I love boba. And I also love tea. I put a lot of creamer in my teas to the disgruntlement of the more health-conscious individual, but I like what I like and that’s anything sweet. Thankfully, Bubble Tea, also called Boba Milk Tea, which originated in Taiwan was invented and since then, this sweet drink has developed quite the following especially in major cities like Los Angeles.
Starting in my university years, I began drinking these on a regular bases and have learned to distinguish the tourist traps from the real gems. At the same time, I also love taking pictures of my food and the environment and sharing them with my friends – you could say I have a food porn addiction – so I wanted to create a list of my favorite places to enjoy good boba drinks with aesthetic strings attached.
Location:
523 N. Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Pearl’s Finest Tea has the whole package and what I mean by that is the boba is just as good as the drink it sits in. Usually, I’m more impressed with the taste of the milk tea, but was thoroughly shocked by how amazing the boba here tasted. I could even eat the boba by itself if it was possible. Menu wise, they have a good selection with interesting (and delicious) drinks like chamango, orange yuzu, and coco blue just to name a few.
#2. Alfred Tea Room
Location:
705 N. Alfred St
West Hollywood, CA 90069
This one’s on Melrose Place in WeHo and it’s surrounded by many gram worthy locations like the Pink and Carrera walls. The drinks here are simple and to the point but delicious non-the-less. They have goodies such as the classic milk tea, rose milk tea, matcha, thai tea, etc. They’re less on the sweet side with more of an emphasis on the tea, and the place itself is all sorts of cute. I confess, I was in a line to take the pic featured.
#3. Uncle Tea Room
Location:
2550 E. Amar Rd. Ste A8
West Covina, CA 91792
I didn’t get into the matcha green tea game until I tried the Rose Green Milk Tea at Uncle Tea. The taste of matcha wasn’t overbearing and so I slowly but surely began to like it and to this day, it’s one of my favorite boba drinks. And just look at how cute those cups are! They give you so much – a great bang for your buck.
#4. Bubble U
Location:
843 N. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Sea Salt Foam and Cheese Foam – if you haven’t had either of these toppings before, don’t knock it until you try it and head over to Bubble U! I love the assortment of different flavors here as well as the simple aesthetic decor of the cafe. It’s also a great place to spend hours working from your laptops or studying as they have a lot of outlets.
#5. Motto Tea Cafe
Location:
100 W. Green St. Unit 101
Pasadena, CA 91105
The picture above is a part of Motto Tea Cafe’s interior. You can probably guess this place has a very aesthetic vibe – It’s the cutest cafe on this list. They have classic milk teas, along with other treats such as pancakes and mousse desserts. They’re also popular for their cheese foam topping. I think I could honestly spend all day studying at this cute little boba cafe.
#6. Snow Monster
Location:
3465 W. 6th St. Ste 120
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Snow Monster has gained popularity in recent years for their adorable containers, flavorful milk teas that you can customize with cotton candy, and their giant macaron ice cream sandwiches. While I love the drinks here, I can’t come here without also opting for a macaron ice cream sandwich. I guess you could say, I get a full meal’s worth – just not the healthy kind, but worth it for those once-in-a-blue-moon binges.
#7. Jin Tea Shop
Location:
18 W. Green St.
Pasadena, CA 91105
Jin Tea Shop has a large selection of teas. From their containers, to their flavors, this one’s a fan favorite for many because it doesn’t just cater to those who love sweet drinks. They have an emphasis on quality teas that are brewed to “focus on maintaining harmony and balance with Mother Nature.” If you’re a health-conscious individual, this is the tea shop for you.
#8. Simplee Boba
Location:
954 Mission St.
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Like boba AND egg puff waffles? Look no further than Simplee Boba in beautiful South Pasadena. I tried their Honey Bee tea and it definitely goes into my top 10 where drinks are concerned – sweet in a refreshing kind of way – and the boba was good too. The egg puff waffle ice cream looks like diabetes in a cup but it’s so worth it! This is also a good place to study or work from your laptop as I saw many students working the day I went.
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