Boba Tea in Portland

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More

Whether you call it boba, bubble tea or tapioca pearls, boba tea in Portland is a perfect pick-me-up. The delicious drink is an import from Taiwan, where boba milk tea gained popularity in the 1980s. Portland is well-known for its coffee and beer, and the growing boba tea scene is the perfect addition for a city obsessed with quenching its palate. Boba tea shops have long been the hang-out spots in Asian American enclaves — and the Rose City has its share of unique, fresh and delightful drinks.

Boba shop menus can be overwhelming even for the most seasoned tea drinker. The classic jasmine milk tea with boba topping is the perfect introduction for newbies trying out the chewy goodness. Milk teas have a black or green tea base combined with milk, and most shops offer dairy-free milk options as well. Although “boba” is commonly used as shorthand to refer to tea shops, menus often feature a variety of drink combinations without boba if you want to try different textures and toppings. Along with milk teas, many menus feature refreshing fruit teas. One of my favorite summer drinks is watermelon green tea without toppings. I look forward to it popping up on seasonal menus every year. All menus will have a few caffeine-free drinks as well. A lot of tea shops have their own specialties like brown sugar milk teas for those with an insatiable sweet tooth or blended fruit shakes for a more robust treat.

Then there’s the toppings menu, with boba as everyone’s default. Don’t let the misnomer confuse you since “toppings” often sink to the bottom of the cup. Toppings are as varied as drink flavors — from whipped foam to coffee jelly. For non-milky fruit teas, jellies and aloe are great toppings to pair because of their subtle flavor and texture. Whipped foams and cream add a smoother dimension to both milk and fruit teas. Egg pudding and milk mochi will give your drink a silky texture. To personalize your drink beyond toppings, adjust the amount of ice and sweetness to your liking. One of my favorite drinks is a matcha jasmine milk tea with half sweet — the earthy, floral tea shines through and is subtly sweet from both the boba toppings and the reduced sugar level.

Local tip: Some menus feature a separate “hot drinks” section but many shops without specific hot drinks can still prepare warm drinks. You may never go back to iced milk tea after you’ve tried warm, chewy boba on a drizzly day.

Although boba tea shops aren’t as ubiquitous as coffee shops (a girl can dream!), there are still plenty of choices tucked into neighborhoods across the city. In Southeast’s Foster-Powell neighborhood, Yoonique Tea lives up to its name. Owner Sue Nguyen says she named her shop after all of the unique drink ideas that pop into her mind, like peanut butter milk tea and the ube-chi drink that blends ube flavors with milk mochi. Sue opened Yoonique after realizing she craved boba drinks. “‘Why don’t I just open the bubble shop for myself?” she asked. “And then I’ll treat everyone craving boba tea.”

Off Northeast Alberta Street, the sea salt cream teas and horchata ceylon milk tea at Tiki Tea are a must-try. The ceylon cinnamon gives the horchata drink a floral sweetness. Auntea Ha in North Portland’s Overlook neighborhood has a small but mighty menu with specials like a jasmine sea salt float that’s a perfect balance of aromatic tea and a creamy topping. Inside Downtown’s Union Way complex, stop in Swee2o before or after window browsing the nearby shops. Swee2o’s signature drinks feature fruit blends like Paris Dream, a fragrant rose lychee slushie.

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If you’re in the mood for a quick bite of good food to go along with a milk tea, I recommend two spots in Southeast Portland. On Division, Soul-Cie-Tea’s tea and food menu will have customers returning over and over again. “We wanted to come up with dishes that are comfort food but also [have] our twist in them,” said owner Kris Pinyo. “Boba always puts smiles on people’s faces, and we wanted to come up with dishes that match that.” Their food menu offers dishes that taste like they came out of your auntie’s kitchen — the highest compliment I can give — like the khao mun gai thod, a crispy fried chicken dish on a bed of warm rice. One of my favorite drinks at Soul-Cie Tea is the Strawberry Matcha Milk Tea, featuring house-made strawberry puree and a shot of organic ceremonial matcha.

Since 2005, Fat Straw on Hawthorne has been a mainstay and one of the OG boba spots in Portland. A popular after-school hangout, Fat Straw serves breakfast and lunch bánh mì to pair with your sweet drink. Their chả lụa (Vietnamese bologna) bánh mì reminds me of the sandwiches my mom made when I was a kid and is what I’d recommend for anyone craving a taste of Vietnamese comfort food.

Portland is lucky to have many homegrown, Portlander-owned boba tea shops — including a few small local chains. Tea Chai Te has locations in Northwest’s Nob Hill neighborhood, North Mississippi and Sellwood and offers a wide selection of teas, like herbal and apothecary tea, in addition to its boba options. In the Pearl District and on Division, Tea Bar is known for its matcha teas and a boba tea menu with classic flavors like taro and Thai iced tea.

Taiwanese milk tea chains have locations around the world and two of the biggest have opened shops in Portland, where you can get a taste of how milk teas are served where it all began. A couple of winters ago I had a ginger milk tea with pearls at Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea, and I think about that warm, spicy seasonal drink to this day. Yifang is an homage to the founder’s grandmother who used natural ingredients and fresh fruits for her own teas and are now the star of their menu. While there are some great milk teas on their menu, definitely try one of their fruit teas with a topping. With three locations in North Williams, Lents, and Downtown, Ding Tea is a global brand recognized for its golden boba, which are slightly chewier and sweeter than regular boba. Since the locations in town are franchises with different owners, tea drinkers can visit each location and try out their specific specials of coffee drinks and fruit blends.

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