Bubble tea is a tea-based beverage that dates back to the early 1980s in Taiwan. It's usually made with tea and chewy tapioca balls ("boba" or "pearls"), but it can also be created with different toppings like grass jelly, aloe vera, red bean, and so on. Bubble tea comes in a wide range of tastes and variations, but the two most popular are black pearl milk tea and green pearl milk tea ("pearl" signifies the tapioca balls at the bottom). The first known bubble tea was made by using a mixture of hot Taiwanese black tea, tapioca pearls, condensed milk, and syrup or honey. Bubble tea is now typically served cold. The starch of the cassava, a tropical shrub noted for its starchy roots that were introduced to Taiwan from South America during Japanese colonial control, was used to manufacture the tapioca pearls that make bubble tea so unique.
There are two different stories about the invention of bubble tea. Liu Han-Chieh, the founder of the Chun Shui Tang tea room, began serving Chinese tea cold after seeing coffee being served cold in Japan. Her business grew as a result of the innovative way of serving tea, and multiple tea chains sprang up. Lin Hsiu Hui, the company's product development manager, claims she invented bubble tea in 1988 when she poured tapioca balls into her tea and encouraged others to drink it at a staff meeting. The beverage was welcomed by all the attendees at the meeting, and it was eventually added to the menu. The Hanlin Tea Room also claims credit for the invention of bubble tea. It is claimed that Tu Tsong-he, the owner of a teahouse in Ah-bó-liâu, was inspired by white tapioca balls he spotted in the local market in 1986 and invented bubble tea. He used these traditional Taiwanese snacks to make tea later. As a result, he created the world-famous "Pearl tea".
Craving some authentic cold bubble tea? Here are the restaurants that serve the best bubble tea in Delhi
Burma Burma
Burma Burma is a casual dining restaurant that provides delicious Burmese cuisine in its purest form. Interiors that have been thoughtfully decorated and furnished are a remarkable depiction of Burmese culture. This vegetarian retreat offers a diverse menu of food as well as a large selection of aromatic teas. They serve different flavours of bubble tea like Peach, Coco, Nutella, Oreo etc.
Price for two- 500
Got Tea
Got Tea is a new startup that serves authentic bubble teas. Their range of bubble tea includes Green Matcha, Brown Caramel, Strawberry Blossom, and Sesame Seoul. It is a cosy tea room that is perfect for spending evenings with your loved ones.
Price for two- 550
Cha Bar
Cha Bar is one of those places where you can sit and work while sipping hot tea and munching on delectable food. They have a large selection of teas, and bubble tea is undoubtedly one of the most popular. Blueberry, Passionfruit, Raspberry, Green Apple, Milk Tea, and other flavours are available. So, the next time you want to work from somewhere other than your desk, stop by Cha Bar and order a cup of bubble tea.
Price for two- 400
Cafe E
Cafe E is a small cafe inside the DLF Emporio mall in Vasant Kunj that is always bustling with guests who enjoy their coffee and tea. And now they have seven different flavours of bubble tea on their menu that you must try! So, the next time you're in town, stop by the lovely tiny cafe and have a glass of this chewy tapioca drink.
Price for two- 1600
Harajuku Tokyo Cafe
Harajuku is the pinnacle of a Japanese cuisine craze. Harajuku, located in Select Citywalk, aims to create a stir with its diverse menu, which includes authentic Japanese delights like boba tea, freshly baked Japanese 'jiggly cheesecake,' exclusively crafted Japanese desserts, and the world-famous light-as-air bread, as well as made-to-order Japanese street food. Their bubble tea comes in a variety of flavours like passion fruit, mango, strawberry and lychee. The tea is made in a true Japanese form and is everything our taste buds crave!
Price for two- 800