Bubble Tea: The Story Behind Taiwan's Most Famous Drink
Where bubble tea actually came from, how to customize your order, and where to try it near its Taiwanese origins.
Bubble Tea: A Taiwanese Invention
Bubble tea (also called boba, or pearl milk tea) was invented in Taiwan in the 1980s, with two tea shops — Chun Shui Tang in Taichung and Hanlin Tea Room in Tainan — both claiming credit for the original idea of adding chewy tapioca pearls to sweetened milk tea. Whichever origin story is more accurate, the drink has since become one of Taiwan's most successful cultural exports, with shops now found in cities worldwide.
How to Order
| Choice | Options |
|---|---|
| Tea base | Black tea, green tea, oolong, or fruit tea |
| Milk | Dairy milk, non-dairy creamer, or no milk at all |
| Sweetness level | Usually adjustable from 0% to 100%, in increments |
| Ice level | Usually adjustable, from no ice to regular ice |
| Toppings | Tapioca pearls (boba), grass jelly, pudding, or fruit popping boba |
Where to Try the Original
Both Chun Shui Tang and Hanlin Tea Room still operate today, and each maintains it invented the drink — visiting either (or both, if you're curious) is a common pilgrimage for bubble tea enthusiasts passing through Taiwan. In Taipei itself, tea shops are genuinely on almost every commercial block, ranging from small local operations to major chains.
If you're new to ordering, starting with 50% sugar and regular ice is a reasonable middle ground — full sugar (100%) is often sweeter than most first-timers expect.
