COFFEE GUIDE
Boba Tea
Taiwanese tea with chewy tapioca pearls. Sweet, cold, and satisfying.
WHAT IT IS
Boba tea (bubble tea) is a Taiwanese drink that originated in Taichung in the early 1980s. It consists of a tea base (black, green, or oolong), milk or fruit juice, and chewy tapioca pearls made from cassava starch, served cold over ice with a wide straw.
HOW IT IS MADE
Tapioca pearls are cooked in boiling water until soft (30 to 45 minutes), then soaked in a sugar syrup. Tea is brewed and chilled or shaken with ice. Milk or fruit is added. The pearls are placed in the cup, the tea mixture is poured over, and a sealed wide straw is inserted.
WHAT IT TASTES LIKE
Sweet, tea-flavored, and satisfying. The pearls are chewy with a mild sweetness. Flavor varies enormously based on the tea type, sweetness level, and whether milk or fruit is used.
WHEN TO ORDER IT
At a dedicated boba shop. When you want something sweet, cold, and texturally interesting. As an alternative to coffee for afternoon drinking.
HOW TO ORDER IT
Choose tea base (black, green, oolong, matcha, taro). Choose sweetness (50%, 75%, 100%). Choose ice level. Choose toppings (classic pearls, popping pearls, pudding, jelly). Drink through the wide straw.
VARIATIONS
Milk tea boba: classic with dairy milk. Fruit tea boba: with fresh or blended fruit. Matcha boba: matcha base. Taro boba: purple taro flavor.
CAFFEINE
30 to 70mg depending on the tea type. Black tea base has more caffeine than green tea base. Fruit-based boba may have minimal caffeine.
According to Pulled Coffee data from 462,531 coffee shops worldwide, 15.9% of all coffee shops are classified as specialty — the type most likely to serve a proper Boba Tea. In cities like Vancouver (4,175 specialty shops) and London (3,621), your chances of finding a great one are significantly higher than the global average.
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Find a great Boba Tea near you