Ucha Tea Ginger Milk Tea with Boba: Back when I first moved to Berkeley, UCha was one of the first bubble tea shops I tried given its high reviews online. I didn't find their barley milk tea to be very compelling though, so I never went back. Recently, on my way home from Pegasus Books, I had a sudden craving for milk tea and decided to give it another try since it's just a block away. Their ginger milk tea, which I ordered at 25% sweetness, was surprisingly good and spicier than most ginger teas I've had from boba tea shop... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended milktea bubbletea uchatea ginger milk tea boba 3.5
Sweetheart Cafe Almond milk tea with boba: Every few months, I stop by Sweetheart Cafe for their preternaturally chewy boba, despite the fact that I’ve never had a particularly good drink here. This time, I waited patiently in line after a group of Cal students arrived for their bubble tea fix at 10pm (the busiest I’ve seen the place, though now that I think about it, I’ve only ever gone there at night). The almond milk tea had a sweet and predictable flavor (even at half sweetness), but the boba was very good. I wonder if they would... (read more) 3.0/5.0
berkeley bubbletea milktea sweetheartcafe almond milk tea boba 3.0
b. patisserie milk tea tart: At the corner of Divisadero and California in Lower Pacific Heights (San Francisco) is popular bakery b. patisserie, led by a former pastry chef at fine-dining establishments like Gary Danko and Manresa. The sizable shop feels like a luxury in San Francisco, with only a handful of bakeries able to afford real estate to seat multiple families and smaller parties; the line out of the door, with about a 15 minute wait to the counter, signified they're doing just fine. For Chinese New Year, b.... (read more) 2.5/5.0
desserts pastry sf chinese milktea bpatisserie milk tea tart 2.5
Boba Guys Jasmine Milk Tea: I was pleasantly surprised with how solid this bottled Boba Guy’s jasmine milk tea was. Creamy and rich milk tea with a distinct floral jasmine flavor. Sweeter than I would order on my own, but a good drink nonetheless. 3.5/5.0
recommended milktea bobaguys jasmine milk tea 3.5
iTea wintermelon milk tea with grass jelly: I ordered this drink out of curiosity, but the wintermelon didn’t have too much of a distinct flavor compared to regular black milk tea. The herbal grass jelly was very good as always, though Purchased at I-Tea in Kearny in SF. 3.0/5.0
milktea drinks itea wintermelon milk tea grass jelly 3.0
Out the Door Bubble tea: I rarely eat in the Ferry Building in SF, but on this rare occasion, I decided to try a bahn mi at Out The Door. I got a bubble tea to accompany my sandwich and am sad to report that it was terrible. The tea was super sweet, and the boba somehow managed to be both hard on the inside and mushy outside, a combination I didn’t know was possible. Worst of all, it was expensive because it’s the Ferry Building. The sandwich wasn’t too much better, by the way-they use normal French baguette instead... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks boba bubbletea milktea outthedoor bubble tea 1.5