Top 10 Boba Flavors Every Tea Shop Should Have

Boba tea, or bubble tea, has taken the beverage industry by storm in recent years. Originating from Taiwan, this unique drink combines the refreshing taste of tea with the fun and chewy texture of tapioca pearls. With its growing popularity, tea shop owners need to stay ahead of the game and offer a diverse range of boba flavors to cater to their customers' tastes. Having a mix of popular flavors on your menu not only keeps your customers coming back for more but also attracts new ones who are eager to experience boba tea.

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Check out the best boba tea flavors:

1. Black Milk Tea

iced black milk tea with tapioca pearls

Black milk tea is the most classic boba tea flavor, making it one of the best flavors to recommend to beginners and new customers. It's a delightful combination of black tea and sweetened milk blended to create a smooth and velvety drink. Most black milk teas are made with Assam black tea, known for its robust, full-bodied taste, to stand up to the milk without becoming diluted.

The simplicity of this drink makes it easy to customize, and it pairs well with virtually any topping or add-in. Serve it with traditional tapioca pearls or enhance the flavor by topping it with brown sugar jelly.

Black milk tea tasting notes: full-bodied, balanced sweetness, creamy

2. Taro Milk Tea

iced taro milk tea with tapioca pearls

No boba menu is complete without taro milk tea. Its stunning purple hue makes the drink an instant Instagram-worthy moment, and its balanced flavor appeals to virtually any customer. Made with taro, a naturally-sweet starchy root vegetable with nutty, earthy notes and vanilla undertones, taro milk tea offers a sweet, nutty, and creamy taste.

To make taro milk tea, simply mix taro powder with your choice of milk or non-dairy creamer and green tea. You can serve as-is or top it off with chewy tapioca pearls, brown sugar boba, or other toppings of your choice.

Taro milk tea tasting notes: sweet, nutty, vanilla, creamy

3. Thai Milk Tea

iced thai milk tea with tapioca pearls

Thai milk tea is a sweet and refreshing drink with a distinct bright orange color. It combines black tea with warm spices like star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon and is typically sweetened with condensed milk. The combination of spices and the bitterness from the black tea helps balance the richness of the sweetened condensed milk.

Since Thai tea’s flavor is complex, it’s best to serve it with toppings and add-ins that won’t overpower it. Try it with traditional tapioca pearls, jelly topping, or a simple whipped topping.

Thai milk tea tasting notes: sweet, creamy, spiced

4. Brown Sugar Milk Tea

iced brown sugar milk tea

Brown sugar milk tea's popularity is due to the distinctive tiger stripe pattern from the generous brown sugar drizzle on the sides of the cup, which adds a visually stunning element to the drink. Its taste is rich and smooth with a molasses-like sweetness that perfectly complements the robust black tea base.

Brown sugar milk tea is essentially a sweeter twist on black milk tea - just prepare the drink how you would a traditional black milk tea and add brown sugar syrup. Serve it with chewy tapioca pearls or popping black sugar boba.

Brown sugar milk tea tasting notes: sweet, molasses, creamy

5. Matcha Tea

iced thai milk tea with tapioca pearls

Matcha, the vibrant and earthy Japanese green tea, offers a unique and refreshing flavor that tea lovers adore. Its taste is often described as vegetal, with a slightly bitter undertone that is balanced by a hint of sweetness. The tea is made by whisking matcha powder with hot milk and then combining it with milk or non-dairy creamer and a sweetener.

Bubble tea shops have the opportunity to enhance the already trending matcha latte by adding boba toppings. Pair with chewy tapioca pearls or simple whipped topping. Increase its creaminess by adding yogurt popping boba, or complement its herbal flavor with grass jelly.

Matcha tea tasting notes: earthy, creamy, sweet

6. Honeydew Milk Tea

iced honeydew milk tea with tapioca pearls

While it may not be everyone's first fresh melon choice, honeydew's light, refreshing flavor shines in boba tea. This popular boba flavor offers a ripe honeydew taste that isn't overly sweet, making it the perfect option for cooling off on hot summer days. It is both creamy and fruity to appeal to virtually every boba enthusiast, and its eye-catching green color rounds out the experience.

While fresh honeydew can be used to make the drink, many operators opt for a flavored powder or syrup combined with green tea and milk or creamer. Its light and subtly sweet taste pairs perfectly with chewy tapioca pearls, brown sugar boba, or a variety of popping fruit boba.

Honeydew milk tea tasting notes: light, refreshing, creamy

7. Strawberry Milk Tea

strawberry milk tea topped with strawberry popping boba

When it comes to boba flavors, strawberry milk tea is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. Its vibrant pink hue is a perfect addition to your social media feed, and its color and sweetness level make it a hit among children. It offers a taste reminiscent of strawberry milk, with an intensified sweetness and creaminess.

Enjoy strawberry's approachable flavor beyond the popular choice of milk tea. Offer strawberry smoothies topped with jelly or a flavored green tea with strawberry popping boba.

Strawberry milk tea tasting notes: sweet, juicy, creamy

8. Mango Tea

mango smoothie with tapioca pearls

Whether your customers are in the mood for a fruit tea or creamy milk tea, mango is a popular flavor that will transport taste buds to a tropical paradise. While it is often combined with green tea to create a smooth-sipping iced tea, it is equally popular and effortlessly enjoyable when offered as a milk tea or blended beverage. Its tanginess rounds out the richness of the milk, making it a thirst-quenching treat for a hot day.

Tropical, refreshing, and naturally sweet, mango is a highly customizable flavor that belongs on any boba menu. You can even put your spin on the trendy mangonada by mixing in tapioca pearls and other classic boba toppings.

Mango tasting notes: tropical, refreshing, sweet

9. Coconut Milk Tea

iced coconut milk tea topped with coconut jelly

If your customers are fans of creamy beverages, the indulgent, tropical taste of coconut milk tea is sure to be a hit. It can be made with either green or black tea as a base. Green tea lovers will appreciate the subtle and grassy notes that complement the creamy coconut flavor, while black tea enthusiasts will enjoy the robust and bold taste that adds depth to the tropical profile. To enhance the experience, coconut milk tea is often paired with traditional tapioca pearls. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also top it with coconut jelly, adding an extra burst of coconut goodness to every sip.

In addition to milk tea, this flavor is often blended into a smoothie. Whether you prefer the traditional milk tea base or a refreshing smoothie, this flavor is sure to satisfy your cravings for something tropical.

Coconut milk tea tasting notes: tropical, creamy, refreshing

10. Wintermelon Milk Tea

iced wintermelon milk tea with tapioca pearls

Despite the name, wintermelon is a boba flavor to be enjoyed year-round. While it is an up-and-coming flavor in Western countries, this Asian melon is a staple on traditional Tawainese boba menus, prized for its refreshing, comforting taste. Unlike other fruity boba flavors that can be very sweet, wintermelon offers a subtle and delicate taste with hints of vanilla and cucumber. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet and refreshing, making it a go-to choice for those looking for a light and satisfying beverage.

Since fresh wintermelon can be difficult to source, many operators opt for using wintermelon syrup combined with green tea and milk or creamer to make the drink. Enhance its mildly sweet and vegetal taste with traditional tapioca pearls or a simple whipped topping.

Wintermelon milk tea tasting notes: delicate, vegetal, refreshing


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If you're looking to cater to a diverse customer base, consider offering a variety of milk teas and fruit teas on your menu. Some customers might prefer classic flavors like taro or brown sugar, while others might be more adventurous and opt for lychee or passionfruit. By offering a diverse selection, you ensure that there's something for everyone, making your bubble tea shop a go-to destination for boba fanatics.

Posted in: Coffee & Tea|By Kayla Nelson
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.
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