Here's The Tea...
Bubble tea places are popping up everywhere! If you're like most people in generations y and z, you probably drink bubble tea every now and then (that is if you're not drinking it daily, like me). If you've never experienced the magic of boba before, keep reading! If you're in between towns, feeling adventurous, or just trying to broaden your bubble tea horizons don't be afraid to stop and try this delicious tea. Here is a compiled list, in no particular order, of the top five bubble tea places in Michigan for boba fanatics and first-timers.
Tou & Mai
Located in the dead center of Detroit, this boba place is a hot spot for curious tourists and lovers of bubble tea like you and I. Their menu is creative, yet full of traditional East Asian favorites. Their menu includes fruity teas, milk teas, smoothies, cafe lattes, and more. It's also worth mentioning that Tou & Mai features flavor varieties that aren't typically found in your everyday Americanized tea joint. With flavors like Summer Litchi, Taro Root, Red Adzuki Bean, Cucumber Fresh, Durian, and Jackfruit, you're more than likely to be pleasantly surprised by new flavor combinations you've never experienced in a tea. This sweet place is not only a Boba tea place, but also an Asian mini mart comprised of produce, as well as traditional handmade southeastern jewelry, fabrics, and art.
Teamension
If you're ever looking for cute ideas for a girl's night out, date night with boo, or to just treat yourself, nothing beats exploring Great Lakes Crossing Outlet Mall. Not only will you get the chance to window shop for clothes at discounted prices, but you'll also get the chance to see a movie at the cinema, play in the arcade, visit the aquarium, eat at Rainforest Cafe, and get bubble tea. Teamension is an adorable chemistry lab themed boba place with delicious teas, smoothies, yogurt drinks, as well as bakery items. So if you're ever around Auburn Hills and looking for something to do, head to Teamension and make a day trip out of your boba stop- treat yourself!
Ding Tea
Luckily for us, Ding Tea has more than one location in MI. Whether you're in East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Madison Heights, or Novi, Ding Tea is the perfect place to head if you're craving some traditional and trendy Taiwanese tea. In 2004, Mr. Xu Wei-xiang had a mission to offer customers the best beverage quality. He was able to achieve this promotion of a new philosophy for tea drinking by offering delicious drinks with price advantages. The menu is comprised of multiple categories like Fresh Tea, Flavored Tea, Milk Tea, Fruit Juice, Yakult/Yogurt, Coffee, and more! Typically, I would find myself overwhelmed by the large menu. However, the creativity of the flavors in these drinks are just too astounding to resist; kumquat (my personal favorite), lychee, mango, winter melon, kiwi, brown sugar milk tea, hokkaido black milk tea, aloe vera honey, and ginger milk tea are just a select few of the many unique flavor combinations offered here at Ding Tea. Additionally, Ding Tea has more common flavors if you're looking to experience familiar tastes with a different atmosphere: Jasmine, oolong, honey green tea, and matcha to name a few.
Detroit Bubble Tea
This award winning bubble tea cafe is the cutest, sweetest hangout around. In Royal Oak, there is no limit to the artsy places to explore and, in the center of it all, there's Detroit Bubble Tea. If you're ever out enjoying the aesthetic areas of downtown Ferndale, or Royal Oak, stop by for a refreshingly magical boba concoction. Their menu consists of predominantly trendy Americanized flavors and varieties. If you're looking for authentically traditional Taiwanese bubble teas, this isn't necessarily the best option for you. However, it is worth mentioning that they offer dairy free milk options. The Ferndale and Royal Oak areas both are, as they say, woke to the vegan/dairy free lifestyle- and Detroit Bubble tea is no exception. Some additional things that make them unique is their sugar free flavors, their hundreds of different flavor combinations, their large variety of popping pearl flavors, their whipped cream option, and their ever changing seasonal menu.
Momo Tea
If you're ever near the state capitol, I suggest swinging by East Lansing's Momo Tea for an authentic boba experience. The modern atmosphere ties in perfectly with the traditional flavors for an aesthetically pleasing experience. Momo Tea will make you feel like you've been teleported to East Asia with their authentic and high quality beverages. Unlike many other boba places out there, Momo gives you the chance to decide how sweet you want your tea to be. If you're like me, you like tasting the tea, not straight sugar. Take advantage of this option, and get a real taste of that herbal jasmine boba tea. Their menu consists of flavors and varieties of teas that I've never heard of, and one is now my new favorite, "Boba Gaga" tea. Be adventurous and try new things, because you will be pleasantly surprised.
In Summary
There are tons of different boba places in MI, and everyone is destined to have their own preferences. Hopefully, this list of the top five bubble tea places in Michigan will be useful to you when you're looking for the perfect boba hangout. Check out their reviews, and visit their websites ahead of time to see if they've got something you'd enjoy. If you've never experienced boba before, this article is everything you need to decide where to begin your bubbly journey. And if you're feeling really adventurous here's how you can make your own boba tea at home. Pinkies up, and cheers to trying new things!