Boba Bubble Break - Seattle's Best Bubble Tea Spots
For Seattle Food Scene, boba tea reigns as the quintessential beverage of choice. Yes, even over coffee. The sheer variety means everyone in your squad can find something suitable to their tastes: hot or cold, fruit or tea, iced or slush or blended, with boba or without, and so on. In the dead of winter, after eating a soul-warming bowl of pho to lakeside soaking the sun during the summer, bubble tea fits the bill.
Young Tea
Young Tea focuses heavily on their tea, providing countless brewed tea options and variations in milk tea — jasmine, oolong, rooibus, and others. Inside, the team bustles behind the bar and incorporates rich earth tones and fresh greenery in their decor, giving us a zen vibe. Every time we visit Young Tea, we’re reminded of both the art and tradition of tea. Young Tea will be opening a new location in Bellevue in the future to cater to Eastside dwellers.
SFS Recommends: Warm Hong Kong Milk Tea
International District: 609 S. Weller St. Seattle, WA 98104
20 OZ Tea
20 OZ Tea celebrated their One Year Anniversary and they always put us in a boba mood. Their Drake week created such a buzz, they threw a reprise week to give us more Hong Kong, We’re Going Home and Started from the Berry, Now we Matcha. They offer unique add-ins like charcoal, to detox (we really got it for the gradient effect), and homemade grass jelly which has just the right amount of sweetness. With the Game of Thrones series finale earlier this year, you know 20 OZ Tea had to participate in the final act as well. Keeping it strong, 20 OZ Tea finds ways to stay on top of their tea game by now offering a teeny discount when customers bring in their own drinking vessel and reusable straw. Save the planet one bubble tea at a time. #moreteamorelife
SFS Recommends: Strawberry Matcha
Eastlake: 1823 Eastlake Ave E #160, Seattle, WA 98102
Oasis Tea Zone
You haven’t really had bubble tea until you’ve hung out at Oasis Tea Zone. It’s a hub. A gathering place intended to meet the needs of different populations, whether it be late night study sessions, meeting up with friends, playing games, or winding down, Oasis created a space for everyone, built on boba. Accompanying their drink menu, Oasis provides food like popcorn chicken and takoyaki to tame the munchies.
SFS Recommends: Avocado Shake
International District: 519 6th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104 | Capitol Hill: 606 E Pine St, Seattle, WA 98122 | U District: 4524 University Way, Seattle, WA 98105 | View More Locations
Dreamy Drinks
No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. If you see a pink food truck rolling down the streets of Seattle, it’s real. Dreamy Drinks is the first food truck specializing in bubble tea. As if their pastel pink truck wasn’t darling enough, Dreamy Drinks completed their look with rounded-bottom cups and darling heart-shaped stoppers perfect for the gram. Some unique flavors include their Tiramisu Shake – cake we can drink, yes please – and Ovaltine Crema. Seeing the boba mobile brings smiles to our faces whenever we see it around town.
SFS Recommends: Brown Sugar Boba Latte
Multiple Locations: View Schedule
Alutea
From the time we first visited, Atulea was a gem from corner to corner. Their play on minimalism with a pop of color, creates an ideal backdrop for casual tea breaks. We’re curious about how our drinks and food are made and Atulea operates as one of the few establishments offering limited obstructed views into their world. Also, watching the process becomes oddly relaxing, especially when they put the matcha wisk to work. Intentional or not, the seating arrangement allows for patron conversations to flow over one another and dare I say, possibly leading to meeting new people. Atulea remains on our radar as a reminder to live boldly and drink tea.
SFS Recommends: Rose Tie-Guan-Yin
Capitol Hill: 1715 12th Ave #100, Seattle, WA 98122
BOBA UP
Over the last few years, boba shops offered the option to customize your drink through changing the amount of ice and sweetness. Still, after that first sip, if you ever thought, “I wish they made it like this….” then BOBA UP will make your dreams come true. BOBA UP levels up customization from every aspect you can imagine with their self-serve bar. Now, you can fill your cup with boba to your heart’s content.
SFS Recommends: Let your imagination go wild
U District: 4141 University Way #103, Seattle, WA 98105
Kung Fu Tea
We drank Yakult before To All The Boys I Loved made it popular and was thrilled to see Yakult bubble tea options available at Kung Fu Tea. We’re fans of holidays centered around food and drinks. We recognize Kung Fu Tea for being the driving force behind the official National Bubble Tea Day. Set a reminder for April 30th and celebrate National Bubble Tea Day at your favorite bubble tea shop.
SFS Recommends: Taro Slush
U District: 4730 University Way NE, Suite 109-110, Seattle, WA 98105 | View More Locations
Boba Bonus - Pochi Bubble Tea Cafe
At Seattle Food Scene, we try to remember our friends to the north and south of the greater Seattle region. Venturing out further from the Seattle hub, the bubble tea options start to dwindle. Luckily, on the north side Pochi Bubble Tea Cafe acts as the reliable standby. Pochi upholds an extensive menu and endless combinations all-the-while staying consistent. For a while, Pochi had an elusive secret menu leaving many of us in the dark when someone got a Fiona or a Kirby. Only in the last couple of years, did they spill the tea. One of the owners, Malyn Nuth, recently shared how they experimented with flavors which led to the inception of their Cinnamon Toast Crunch shake. Their summer seasonal returns with their fresh watermelon drink. We see you Pochi we’re looking forward to your future boba creations!
SFS Recommends: Taro-Oreo and seasonal specials
Out-of-town: 1211 164th St SW #102, Lynnwood, WA 98087