Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, is a tea-based drink with various toppings such as tapioca pearls. Originally from Taiwan, this drink is loved worldwide and you can see various bubble tea shops opening in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
During the pandemic when I was working from home in Toronto, Canada, I used to drink bubble tea every other day. Don't just me, this is my guilty pleasure and I don't drink coffee. It's so easily accessible and Toronto has some amazing bubble tea shops such as Chatime, GongCha, and Xing Fu Tang, known for their famous brown sugar bubble tea. I visited Taiwan in May 2023 and was shocked to see bubble tea's popularity. Every other shop was selling bubble tea and practically everyone was carrying this bubble tea holder and drinking it as if it was water. For me, I treat bubble tea as if it's a meal.
If you're reading this blog post, you're probably craving some bubble tea. I'm going to share with you the best bubble tea spots in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
WHAT IS BUBBLE TEA (BOBA)?
Bubble tea is a tea-based drink that can be served hot or cold. The tea can be mixed with milk or fruit flavors and is commonly served with chewy tapioca balls, also known as boba.
MY GO-TO ORDER
Before you continue reading, I do want to preface something. Usually, people's go-to order for bubble tea is some sort of milk-based tea like milk or jasmine tea. I do not like these so I tend to order fruit-based teas. In addition, my preferred topping is not the chewy tapioca balls but aloe. So, I may not order the traditional or classic drinks that are popular at bubble tea shops.
So, this is my go-to order: passionfruit or grapefruit tea with aloe, less sugar, and less ice.
BEST BUBBLE TEA SHOPS IN BISHKEK
1. Li Li Mo Tea
Li Li Mo Tea has a few locations scattered around Bishkek. The reason why I go here is because they are the only store that serves my go-to order: passionfruit bubble tea with aloe and boba. I ask the staff to put less sugar and they are nice to customize that for me. The drinks on their menu remind me of what they served at popular shops such as ChaTime. They have a variety of milk and fruit-based teas and even smoothies. They serve mochi made by a local shop here.
This is their Instagram page where you can view their menu and prices.
2. Hi Tea
Hi Tea is a popular bubble tea shop that is located in the city center of Bishkek. I used to visit here but it is almost a 30-minute drive away from my home which is too far for me. But, they are opening a new location soon which is much closer.
They serve various milk, matcha and fruit-based teas and the tapioca balls are their only topping option. My favorite drink is this pineapple bubble tea which is served which huge chunks of pineapple and has the perfect amount of sweetness. The interior of the shop is adorable and picture-worthy and the prices are much higher than Li Li Mo Tea. They also serve various Chinese snacks and mochi made by a local shop here.
This is their Instagram page where you can view their menu and prices.
3. M Bubble Tea
M Bubble Tea is a new bubble tea shop located in the Southern district of Bishkek. I haven't had the chance to try it yet but they seem to have a menu with various fruit-based teas and they even sell Yakult-based drinks which is the first time I've seen this. They are located inside the Malinka Supermarket.
Address:
ЖК "Испанский Дом"7-й микрорайон, 50а/1 стр 1 этаж
This is their Instagram page where you can view their menu and prices.
4. Oh! Tea
Oh! Tea is a popular bubble tea shop that serves classic milk teas and fruit teas. They even serve delicious desserts such as crepes, mochi, and Chinese snacks.
Address:
Улица Максима Горького, 231 этаж
Октябрьский район, Бишкек, 720005
This is their Instagram page where you can view their menu and prices.
5. Sweet Tea
Sweet Tea is the final bubble tea shop on my list. They may be slightly difficult to find but it is located at a park that is on Erkindik Boulevard/ Бульвар Эркиндик. This park is right across from popular restaurants such as Chicken Star. They have a variety of flavors available and even offer egg waffles and various Chinese snacks.
Address:
Бульвар Эркиндик, 36/1
This is their Instagram page where you can view their menu and prices.
If you have any recommendations on other bubble tea shops that should be added to this list or ones that I should try, write them in the comments below.
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