Bubble Tea in Los Angeles - 9 Types of Boba Tea

A traditional Taiwanese drink- Bubble Tea is now famous all around the world. With the increasing number of bubble tea shops popping up in the corners of Los Angeles city, it can be difficult to choose a flavor. They all offer various flavors, different types of milk or tea, and tasty toppings, which makes it more challenging to decide. If you want to taste Bubble tea in Los Angeles, I will help you to try the best one through this article. I gathered mostly preferred Boba Tea types for any taste. No matter your previous usage, everyone will be able to find a kind to their unique preferences.  

What is Bubble Tea?

Bubble Tea or Boba Tea appeared in Taiwan in the late ’80s. Many people think the beverage gets its name from bubbles or pearls inside. Initially, the Chun Shui Tang tea shop gave ‘bubble tea’ name because of bubbles formed by milk shaking. One can find various recipes for bubble tea. Almond, soy, cow milk with various tea leaves and pearls are the basics of the drink. Different fruit flavors, sweeteners, or roast coffee can also be used. 

Brief History

“Boba” in the Taiwan language can refer to several types of drinks, chunky in nature. Mostly, these drinks include varieties such as iced teas containing tapioca pearls to fruity juices, freshly squeezed, with sliced fruits in them Also, we have other types such as black tapioca peals poured into these teas. They go by different names such as bubble tea, boba tea, or pearl milk tea. 

The traditional Taiwan name for this tea is called zhenzhu naicha (珍珠奶茶). In short, the varieties of this drink depend mostly on personal preference and location, likewise the names it goes by. For example, in the United States, people on the East Coast prefer the name bubble tea, whereas those on the West Coast favor boba tea. 

Irrespective of the name you choose to call it and where you find yourself, the drink is fundamentally made up of milk, chewy tapioca pearls, black tea, and ice all mixed together by shaking in the same way a bartender shakes a martini. Then, you get served with the familiar big straw to facilitate the movement of those tasty tapioca pearls waiting at the bottom of the cup to leave a smile on your face. 

Tapioca Pearls

These tapioca pearls are derivatives of tapioca starch. The starch is made from cassava plants gotten from South America. The food crops get to Taiwan from Brazil through Southeast Asia during the era of the Japanese occupation around the years 1895 and 1945. 

During their making process, the pearls are first white in color, tasteless, and rigid. However, they gradually become the tasty treats you love so much after they’ve been boiled in huge, steaming containers and soaked in sugary solutions for long periods. Eventually, the transformation process ends them in the form of springy, black tapioca pearls. It may not sound as delicious as they actually taste but you get the amount of love and time put into making the bubble milk we’ll all come to love.

Types of Bubble Tea in Los Angeles

The ingredients of Bubble tea can be various. Green, Black, White, or Oolong Tea can be used with different types of milk. In the west, people mostly relate this tea to round-shaped ‘bubbles’ inside the beverage. Those are the pearls and can be Tapioca Pearls, Boba, Frog eggs, and Taro Balls. If you drink Bubble tea in Los Angeles, the shops usually use Tapioca balls and Boba ones. They have the same taste and a similar way of preparation. However, Boba is larger than Tapioca. Besides, do not worry about Frog eggs; they are not real. People use basil seeds to form the balls that look like eyes in the drink. 

#1 Classic Bubble Tea with Tapioca Pearls

As mentioned before, the increasing popularity of bubble tea brought many different flavors and variations. Classic Milk Bubble tea is still one of the most preferred ones. It is a traditional black tea beverage with milk powder and sugar. What makes it more enjoyable is the kind of topping. In this drink, people use Tapioca Pearls. In simple terms, people make starch from cassava roots. They form these starch pieces into a round shape and add some sweetness. One can find black, white, or pastel-colored Tapioca Pearls. These balls usually have 1/12th-inch of diameter, and they add texture to the drink. Besides, they reflect the quality as they should be neither too chewy nor too soft. 

#2 Iced Tea

When I visited the new bubble tea shop near me, I was hesitating to taste. Usually, the menu of tea shops includes a variety of drinks with small descriptions. Hence, choosing the right one for your taste can be difficult. But, let me give a tip; If you have never tried bubble tea in Los Angeles before, you can start with Iced tea comfortably. Fruit Iced tea was one of the delicious beverages I have ever had. In its recipe, the type of tea leaves does not matter. Instead of milk, many people use fruit juice like mango, pineapple, or kiwi. It is both sweet and sour at the same time, depending on the type of fruit. 

#3 Matcha Bubble Tea in Los Angeles

Matcha tea has become more famous than ever. Yet, many people are not familiar with Matcha. For further information, Matcha is the powder form of unique green tea leaves. The reason for its popularity in any tea shop in Los Angeles is its stress-reducing effect. Among so many sweetened options, Matcha Bubble tea is one of the healthiest ones. When you make an order, make sure to ask for almond milk to make it more delicious. Besides, you can top it with chia seeds for additional health benefits. 

#4 Thai Bubble Tea

Another traditional type of Boba tea is Thai Bubble tea. You can recognize it immediately from its tiger orange color. The ingredients of the tea are quite simple- evaporated milk, tea, sugar, and tapioca pearls. The tea used is the Pantai Thai Tea mix, and it is what gives the beverage orange color. It has an artificial color. But, I can say that orange-colored tea provides the drink with a different taste rather than using other tea types. 

#5 Winter Melon Boba Tea

If you are a frequent visitor to a tea shop in Los Angeles, you might want to try something different. I would advise you to taste Winter Melon Boba tea. This fruit has a specific taste. It is widespread that people confuse Winter Melon with a watermelon. However, when one cooks it, it gets caramelized. Hence, its taste is much similar to caramel. Besides, caramel taste adds sweetness. Therefore, people do not need to use much sugar, which makes this beverage a healthier one.

#6 Popcorn Tea

I know the name sounds weird. However, Popcorn Tea, or Genamaicha tea, is a whole new level of bubble tea flavors. When I first tasted this drink in a bubble tea shop near me, I was fascinated by how delicious it can be. The secret ingredient of the beverage is brown rice. People roast brown rice until its golden. Then they add some hot water on it to make the tea. Some bubble tea shops also add green tea to enrich the flavor, too. If you ever visit a shop, definitely taste this unique beverage.

#7 Taro Bubble 

It is like I hear your negative opinion about Taro Bubble. I hesitated to drink that bubble tea, too. However, I read about its deliciousness on famous blogs, which encouraged me. Though Taro roots may not seem tasty or even edible, its tea is actually very delicious. This bubble tea recipe includes milk, Taro root powder, tea, and honey. Especially, Jasmine tea leaves make the perfect partner to Taro. If you add some Boba bubbles, its chewiness will make the beverage more enjoyable to drink. If you want to try this bubble tea in Los Angeles, it can be challenging to find a shop that offers it. However, you can find a few shops famous for Taro Bubble Tea. 

#8 Honeydew (Melon) Bubble Tea

Most of the tea types mentioned above are served cold. However, there are some hot drinks examples, too. One of the most delicious beverages is with the Honeydew flavor. When people mix this fruit with tea and cream, it creates a blast of intense flavors. Also, adding black Tapioca pearls will add more enjoyment to the bubble tea experience. Besides, you can enjoy it both in summer and in winter, depending on whether they serve it hot or with ice.

#9 Mousse Tea

Mousse Bubble tea is a unique one among all other options. The drink has two layers. In the bottom layer, there are different varieties of tea. Then people add milk and cover the drink with savory mousse. If you get this Bubble tea in Los Angeles, make sure you mix both layers immediately. It tastes even more delicious with all flavors mixed. If you have not still decided, you can contact us to get more information about bubble tea types offered.  

BonTea

No matter what type you choose, Boba tea is a tasty and enjoyable drink with its chewy bubbles. What is more important than the flavor is the ingredients used. Natural tea leaves or organic dairy is essential to make delicious and healthier beverages. If you want to taste Bubble tea in Los Angeles, do not search much and visit BonTea immediately. The shop selects natural ingredients and makes fresh drinks consistently. You can taste both classic Bubble tea and various flavors, like Rose, Lavender, or Mohito, in this shop.