How to Order Boba Tea

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: January 30, 2023

Tea Base

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Flavor Additions

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Sinkers and Add-ons

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Q&A

Boba tea is best known for the tapioca pearls that sink to the bottom of your cup and are sucked up through an extra wide straw. It’s a drink originally from Taiwan that has become popular all over the world. It is sometimes called bubble tea or pearl tea. You can find it in mall kiosks, Thai restaurants, traditional tea houses, and even coffee shops. Boba tea is a build-your-own drink experience that can produce wildly different drinks depending on your choices.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Tea Base

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Choose green tea if you don’t want a creamy drink or too much caffeine. Green tea isn’t fermented for very long, so it is less astringent than black tea and has less caffeine. A green tea base makes a light, refreshing base for your boba tea.
- Green tea bases are best paired with fruit flavors.
- Some shops will offer white tea, which is an even lighter tea than green. You might also be able to choose from specialty green tea bases like peach green tea, or green tea chai.
2
Select a black tea base if you are up for a little caffeine. Black teas are fermented for longer than white and green teas. They have a stronger, more astringent flavor, and can have up to 30 percent caffeine. A black tea will provide a strong and flavorful base for your boba tea.
- A black tea base pairs well with both fruit flavors and creamy, nutty, or chocolate-y flavor profiles.
- You may also see Oolong tea as an option for a base flavor. Oolong tea is in between green and black teas in both caffeine content and flavor. Like black tea, they combine well with both the fruity boba flavor options and the creamy ones.^{[1]
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3
Try a milk based boba tea if you are in the mood for something creamy. Choose between standard cow’s milk and a wide variety of milk alternatives. Milk based boba teas are a natural fit with flavors like coffee, chocolate, chai, almond, or caramel.
- Milk alternatives include: almond, coconut, soy, and oat. Expect to pay 50 cents to 1 dollar extra for these substitutes.
- If you want a fruit flavored drink but want to balance the sweetness of the fruit with some fat, try a milk base. A good example of this is a mango flavored boba tea with a coconut milk base.
- Be aware that some shops use condensed milk which can double the sugar content of your drink. Ask your server about the milk they use if you’d rather avoid this very sweet alternative.^{[2]
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4
Decide whether you’d like a hot tea, an iced tea, or a blended tea. Whether you choose a tea base or a milk base, you will also need to decide on your preferred temperature and texture. On a cold day, enjoy sipping on a warm boba tea. On a hot day, choose between an iced or blended boba tea.
- If you don’t want a milk base but still crave something creamy, try a blended tea base. The crushed ice will provide the creaminess you want.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Flavor Additions

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Choose a flavor from the menu to compliment your base. Look for a menu board or printed menu that lists all the flavors available to you. Expect a lot! Some shops offer up to 40 flavors. It’s helpful to think of them in two different categories: fruity and creamy.
- Examples of fruit flavors include: mango, strawberry, lemon, lychee, banana, pineapple, and peach. You might also encounter botanical flavors like rose and lavender. Fruit flavors often come in syrup form and are higher in sugar content.
- Creamy flavors include: chocolate, coffee, coconut, chai, almond, and red bean. These flavors are often in a powder form and are sometimes mixed with milk solids or tea solids.
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Opt for fresh fruit for a healthier boba tea. Ask your server if fresh fruit is available for blended drinks. Fresh fruit is lower in sugar than syrups and includes dietary fiber. Boba tea is a fun drink but often full of sugar and calories. Selecting fresh fruit for flavoring makes this treat truly healthy. Fruits offered will differ depending on region and season but some common choices include:
- Banana
- Mango
- Strawberry
- Blueberry
- Avocado
3
Add a shot of espresso in a creamy boba tea for a caffeine jolt. If you are getting your tea at a coffee shop, adding espresso is probably an option. Coffee flavored powder is diluted with milk solids and does not offer much caffeine.
- A shot of espresso in your milk based mocha or chai tea will give you the boost you’re after.
4
Order a specialty drink to simplify your boba tea experience. Specialty boba teas are predetermined combinations of a base (tea or milk) and usually 2 or more flavors. Find specialties listed on the menu near the flavors. Specialties will differ from place to place. With fewer decisions to make, this is a fun, relaxing way to experience the boba tea phenomenon for the first time.
- Ask your server about his or her favorite specialty tea. Often employees contribute their own concoctions to the specialties list so they are eager to share their knowledge.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Sinkers and Add-ons

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Choose tapioca pearls if you’d like a sinker with less sugar. Tapioca pearls are made from dried cassava root. They are harder, smaller, and less sweet than the boba pearls. They mix well with both fruity and creamy teas.^{[3]
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- You will be given an extra wide straw to drink your iced or blended tea. Be aware that the tapioca pearls will be sucked up with your liquid. Avoid swallowing them whole.
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Pick boba pearls for the classic boba tea experience. Boba pearls are black in color and are chewy and sweet. They are made from cassava root too but with sweet potato and brown sugar added. They are called sinkers because they will settle in the bottom of your cup.
- Avoid swallowing boba pearls whole. They are similar in texture to gummy candy and are best enjoyed through chewing.
- Some shops offer popping boba pearls. These pearls are made with fruit juices inside of them so when you bite down you experience a burst of fruit flavor. Popping bobas are best in fruity teas.^{[4]
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3
Go for a pudding add-on in your creamy boba tea. Some shops offer a simple egg and milk pudding to add to your boba tea drink. The pudding is cubed and will sink to the bottom of your cold drink or melt slowly into your hot drink. The velvety pudding is a great addition to creamy drinks but doesn’t work with fruit flavors.^{[5]
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- Try a chai milk tea served warm with a pudding add-on.
- A pudding add-on brings an extra layer of flavor to a matcha green milk tea over ice.
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Select a jelly add-on for an alternative to chewy bobas. Jellies have a texture very similar to Jell-O. Ask your server what flavors are available. Choose a flavor that compliments your tea. Fruit flavored jellies go well with fruity teas. Traditional jellies like coconut jelly and grass jelly go well with creamy drinks. Aloe vera jelly goes well with green and citrus flavored teas.^{[6]
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- Try an iced lime green tea with aloe vera jelly to cool off on a hot summer day.
- Get adventurous and add the slightly bitter, roasted taste of grass jelly to balance out the sweetness of a mocha milk tea.

Community Q&A

Question

What are your favorite tea/pudding pairs?

Community Answer

Personally, my favorite tea/pudding pair is raspberry peach tea (Organic India Tulsi), and Zen vanilla soy milk pudding.
Question

I'm new to getting boba. What should I try?

LovePusheen

Community Answer

The most popular flavours are lychee, mango, passionfuit, kiwifruit and milk teas. Try these as you can't go wrong with them. Don't choose too many add-ons, since you might not like them. Stick to simple at first and if you like it, build it up!