By Victoria Fong and Caroline Huang
TPUMPS
Their “tea” is like drinking candy. Tpumps’ flavors mostly come from flavored sugar syrup, which they combine to make a variety of drinks. It is fun to mix and match different flavors, but opt for less sugar if you don’t want a sickeningly sweet refreshment. Although their tea is not the most authentic, their honey boba is plump and flavorful.
SHARETEA
Sharetea has a drink to suit anyone’s taste. Their menu seems infinite and nearly every choice is delicious. The drinks tend to be too sweet, so remember to ask for less sugar when ordering. They also have a huge variety of toppings, and their boba is the perfect texture. The prices are a bit high, so visit Sharetea with a full wallet.
TEASPOON
Expect real tea, not liquid sugar. Teaspoon has a menu of specialty drinks, which are solid choices. However, you can also make your own tea with or without milk. Their boba is sweet and squishy, some of the best downtown.
QUICKLY
The tea is cheap, both in price and in quality. Quickly has a huge variety of choices, and while they do all taste pretty decent, none of them really taste like authentic tea. The boba is sweet and chewy, but the snack menu is where Quickly really shines. Their popcorn chicken is excellent.
HAPPY LEMON
Relatively new to the Bay Area, Happy Lemon’s signature drink is their salted cheese, which is the perfect balance of sweet and salty. While their boba lacks in flavor, their milk tea is creamy and green tea is fruity. Also try their matcha smoothies for a not-overly-sweet treat.
