Wanpo Tea Shop Oolong milk tea with boba: I've had bubble tea in Japan at a handful of shops, and most have been very disappointing, with watered-down powdered tea and overly soft boba. When I saw that there was a Taiwanese chain of bubble tea shops near Ueno station whose wall is lined with loose-leaf tea canisters, I thought they might be different. Luckily, my suspicions were confirmed, and I was actually able to communicate with the shop in Mandarin, a big win for me as I normally feel pretty useless with the little Japanese I know. The tea was very comforting and reminded me of being in the Bay Area, where bubble tea tastes herbal and fresh, slightly bitter but also creamy, and the boba has a quality chewiness that shows it hasn't been sitting around for too long. Definitely hope to return to this little Bubble Tea stand next to Ueno Station! 4.0/5.0

recommended bubbletea japan wanpoteashop oolong milk tea boba 4.0