1102 Bubble Tea & Coffee, 804 S. Seventh Street Suite 103
1102 Bubble Tea & Coffee manages to be both a quick and easy spot to grab a boba tea and a place to sip and sit for hours on end. There are no employees in the front end of the store and there are usually a few students who have set up camp to study, so it’s the perfect chill environment. With completely digital ordering carried out on counter-mounted iPads, it is simple to order exactly what you want and within minutes, a mystery worker from the back will deliver your drink. Their Tiger Tea, milk tea made with brown sugar syrup, is perfectly sweet and smooth, and is more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. Enjoy it on the go or sit in one of their mini tea houses for a cozy and private sipping experience.
Cha Community, 1001 Franklin Avenue
Cha Community is a Waco staple. With their vibrant and upbeat downtown location, warm Temple location and their ever-present food truck, it is always easy to find your next Cha fix. Cha Community is the holy grail of boba shops with extensive milk tea options, heavenly matcha and even food items on the menu. Try their gua bao, scallion pancakes or steamed pork buns as a snack alongside the boba tea of your choice for a satisfying fix any time of day. Cha Community’s matcha tea is a fan favorite — their rich matcha is imported from Japan — and it is even better with tapioca pearls! Catch their food truck at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market every Wednesday and Saturday or visit their brick-and-mortar location on Franklin or in Temple.
Poppa Bear Boba, 4716 W. Waco Drive
Poppa Bear Boba is a gift that keeps on giving. Despite their name, they offer much more than just boba. Their pho is some of the best in Waco, and their banh mi is a surprisingly hearty meal to enjoy with your tea. The boba at Poppa Bear is one of my favorites that I have tried in Waco! It is soft and chewy without ever being tough or overcooked. The owners and staff are kind, and the atmosphere they create makes their food and teas even more appetizing. I recommend the Wintermelon Milk Tea with boba — wintermelon is the perfect seasonal flavor! — and the Wide-A-Waco Vietnamese coffee with boba.
Zuke’s Tea Bar, Union Hall, 720 Franklin Avenue
Zuke’s Tea Bar is tucked along the back wall of Union Hall, perfectly nestled into the chaotic foot traffic of the typically busy eatery. Zuke’s prides themselves on their broad menu, offering loose leaf white, oolong, green, black, herbal and chai teas in addition to their matcha, milk teas and coffees. With so many options, choosing just one can be an overwhelming decision, but anything you order from Zuke’s is bound to be delicious. The classic Taro Milk Tea with boba is my personal favorite; it’s the perfect mix of refreshing and sweet. The Brown Sugar Caramel Coffee with boba is also great for when you need a sugary caffeine fix.
