Who Invented Bubble Tea?

When it comes to exciting drinks, there’s nothing quite as much fun as bubble tea, something that’s been around for quite a while now and something you’ll definitely have been tempted to try, if you haven’t given it a go already.

It hails all the way from Taiwan, first popping up back in the 80s when street vendor Liu Han-Chieh started adding deliciously chewy tapioca pearls into her yummy cups of cold fruit infused teas. These pearls are actually made from cassava root, cute little translucent balls of starch that provide an interesting texture to your tea.

They sink to the bottom of your drink and you can add all sorts of other toppings to your tea, so you’re sure to have a lot of fun working out just how you like to drink it.

You’ll also hear bubble tea referred to as boba tea and you can even get popping boba - even more fun to be had! All our toppings are vegan and gluten-free, and even our jellies are made from coconut pulp, so no matter what your dietary requirements are, you can enjoy bubble tea without having to worry.

It’s often enjoyed cold but who wants to drink a chilly beverage in the depths of winter? Did you know that you can also enjoy bubble tea hot?

We have a hot winter bubble tea making kit that you can take to make at home, with flavours like caramel, gingerbread, popcorn, pumpkin spice and a whole lot more, including lots of different toppings to choose from, as well. The world is your bubble tea oyster, as they say, so which of these delicious flavours will you try first?

Find out how bubble tea became something of an obsession on the Food & Wine website!