Cowgirl Creamery Strawberry Lemonade: Despite working just a five minute walk from the Ferry Building, I hardly ever go to the central tourist spot. But on a rare day when I didn't bring lunch to work and was indecisive about where to eat, I decided the Ferry Building left open the greatest range of options, despite its San-Franciscan price tag. I felt guilty spending $15 on a sandwich and drink at Cowgirl Creamery, imaging the multiple meals I could cook for the same cost, but at least the sandwich was tasty, and the drink wa... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks san francisco cowgirlcreamery strawberry lemonade 3.5
Sliver Ginger Mint Lemonade: Sliver is the Cheeseboard knockoff started by Cheeseboard alums, serving essentially the same exact product (even down to the same green salsa) minus the lines, and with the added benefit of proximity to campus (at least for Berkeley students). Which is to say that the owners made a smart business move, though it seem unfair and disloyal to say the least. As far as the pizza goes, I have no comment, for both Cheeseboard and Sliver. But I was impressed with their Ginger Mint Lemonade, whic... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks berkeley sliver ginger mint lemonade 3.5
Purple Kow Roasted Oolong milk tea with boba: Originally from San Francisco, Purple Kow is a bubble tea shop that also has a location in downtown Berkeley directly adjacent to Top Dog. It serves its drinks in distinctly short and stout containers that are more like buckets than cups. Many of their milk teas are made using organic milk products. I ordered my roasted oolong milk tea with soymilk and 20% sugar and ice. The drink was very mild, tasting mostly of faintly sweetened milk and less so of tea. Their boba are miniature compar... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks boba bubbletea pearls oolong milktea asian berkeley purplekow roasted milk tea 3.0
Lorina Pomegranate Blueberry Sparkling Soda: Given its uniquely curved bottle, labelling with a black and white photograph of the Eiffel Tower, and stamp dating Lorina's establishment over 100 years ago, this bottle of fruit soda is clearly aspirational, appealing to consumers who wish they were drinking it at an outdoor cafe on the streets of Paris. It tastes very clearly of both pomegranate and blueberry, and its purple red color enhances the effect. Sweet and well carbonated. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks soda lorina pomegranate blueberry sparkling 3.5
iTea Roasted Oolong Milk Tea with Boba: While I previously have had very good experiences at iTea in San Francisco, I've found that the quality has seemed to decline over time. On my last trip, I ordered their Roasted Oolong Milk Tea with little sweetness and ice, yet the drink was still sweeter than I would expect and diluted tasting right from the start. The boba, too, was overly chewy without much character. I typically like to order new things every time I go, but if I find myself at iTea again, I will likely order one of m... (read more) 2.5/5.0
drinks boba milktea bubbletea itea roasted oolong milk tea 2.5
Boba Ninja Pudding Milk Tea with Boba: Right around the corner from Sweetheart Cafe on Durant (in Berkeley) is a competitor named Boba Ninja, which has barely enough standing room to accommodate a single-file line. Lining the interior is a shelf of flavor powders in small tupperware containers. The pudding milk tea is a regular black milk tea with large pieces of pudding (I added boba as well). The pudding had an inconsistent texture, as if the mix had not been fully stirred, and the boba was overly soft. Not much to say abou... (read more) 2.0/5.0
drinks berkeley bubbletea bobaninja pudding milk tea boba 2.0