i-Tea Honey Brown Rice Milk Tea with Basil Seeds and Agar Boba: From Taiwan, this bubble tea chain has all the signs of an authentic Taiwanese tea shop: its menu is ridiculously long; you can customize sweetness, ice, and toppings; it's cash only; there's absolutely no place to sit and chat (you purchase your drink and enjoy it elsewhere); and while there are lines out the door, service is fast. Drinks only come in one (large) size but are very reasonably priced. I ordered their honey brown rice milk tea at 30% sweetness, and the drink was one of the b... (read more)4.5/5.0

I-Tea 3G milk tea with boba, grass jelly, and pudding: I made a dangerous discovery that my new favorite bubble tea shop has a location in San Francisco, much closer to work than the Downtown Oakland spot. I ordered their third most popular drink, the 3G, named because of its three toppings: boba, grass jelly, and pudding. It comes with classic milk tea, and, by default, is served in a "chubby" container that's short and squat. I opted for the more portable standard cup (all drinks come in a single size). The black milk tea was done just right -... (read more)4.5/5.0

OO Tea Jasmine milk tea with boba: OO Tea is a Taiwanese import of the brand “Wushiland.” As far as I know, there are only two locations in the US: one in a San Gabriel strip mall in LA and another in a Ranch 99 in San Diego. I went to the latter, which was an unassuming bubble tea stand without any seating; my order was taken in Mandarin, not English. Wushiland uses organic milk for their milk teas and it shows. I ordered their jasmine milk tea and found it to be the single best version of milk tea that I’ve ever had in the ... (read more)4.5/5.0

Kung Fu Tea honey bubble tea: At last, good bubble tea has come to Cambridge. I was first introduced to Kung Fu Tea in NYC and was happy to find a tea spot offering varied sweetness levels (such as half sugar). There are now several locations in Boston, but the latest location has opened in Davis Square. The honey tea has no added sugar and is refreshingly and naturally sweet. The boba texture is excellent. There is also very little added ice as to not dilute the tea. A medium is $3.50, which is very reasonably priced. E... (read more)4.0/5.0

Boba Guys black milk tea with boba: An import from the Bay Area, Boba Guys recently opened shop on Clinton St. In NYC. The shop features teas made with organic ingredients and mostly housemade toppings. I usually assess bubble tea shops with a classic black milk tea with boba, and I requested mine with 25% sugar. The boba was excellent-in the top 5% I've had. Still firm but chewy, with a fairly neutral flavor. The milk tea had a nice balance between creamy and herbal, but I think I would get 50% sweetness next time. 4.0/5.0