Bangkok’s known for a lot of things. Food, shopping, travelling… You name it! What you don’t realize though is Thailand’s capital is also known for their milky brown and pearly drink, a.k.a bubble tea (boba drinks).
Thus, it’s no surprise to see Thailand ranked #1 in bubble tea consumption in Southeast Asia. I mean… Bubble tea shops are everywhere here!! Train stations, malls, and even on the sidewalks!
And because of that, so many local boba drink stores are popping up in Bangkok. Whether it’s the regular kind or brown sugar bubble drinks, you can find local versions of the drink here.
Try these 10 bubble tea brands Bangkokians are raving about, only available in The Land of Smiles.
Note: Although bubble drinks can feel refreshing, they are high in sugar content. Remember to only drink them occasionally as too many bubble tea drinks can lead to diabetes. Reduce your drink’s sugar level to less sugar, choose toppings like jelly (instead of pearls) and get a smaller-sized drink for a relatively healthier boba drink.
Read more:
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1. The world’s #1 brown sugar boba drink – Fire Tiger by Seoulcial Club
It might just be my word, but trust me, it’s definitely up there (my friends say so too). The bubbles are so soft and chewy that it’s gone in just a few bites.
The milk isn’t too creamy too so you won’t feel nauseous after drinking one whole glass. In fact, after a few sips, you’ve probably finished drinking your boba drink and are making your way back to the line. Yep, it’s thaaat good.
PS: They’re opening a branch in KL soon.
2. Boba drinks can be cute too!! – Ditto Modern Tea
Aren’t dogs, pigs and rabbits so cute? They have this innocent face that makes you want to hug and squeeze them! Now, you can even get them to accompany you when you drink bubble tea by having an animal-shaped marshmallow perched on top of your drink.
But if you don’t want that special sweetness, you can get their bubble drinks or fruit teas instead. Their drinks are definitely worth the trip here! 😀
3. The epitome of colourful & fun! – ATM Tea Bar
What I love about this shop is how they’re able to add “fun” into bubble drinks. To start off, you have to order the drink via an ATM screen (it’s touchscreen).
The drinks they offer are also varied, from “Galaxy Lemon Tea” (purple and yellow coloured) to “Love You So Matcha” (green and pink coloured). Best of all, they look good on photos and taste good too! Doesn’t it sound fun?!
4. Try one of Bangkok’s original boba drinks – Mr. Shake
Although not as hyped up as some of the newer brands, its sweet taste and chewy bubbles have long become a local favourite. Hence, it’s no surprise this brand has been around for 20 years – long before the bubble tea fever even started!
Mr. Shake offers everything from boba drinks to fruit tea, with its most popular drink being their original-flavoured bubble milk tea.
5. Tried Lychee or Rose bubbles before? – Brown Café
Who says bubble tea is boring? You’ll definitely take your words back after you try this boba drink from Chiang Mai. Although this shop isn’t a specialised bubble tea store, its flavoured bubbles and boba drinks have gained popularity amongst locals.
For something special, choose lychee, rose, matcha or sweet potato bubbles with your milk tea. Or else, you can also get the regular flavoured bubbles. Boba drinks are served in regular plastic cups or tall bottles.
6. Sharing is SHweet and cARING – Ochaya
Want to treat your special one to something sweet without overspending? That’s where Ochaya comes in. With boba drinks from 35 baht, you can drink it and treat your loved ones without causing damage to your wallet.
Choose your favourite flavour from the regular milk tea to more exotic ones like strawberry and taro. You can change the toppings from pearl to grass jelly, pudding, etc too!
7. Organic boba drinks for a healthier you – Cha Bar
It’s a fact that boba drinks aren’t healthy, especially the brown sugar kind. But thankfully, you can drink it without feeling guilty now.
Cha Bar uses organic ingredients for their drinks, meaning that they don’t even use refined sugar to sweeten your beverage. They also make their own homemade riceberry boba, on top of using natural ingredients like Northern Thai cacao beans for your drink’s flavour.
8. (Alcoholic or non-alcoholic) Bubble tea with desserts? – BRIX Dessert Bar
I enjoy drinking bubble tea from time to time but often times I wish the shops would offer seating and other desserts while hanging out with my friends. This is what BRIX Dessert Bar does, by not only offering bubble tea but other desserts like shaved ice and fluffy pancakes.
In fact, their main highlight isn’t their bubble tea despite them doing their bubble teas so well, namely their tea. Thus it’s no surprise the brand won “Twinings Best Tea Experience” in 2017.
Other than bubble tea, you can also choose an alcoholic version of your boba drink (rum or Kahlua anyone?).
9. No one does tea better than the Japanese – Fuku Matcha
I always choose Japanese green tea when I drink tea, so I was so happy when I found out that Fuku Matcha also makes boba drinks.
More famous for their matcha desserts, Fuku Matcha serves boba drinks in various flavours such as hojicha, taro and (unsurprisingly) matcha. You can also get a boba drink topped with Japanese soft serve ice-cream (115 baht)!
Otherwise, you can buy just the soft serve ice-cream (70 baht), available in 2 flavours – matcha and hojicha.
10. Fresh (and healthier) bobas made daily using Thai rice flour! – Bearhouse
If you’re afraid of consuming too much artificial products like bubble tea, then you’d better come here instead.
The pearls are made fresh every day using Thai rice flour, thus its white-ish colour. However, it still has the famous soft and sticky texture all pearls have so it still feels like you’re drinking a bubble drink.
Not sure what to get? Bearhouse offers 8 flavours, from their specialty “Bearhouse Milk Tea” to “Chocolate Latte”.
11. Sweetness overload! – CODE Cafe of Desserts
Got a sweet tooth? Then this is the right place for you, not only serving boba drinks but also cake, toast and ice-cream.
And if you order their bubble drinks (which is probably what you’ll do since you’re reading this), the great thing about this place is that you can have your drink to-go or in the store. Perfect if you want to sit and chat with your friends or walk around to burn off the calories.
12. So good yet soooo cheap!! – Moma’s Bubble Tea Bar
Honestly… I’ve never seen any bubble tea shops with this many choices. And it’s really cheap too!!
At Moma’s Bubble Tea Bar, its bubble drinks start from 24 baht (and the most expensive one being 29 baht).
The menu itself is extensive too, from sweet potato and apple yoghurt to latte and Thai tea. Best of all, the service is quite fast so you’ll definitely find yourself in and out of the shop within minutes. 😉
Have you made your choice yet? I definitely have!
Remember though, drinking too much bubble drinks isn’t good for your body. But having them once a while is okay.
So on that day, don’t forget to open this list and visit one of the shops listed when you’re in Bangkok. Happy drinking! 😀
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