Boba has risen to popularity in the last few years making many new boba businesses open. Specifically, there are many boba shops along Bardstown Road which can be pretty overwhelming in deciding which one to go to. Me and some fellow Atherton students, Audrey Dixon, Caroline Row and Aly Carpenter, decided to try all of the spots and give our reviews and rankings.
Boba is a tea based drink with chewy tapioca balls. Boba originated in Taiwan in the 80’s and has spread to other parts of the world. Many restaurants in Bardstown road include boba in their menus, and we decided to try some.
The first place we decided to review was a very popular shop called FunTea. FunTea is our personal favorite. They have a lot of flavor options whether you want a fruit tea or a milk tea. We decided to get one of each to sample the menu. We ordered a Taro milk tea and a raspberry black tea both with pearl boba. Boba texture and tea flavor is very consistent no matter what you order. FunTea is one of the longest lasting boba shops on bardstown road and they have stayed a reliable restaurant to grab boba with your friends.
The next place we decided to review was The Bep Teahouse.
“There are always fun drinks and food as well like the garlic butter chicken and their mango fruit tea,” says Atherton Senior Caroline Row.
We decided to try the Taro Milk Tea here as well to compare. The flavor of the Taro at The Bep is definitely more strong and flavorful. But Fun Tea’s taro is more sweet, the flavor is there but if you look for more of a dessert Fun Tea is for you. However, if you want a stronger tea flavor, The Bep Teahouse is the place.
The next place we decided to review is Paris Banh Mi & Bakery. We ordered the Night drink. The drink is a brown sugar milk tea with pearl boba which is a very popular drink among boba drinkers. The flavor of the brown sugar was very strong however there was not much boba in the drink.
“The boba itself is okay, they aren’t the softest and have kind of a chewy and rubbery texture,” says O Taggi, an Atherton student and former employee.
Many people also enjoy going to Tiger Sugar and getting their creative specialty drinks. We tried the Matcha with Black Sugar Boba and cream mousse on top. The Matcha flavor was not the strongest but some people enjoyed that. The boba was good and the cream mousse added a unique touch.
“ I love going to Tiger Sugar and getting the Tiger Mango Sago. It is really yummy,” says Atherton Senior Aly Carpenter. The drink features tapioca pearls, fresh mango, aloe vera, cream mousse, and mango juice.
There are so many options to choose from along Bardstown road and it really comes down to your preferences and what you are in the mood for. Whatever you find yourself in the mood for, Bardstown road has numerous options for boba on every corner.
