Bubble tea is the international drink phenomenon originating from Taichung, Taiwan. The “pearls” — called zhenzhu, if on the smaller side, and boba, if a bit larger — are traditionally made from brown sugar and tapioca, providing a bouncy, chewy surprise amid a delicious blend of milk, sugar, and tea. The drink first debuted in the 1980s using black tea, but nowadays can be found in a variety of flavors.
5Spice Tea House
11A S Moger Ave, Mount Kisco; 914.666.8882
5Spice Tea House serves a decadent and frothy bubble tea in the traditional Taiwanese style. (The “bubbles” in bubble tea originally referred to air bubbles from shaking, not the tapioca pearls.) The boba is made every few hours, comprised of tapioca, brown sugar, and honey. Along with a solid milk tea with boba in many flavors, 5Spice also provides an extensive list of green, black, and flower teas.
Go Greenly
1 Cedar St, Dobbs Ferry; 914.231.6161
1109 Central Park Ave, Scarsdale; 914.713.8693
Go Greenly has a long list of bubble teas, including unique flavors such as mocha mint, almond, cookies ’n cream, and honeydew. In addition to the traditional tapioca pearls, it also offers strawberry and rainbow jelly and strawberry, mango, or lychee juice poppers. Feeling adventurous? Add some tapioca onto your frozen yogurt for a unique treat.
View this post on Instagram
Hapag Filipino Cuisine
Highbridge Plz, 1789 Central Park Ave, Yonkers; 914.652.7773
Along with tasty Filipino food and an Insta-worthy halo-halo, Hapag also serves bubble tea, including jasmine and the original black milk tea (matcha, too). Those who prefer coffee may want to try the cappuccino variety. Taro, a purple tropical root, is a popular choice.
View this post on Instagram
Korean BBQ Grill
496 Main St, New Rochelle; 914.999.4242
Korean BBQ has interesting flavors to add to Westchester’s bubble tea scene. In addition to classics like milky black, green, and Thai iced tea, there’s guava, pomegranate, and traditional, zesty, Korean citron tea, also called yuja-cha.
Likha Art Café
363 Elwood Ave, Hawthorne; 914.936.3324
A two-minute stroll from the Hawthorne train station, this café is like none other in Westchester. It’s an aesthetics-focused space with coffee, teas, smoothies, candy, a Filipino non-perishable grocery market, bakery with a variety of Filipino baked goods plus treats from other countries, art gallery, and community center. And it’s founded by four friends from the province of Batangas in the Philippines.
You can bet they offer bubble teas. The menu changes, but besides purple ube everything, expect drinkable, chewable treats like peach black tea with mango popping boba or brown sugar milk tea with brown sugar boba jellies.
View this post on Instagram
Pick Up Bubble Tea
18 S Moger Ave, Mount Kisco; 914.218.3237
When you need a sweet pick-me-up, consider yourself covered. Custom craft your perfect tea from the base, flavor, toppings, and even the sweetness level. With non-dairy options, sea salt foam, and even aloe vera cubes, there is truly an option for everyone.
View this post on Instagram
Noodle+
245 Main St, Ste 110, White Plains; 914.948.4950
Noodle+ is a small oasis of boba, offering the pearls in milk teas, flavored teas, and brewed teas. Patrons can also swap out boba for coffee, lychee, mango, or green tea jellies.
View this post on Instagram
Tous Les Jours
371 N Central Ave, Hartsdale; 914.358.4130
As if the breadth of offerings at H Mart weren’t enough, Tous Les Jours, located within, sends the sweetness meter through the roof. The bubble tea accompanies an eye-popping assortment of colorful cakes, pastries, and macarons. Whether it’s creamy, fruity, or flavored black/green tea, Tous Les Jours has you covered for your bubble tea craving.
View this post on Instagram
YUM Ice Cream & Bubble Tea
8 Anderson St, New Rochelle; 914.740.3770
YUM Ice Cream & Bubble Tea has both milk tea and dairy-free options, as well as different jellies and popping pearls to sub for boba. The shop also serves a coveted matcha green tea and the less common coffee latte bubble milk tea.
View this post on Instagram
Related: Here’s Where to Get Your Cold Brew Coffee Fix in Westchester
