Looking through your Instagram feed, you may have noticed the colorful drinks with black pearls lining the bottom: boba. The Taiwanese delicacy is made of tapioca starch and is paired with a sweet milk-tea drink. With boba shops popping up, it’s safe to say the drink has gained popularity among American culture. The bubble tea drink can be found at various locations around St. Louis, but here are some of the top-tier boba spots. 

St. Louis Bubble Tea 4/5

St. Louis Bubble Tea was the first boba shop to open on Delmar Boulevard and has been operating in the Loop for over 10 years. St. Louis Bubble Tea offers a wide variety of drinks: flavored tea, milk tea, chai tea, slushies and snows, which is a variation of a slushie. Customers can add boba, jelly, pudding or beans to their drinks, as well as choose their sweetness level. Each refreshing cup cost $3.25 with an additional .60 for every add-on. I tried their honeydew snow with boba, which is a milk tea and slushy combined to create a soft consistency. The combination of the milk and honeydew created the perfect creamy flavor. Unfortunately, the undercooked boba made it difficult to chew, making this drink only subpar. If you prefer your milk tea without boba, this is the place for you.

Corner 17 3/5

Corner 17 came to the Loop in 2013, operating as a restaurant and boba shop. The menu lists a wide variety of bubble teas including flavored teas, cheese teas, slushies and aesthetically pleasing “creative drinks.” These drinks range from $4 – $7 and only come in one size. I tried their honeydew slush with boba since they don’t offer snows, and I was not impressed. It was painfully sweet and my teeth felt like they were rotting, so I recommend getting a low sweetness level. The slush itself was super icy and I had to crunch as I drank. I have heard that Corner 17 has much better standard-milk teas, so I don’t suggest going here for slushes. The boba lacked its normally sweet flavor, but was the perfect chewing consistency. My friends who prefer milk teas said Corner 17 is one of their favorite boba shops, so this would be a good place if you’re not a slush fan. 

Bubble Cup Tea Zone 5/5 

Two years ago, Panasia on Manchester Road added a boba shop in the middle of their grocery store. I wouldn’t suggest going to Panaisa on Saturdays, as every Asian in St. Louis fills the store. Bubble Cup Tea Zone offers flavored teas, milk teas, slushies and snows, as well as boba, jelly and espresso for extras. I tried their honeydew snow with boba, and it is one of the best milk teas I have ever tasted, with just the right amount of sweetness. This combined with the creaminess made for the perfect taste. My favorite part about this shop is that the flavor of the drink seeps into the boba, enhancing the pearls. The boba itself has a perfect chewy consistency, cooked only minutes before it’s put in a cup. Unfortunately, Bubble Cup Tea Zone only offers one size that is about $6. 

Cube Tea Studio 5/5 

Cube Tea Studio is in the entrance of an Asian grocery store on Olive Boulevard. On the weekends, the shop is crowded with people going in and out constantly. Cube Tea Studio offers a wide variety of flavored teas, cheese teas, slushies and snows, along with toppings like boba, popping boba, jelly, pudding and taro. Their drinks are expensive, ranging from $6.50 – $7.50, and toppings from $0.50 to $1.25. However, the flavor makes up for the high prices. I tried a honeydew snow with boba, and I ascended into heaven. The snow combined with the creaminess of the drink made the perfect consistency. The boba didn’t add much to the drink as they were very small – so small I thought I ordered mini boba accidentally – which made for an awkward sipping experience. 

Hi Tea 5/5

Hi Tea is located off Olive Boulevard in Chesterfield in what would otherwise be a boring shopping center.  It’s safe to say this place was made for social media. The pink decor immediately invites you in with a claw machine, a plant wall and stuffed animals throughout the shop.The boba itself is delectable with the perfect texture. I opted for the brown sugar milk tea boba, which offsets the sugar’s sweet punch with the milk tea’s subtle notes in a delectable balance. This place offers plenty of Asian food options that look and smell divine. It’s a comfort place for a rainy day or dinner with friends.