomelo tea w/ boba, wintermelon milk green tea, peach oolong tea w/ boba & nata jelly, grapefruit yogurt tea w/ boba
OneZo
OneZo has HOMEMADE BOBA! It’s like homemade pasta vs dried – boba is the same. Fresh boba is SO chewy and delicious, and you will notice the texture difference. I don’t think their milk teas are very good, BUT – the Plum with Natural Melon tea makes up for it. It’s a sweet, salty, tangy plum drink (the flavor profile similar to a margarita) and it’s life changing. Get it with crystal boba! They have locations in Allston and Chinatown.
Favorites: Plum with Natural Melon with crystal boba and coconut jelly, grapefruit green tea with black boba
LimeRed Tea House
LimeRed is a local Massachusetts tea house (with locations on Comm Ave on the Boston / Allston line and Amherst, MA too) that uses fresh local milk, no powders or syrups, and no artificial ingredients. They serve egg puff waffles, boba tea, and ice cream and have a case of pastries and macarons as well.
Favorites: Coconut milk tea w/ boba, lychee or peach fruit tea w/ boba, coconut macarons
Ten One Tea House
Ten One Tea House, like LimeRed, does not use artificial flavors or ingredients. All tea is brewed fresh, and Ten One specializes in artisanal, non-traditional flavors, like lavender, butterfly pea, osmanthus honey tea, rose alpine oolong, and charcoal lattes.
They have locations on Newbury Street and Fenway!
Favorites: Tiegyanyin latte with boba, grapefruit green tea with butterfly pearls
Beyond Boston
New York City
Bar Pa Tea
Bar Pa Tea is an Instagram-ready, ultra modern tea house serving boba tea and soft serve ice cream (with boba pearls on both!). They have a small menu of curated drinks with no additives or corn syrup, and even mini boba! This is a must when you’re in NYC
Favorites: Brown sugar oolong tea w/ boba, grapefruit yakult w/ boba, oolong soft serve w/ boba
ViVi
When in NYC, don’t forget the tea. Vivi boasts a unique experience in their stores, with bubblegum pink walls and princess skulls painted everywhere. Usually paired with a frozen yogurt station, ViVi offers solid drinks in over a dozen locations, joining Chatime and Kung Fu Tea in NYC, Brooklyn, Boston, and Chicago. They have dairy-free “Moo Milk”, so that’s a plus to any vegans or lactose intolerants. Some ViVi locations have Taiwanese fried chicken – if they do, DO NOT SKIP the basil popcorn chicken. Life changing!
Favorites: Honeydew milk tea, taro milk tea, basil popcorn chicken
Grace Street
Located in the heart of Koreatown NYC, Grace Street Coffee & Desserts has delicious boba as well as a giant dessert menu. The Ho-Dduk (Korean donuts) are life changing, and the rose petal milk tea is fragrant, refreshing, and delicious.
LOS ANGELES
Mr. Boba
If you’re ever on the West Coast, don’t forget to stop into Mr. Boba. These chewy, oversized balls and great flavor combos are sure to have you staying for hours. Get the lychee and honeydew!
It’s Boba Time
It’s Boba Time could be my favorite tea house in LA. With dozens of locations across California, they have soft boba and a huge menu of flavors. They have snacks like popcorn chicken, fries, and the BEST shaved ice with fruit and ice cream on top.
Boba Lab
Bring Boba Lab to the beach in Santa Monica! This cozy spot boasts delicious tea and all kinds of food – shaved ice, waffles, chicken, and more!
Volcano Tea
Volcano Tea has the biggest menu I’ve seen in LA. The tea was delicious and the boba chewy and sweet – and the chicken wings are even better! This hidden gem is in a strip mall near Santa Monica, but make sure to do some shopping and eating in this amazing neighborhood!
PARIS
Bubbolitas
This tiny, adorable tea house by the Pompadou has delicious boba and amazing flavors. Oh, and luckily they speak a little English, too 😉 Remember to say merci!!!
O Bubble
This is great tea for walking around Montmarte!
The Alley
The Alley is right by the Louvre area, so grab a tea before picnicking in the gardens!
TeaYammi
Also by the Louvre, a higher end tea shop with a gorgeous interior, great for working on your laptop or stopping for a rest.
MIAMI
Miu’s Tea
There’s no powders or syrups used here – just fresh brewed tea! Miu’s specialty is their Thai iced tea, but their lychee green tea packs a punch, too. This adorable shop is filled with plants and greenery, and makes great cold drinks to cool you off after a swim on Miami Beach! Their kiwi is phenomenal – try it with rainbow jelly and boba!
Questions? Comments? Need an enthusiastic spokesperson or photography for your tea house? lena@lenamirisolaphoto.com
Note: this is an abridged list of tea houses. If I don’t love a certain brand or store, it isn’t on this list. There are lots of other places out there though, and these are my personal favorites.
XO, LENA
