Watering Holes

fun local places to enjoy a drink

The Mystery of Bubble Tea

Life is a journey with constant changes and challenges, and I would not want it any other way. When I arrived in Singapore, I met my beverage challenge: Bubble Tea. I loved how it was presented in the shops--the flavors, the colors, the textures of the drink--even if I thought that each of these aspects would do better on its own than combined with the others. That was my first impression, but fast forward a bit and I decided to uncover the mystery of this drink that I saw all over Singapore. Bubble Tea is also known as Pearl Milk Tea or Boba Tea in this part of the world. It is said to have originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and landed in Singapore in 1992. This photogenic beverage went on a roller coaster journey in Singapore, with a saturated market by the new millennium, followed by a bubble burst and, more recently, a fantastic comeback that put Bubble Tea back in business. And it is big business. Thanks to social media, since 2010 it has new life as a fancier version of the original. Welcome back, Bubble Tea! So what exactly is Bubble Tea? It’s essentially a tea with ice that is shaken to form a foam on top, which forms the “bubbles,” to which tapioca balls (“pearls”)

Bubble Tea with lemon are added. You can choose the amount of ice and sugar. There are many varieties with a wide range of flavors. Two of the most popular varieties are Black and Green Pearl Milk Tea. I still wonder why this is such a popular treat here. I may not know the answer, but I have a few guesses. First, there is a strong tea culture on the Little Red Dot and around the region. Just go to a local hawker center, and you can find many ways to drink your tea: teh, teh-o-kosong, teh-C, etc. (no worries, you

Written by Silvia Fernandez

Creamy bubble tea with extra tapioca balls will learn it eventually). Second, have you ever had a local dessert? Some examples include chendol, cheng tng, grass jelly and green bean soup. What do they all have in common? A liquid base and something to munch or chew while satisfying your craving for something sweet. Third, Bubble Tea can also be an alternative drink that falls somewhere between an affordable local tea and a pricier teashop tea for a quick, sweet midday fix. Which shop has the best Bubble Tea in town? This is the same as asking who makes the best chicken rice or chilli crab in Singapore! The answer can divide families and break relationships. At the end of the day, I say try the one that has a queue and don’t limit yourself to the ones around Orchard Road. Expand your horizon to the Bubble Tea shops around your neighborhood. Find your favorite--the one that will make you walk those few extra steps to buy it. Believe me, you will need those extra steps to burn off some calories. Oh! Did I not mention the calories?

Silvia is an eternal expat and global traveller. She's enjoyed exploring Singapore's hidden gems since 2017. Her husband, Mark Dixon, is her enthustiastic collaborator.