Ranking Boba Around Campus

Hello everyone! For the most part, students have settled onto campus and classes have started to kick in. For any new freshmen, my advice is that it is of utmost importance to remember to take breaks when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. One key aspect and a major highlight of my first year was being able to explore almost every boba shop around Boston, which for me was a great method of relaxation. Disclaimer, I am no expert in making boba nor do I have what would be considered as a refined palate, but I do pride myself on having bubble tea be a huge part of my culture, and having boba tea shops as major places where I’ve developed many impactful college friendships.

For this blog, I’m going to limit the bubble tea places to around a 1-mile radius around campus and rank other boba shops further off-campus such as Chinatown in a separate blog. Another point I want to make is that I’m only listing places that specialize in bubble tea. I know there are more locations that offer boba such as Love Art Sushi and M&J Terriyaki, however, those places are known more for food items and aren’t really considered “bubble tea cafes.” Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll be ranking these places on the bases of the pearl texture, the tea itself, the price of the drink, and the overall ~vibe~ of the place. Also, keep in mind that this is just for fun and based on my personal opinion 🙂

Coming in at fourth place is Chatime

Chatime is super close to campus and tucked away next to a hair salon on Huntington. The drinks themselves aren’t bad but don’t particularly stand out, flavor-wise, I would say it is average and doesn’t have too much variety. The boba sometimes has a weird hard texture as well. Prices range from around $4 and upwards, so it isn’t the cheapest but not terribly expensive. The overall vibe of the place is very pleasant and they usually have a super cute chalk drawing where you can take pictures. Very cool place to sit down and do homework!

Coming in at third place is Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe

Vivi Bubble Tea Cafe is a relatively new place on Massachusetts Avenue. It has plenty of toppings and drinks selections. The tea and boba itself are pretty good, but I wouldn’t consider them award-winning. The drinks are relatively cheap for a bubble tea place in Boston as they start out at around $3.25. The space is large, with numerous seating options, and has very interesting decorations. The staff is super nice and I remember them keeping the cafe open for around thirty minutes more during the Grand Opening so that my friends and I could stay a little longer. This was honestly probably one of the sweetest things that happened to me in any boba place. They also have a couple of TVs that on occasion plays K-pop music videos, which is very much appreciated in my book. (Disclaimer, I don’t think some of the colorful drinks pictured below are currently on the menu at the Massachusetts Avenue location).

Coming in second place Kung Fu Tea

A very reliable place for bubble tea. Located on the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and St. Botolph Street, Kung Fu Tea has always been quick and tasty. All of their fruit teas are really flavorful and their boba is very nice as well! The cup shapes have since changed from the photo below and are now kind of a weird shape. The drinks start at around $3.50, which places it in the middle of a typical boba cost. Before COVID, this location had a lot of seating and cute city decorations. I remember having plenty of comfy group hangouts here and causing a line that went out the door (sorry). The app is also a major bonus, as you can earn rewards each time you go.

And finally, first place goes to Ten One Tea House!

Right off the top, this bubble tea shop wins for the aesthetic alone. They have beautiful multicolored drinks and pearls, and their flavors are unlike any other boba chain I’ve been to. I mean just from the blue boba alone is enough to sway me. The drinks are incredibly Instagram worthy and are basically made for taking pictures. The price is where this place falters a little as drinks start at $4, with the ones listed on their “top ten” more around the $6 range. The location is smaller than some of the other places on this list, but makes for a very cozy surrounding, with the decor being the perfect background for photos. Overall, it wins for standing out and knowing their customers.