So your best friend quickly blurted “let’s get some boba!” And you’re thinking to yourself, what on earth is boba? Is that a fictional character? Is it some food I never heard of? Where do you even get boba?

Boba, or bubble tea, is a tea based drink that is typically consumed with friends for a quick fix to your sweet cravings. Bubble tea first originated from Taiwan specifically in Tainan and Taichung in the 1980s. Although bubble tea came from Asia, it quickly became popular among English speaking countries. So how to order bubble tea if you’re new to this?

It should be really easy right? Go up to the person behind the counter, and ask for a bubble tea! Well, unfortunately all that does is confuse the barista. Asking for a bubble tea in a bubble tea shop is like entering into a Chinese restaurant and asking for Chinese food. There are plenty of options, flavors, toppings and bases to choose from.

To begin with, before ordering bubble tea, there are four things that matter the most: types, tea base, toppings and sweetness level. This article will help guide bubble tea virgins to make the best choice when ordering for the first time.

Types of Bubble Tea

There are four common types of bubble tea: fruit tea, milk tea, slush, and smoothie bubble.

1. Fruit Tea: Fruit teas are great when you’re craving something light and refreshing. Normally they’re made of the combination of fresh fruit slices, syrup and tea. They are the perfect summer beverage!

2. Milk Tea: Combined with milk or cream, these bubble teas are much creamier and thicker than fruit teas. If you're lactose intolerant, don't be afraid to ask the barista if they have options for you. A lot of bubble shops nowadays use lactose-free ingredients.

3.Slush: The slush base is exactly how it sounds. The ingredients include flavored syrup or fruit puree, ice, and water. When blended, they create a sweet, slushy texture.

4. Smoothies: These are like the slush, a blender is required. except they’re made with milk instead of water. This makes them super creamy!

Tea Base

There are various tea base in the menu, most common ones are green tea, black tea and milk based. Here are a few tips:

1.Choose green tea if you don’t want a creamy drink or too much caffeine. Green tea isn’t fermented for very long, so it is less astringent than black tea and has less caffeine. A green tea base makes a light, refreshing base for your bubble tea.

2. Select a black tea base if you are up for a little caffeine. Black teas are fermented for longer than white and green teas. They have a stronger, more astringent flavor, and can have up to 30 percent caffeine. A black tea will provide a strong and flavorful base for your bubble tea.

3. Try a milk based bubble tea if you are in the mood for something creamy. Choose between standard cow’s milk and a wide variety of milk alternatives. Milk based bubble teas are a natural fit with flavors like coffee, chocolate, chai, almond, or caramel.

Toppings and Add-on

The most popular bubble tea toppings are boba pearls, puddings, jellies. How do you know what to pick for your one-of-a-kind treat?

1.Pick boba pearls for the classic bubble tea experience. Boba pearls are black in color and are chewy and sweet. They are made from cassava root too but with sweet potato and brown sugar added. They are called sinkers because they will settle in the bottom of your cup.

2.Go for a pudding add-on in your creamy bubble tea. Some shops offer a simple egg and milk pudding to add to your bubble tea drink. The pudding is cubed and will sink to the bottom of your cold drink or melt slowly into your hot drink. The velvety pudding is a great addition to creamy drinks but doesn’t work with fruit flavors.

3.Select a jelly add-on for an alternative to chewy bobas. Jellies have a texture very similar to Jell-O. Ask your server what flavors are available. Choose a flavor that compliments your tea. Fruit flavored jellies go well with fruity teas. Traditional jellies like coconut jelly and grass jelly go well with creamy drinks. Aloe vera jelly goes well with green and citrus flavored teas.

Sweetness Level