New bubble tea shops in Singapore
Image adapted from: @mysweetlittletooth, @always_mute & Lock Yin Tam
Bubble tea chains like Koi, Gong Cha, and most recently LiHo have done a bang-up job garnering cult-like loyalists to their names. But lately, many new bubble tea kiosks have been springing up, giving those long-standing fan favourites a run for their money. Chances are, you’ll probably find at least one or a couple of these smaller brands in any mall you visit – and only true bubble tea fans can say they’ve tried them all.
Here’s a list of 17 new bubble tea shops in Singapore that have opened in 2017 and 2018 to add variety to our daily BBT fixes.
– Opened in 2018 –
1. Bobii Frutii – pretty pastel pearls and hand-whisked green tea
Image credit: @sasa_finger_licking
Brought over from Taiwan by local Tanglin star Nat Ho, Bobii Frutii puts a playful spin on bubble tea with colourful layers and quirky drink names.
Mermaid’s Tears is Nat Ho’s personal favourite drink.
Image credit: Eatbook
The Mermaid’s Tears ($5.90), is a beautiful pastel ombre drink. The drink makes use of blue butterfly pea pearls, honey, lemon, milk and, mango – giving it a light zesty profile much like a lemon mango sherbet.
Image credit: Bobii Frutii
For the matcha lovers out there, the Uji Snow ($6.50) topped with the signature white Bobii pearls is die die must try. Green tea imported from Japan is used and hand whisked using a traditional bamboo chasen. Many have compared it to Starbucks’ Green Tea Latte, saying that Uji Snow is more aromatic.
Check out Eatbook’s full review here.
Bobii Frutii
Address: #04-K4 The Clementi Mall, 3155 Commonwealth Avenue West, Singapore 129588
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
2. Answer Tea – the “ask.fm” of bubble tea shops
The answer is ALWAYS bubble tea. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Images adapted from: Answer Tea
If you’re searching for the meaning of life, look no further than Answer Tea. Just write your question on the cup holder, order a drink from their Macchiato Series (from $4.30) and you’ll get your answer printed on the surface of your macchiato froth with edible ink. Existential crisis solved.
Image credit: @thekittytan
Try their Lemon Butterfly Milk Tea with Black Pearl (from $4.20), which has gorgeous blue gradient from butterfly pea flowers.
An example of how words printed on froth look like
Image credit: Answer Tea
Answer Tea
Address: #B2-06 Dhoby Ghaut MRT, 60 Orchard Road, Singapore 238889
Opening hours: 11AM – 10PM daily
Website
3. Bober Tea – artisan insta-worthy bubble teas
Image credit: @ck.chai
Bober Tea is one of the newest bubble tea joints in Singapore, having opened in Bishan recently in June.
Try the Matcha Strawberry Latte ($4.90) with a beautiful green and pink hue. The drink itself tastes as good as it looks, with aromatic Uji Matcha at the top and sweet strawberry milk at the bottom.
Arguably the cutest part of Bober Tea: the akeaway carrier that will have onlookers enviously eyeing your drinks.
Image credit: Bober Tea
But if you’re gonna be trying just one item, go for their individually hand-whisked Hokkaido Milk Cap Green Tea ($4.10), topped with a sweet creamy foam made from fresh Hokkaido Milk.
Bober Tea
Address: #01-01 Bishan MRT, 200 Bishan Road #01-01, Singapore 579827
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
4. Jiak Zua – fruit cheese teas in the CBD
Image credits: Jiak Zua
Jiak Zua is a cosy homegrown bubble tea cafe in the CBD with hanging plants, wooden bar stools, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The fruit teas here are a big hit, specifically the Dragon Fruit Cheese ($6.90). Bright pink and topped with their homemade cheese foam, it’s smooth and refreshing with a subtle fruitiness.
Image credit: Jiak Zua
Other popular options among office workers include their Four Seasons Green Tea ($5.40) and Mixed Fruit Tea ($6.90) – filled with medley of mango, lime, watermelon, passionfruit, strawberry and grapes.
Jiak Zua
Address: #02-02 Oxley tower, 138 Robinson Road, Singapore 068906
(Office deliveries are available for the surrounding area)
Opening hours: Mon – Fri: 8.30AM – 5.30PM | Closed on Sat & Sun
Website
5. Ten Ren Tea – traditional tea with a twist
Image credit: Eatbook
Ten Ren Tea, puts a spin on traditional teas with our love for bubble tea, sourcing quality tea leaves from the mountains of Taiwan. A must-try here is the 913 King’s Oolong Milk Tea ($2.90), which has a perfect balance of earthiness and creaminess with its combination of oolong tea, ginseng and milk.
Another popular pick is the Matcha Latte ($4.60) which surprisingly has a light hazelnut aftertaste. Apart from that, Ten Ren Tea offers a wide variety of tea infused Taiwanese snacks like Green Tea Mochi ($6.70/ bag).
Check Eatbook’s full review here.
Ten Ren Tea
Address: 133 New Bridge Road, #01-07, Chinatown Point, Singapore 059413
Opening hours: Daily 10AM – 10PM
Website
6. Hollin – handmade pearls in flavours like Matcha and Coconut
Image credit: @blancheeze
Gone are the days of basic black pearls. Located at Toa Payoh Central, Hollin boasts daily rotating pearl flavours with the likes of Cocoa, Coconut and Peanut. Try the signature Matcha Latte ($4.20), which has a subtle bitterness from the Japanese green tea powder. For more matcha goodness, go ham and pair it with Matcha Pearls (additional $0.70) which are available every Monday.
Check Eatbook’s full review here.
Hollin
Address: #01-538 Blk 190 Toa Payoh Central, Singapore 310190
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
7. TP Tea – open 24 hours
Thank the bubble tea gods for TP Tea, because they’re open 24/7 for us to satisfy our 3AM cravings. The bestseller Tie Guan Yin Tea Latte ($4.60) uses premium tea leaves from Taiwan. They also offer Red Azuki Beans as toppings, which is a refreshing change from the standard selection of pearls and jellies.
Pearl Milk Tea Soft Serve (right)
Image credit: @gnilray
The star on the menu: Pearl Milk Tea Soft Serve Ice-cream ($3.60) is the beautiful love child between bubble tea and ice-cream. It isn’t overly sweet and has a subtle hint of – you guessed it – tea. The thick creamy texture of the soft serve goes well with their sweet chewy QQ pearls – made fresh every 3 hours.
Check Eatbook’s full review here.
TP Tea
Address: Level 2 (Departure Hall) Changi Airport Terminal, 260 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819643
Opening hours: 24 hours daily
Website
8. True Boss – first fruit vinegar BBT in Singapore
Hailing from Taiwan, True Boss is the first vinegar tea shop in Singapore. The fruit vinegars used are made through a fermentation process that produces a high concentration of enzymes that are good for digestion.
Image credit: @always_mute
The Peach Vinegar Tea ($3.40) has a bright tart flavour to it, making it a great choice in the sweltering heat. They also offer yogurt variations ($4.90) on their vinegar fruit teas, which tastes a lot like a souped-up version of Yakult.
True Boss
Address: #B2-134 Northpoint, 1 Yishun Ave 2, 134, Singapore 768019
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
9. Kung Fu Tea – creamy milk tea with brown sugar
Image credit: Kung Fu Tea Singapore
If you prefer something on the milky side, try Kung Fu Tea’s selection of drinks. The signature drink 38 Milk King ($4.30) is sweet, creamy and generously topped off with pearls, grass jelly and agar.
Image credit: Kung Fu Tea
The most recent addition Brown Sugar 357 ($3.30) has been a big hit. The aromatic brown sugar syrup sweetens the fresh milk, and the warm brown sugar pearls give a burst of flavour with every bite. There’s even a guide on how many times you should stir your drink to achieve your desired flavour profile.
They also offer Agar Bubbles (aka. white pearls) which have a nice springiness, sans the calories of normal tapioca pearls.
Kung Fu Tea
Address: #01-25 Hillion Mall, 17 Petir Road, Singapore 678278
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
– Opened in 2017 –
10. Playmade – Pink Cactus, Black Sesame, and Burnt Caramel pearls
Image credit: @eatwhatah
Playmade has flavoured pearls made in-store daily. Other than the 3 permanent flavours – Black Sesame, Pink Cactus, and Burnt Caramel (from $0.80) – there are also seasonal flavours rotated weekly for some added variety.
Past seasonal pearls include Red Bandung for National Day and Muah Chee.
Pair them with drinks like the spritely Orange Pulp Green Tea ($4.60) and Honey Tieguanyin Milk Tea ($3.60).
Check out Eatbook’s full review here.
Playmade
Address: #01-59 Tampines 1, 10 Tampines Central 1, Singapore 529536
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
11. Hi Tea – outdoor seating with garden swing
Their Far East Plaza outlet has outdoor seating with a garden swing
Image credit: @jessicaaimi_
What sets Hi Tea apart is their painstaking brewing process, where tea leaves are steeped in cold water overnight – giving their drinks a smooth and strong taste without the bitterness.
The Mix Fruit King ($5.80) is a crowd favorite with a combination of 6 freshly cut fruits like strawberry and oranges, paired with oolong tea. Their cheese teas are slightly saltier, making them less jelak than the usual suspects. Recently added to the menu is the D24 Durian Jasmine Tea ($6.80), an ode to you durian lovers out there.
They also offer tea infused waffle desserts on the menu.
Image credit: Hi Tea Singapore
Check out Eatbook’s full review here.
Hi Tea
Far East Plaza
Address: #01-14B Far East Plaza 14 Scotts Road Singapore 228213
Opening hours: Mon – Sat: 11AM – 10PM, Sun: 9AM – 10PM
Northpoint City
Address: #01-127 Northpoint City, 1 Northpoint Drive, Singapore 768019
Opening hours: 12PM -10PM daily
Website
12. Teafolia – with fresh fruit chunks
Image credit: @dypenhuin
Teafolia prides themselves on drinks with no preservatives and artificial flavours. Their fruity concoctions are nothing short of gorgeous, with fresh fruit chunks floating around in them.
The Signature Fruit Tea ($5.90) is like a tropical fruit bowl jam packed into a cup. With a pineapple base, the drink includes chunks of watermelon, kiwi, and an assortment of citruses that give it tropical beach vibes.
Other picks from the diverse menu include dessert flavours like the House Favourite Stirring Milk ($4.50) with yellow pudding and Taro Therapy Stirring Milk ($5.50).
Teafolia
Find their full list of outlets here
Website
13. U Cha SG – customisable to your liking
Image credits: @vernprop
Walk up to U Cha’s storefront and you’ll be greeted by their gigantic bear mascot. Their unique ordering system lets you customise your drinks from start to end – and no, we don’t mean just picking a topping and your sugar level.
Image credit: @xiao.yun84
You get to pick from a variety of base teas which include: Cheese, Fruit, Milk tea and for the purists out there…Pure tea. Then, pick from their selection of 6 black tea leaves ranging from Earl Grey to Rose Oolong. Lastly, add your choice of toppings like fruit chunks, agar jelly, and pearls.
As for their standard drinks, try the creamy and sweet Mango Cheese Tea (from $4.20).
U Cha SG
Address: #01-37 313 Somerset, 313 Orchard Road, 238895
Opening hours: Sun – Thu: 11AM – 10.30PM, Fri, Sat: 11AM – 11PM
Website
14. R&B Tea – brown sugar pearls
Image credit: @jacqsowhat
Brought over from Taiwan by food court giant Koufu: R&B Tea provides the perfect fix for those with a sweet tooth. The Brown Sugar Boba Milk ($4.80) is a must try, with its full bodied, slow-cooked pearls soaked in brown sugar for a full 3 hours.
And if that isn’t enough of a sugar high, try the Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cheese Brulee ($5.80), only available at their Marina Bay Sands branch.
R&B Tea
Find their full list of outlets here
Opening hours: 9AM – 9PM daily
Website
15. HeeTea – healthier option without preservatives and artificial flavouring
Image credit: @nusfatclub
HeeTea offers healthy fruit tea options that do away with artificial syrups and preservatives. Try the Super Four Seasons Fruit Tea ($4.80) for a strong burst of fruitiness, or the Cheese Oolong Tea ($5.50) if you prefer something on the mellow side.
HeeTea
Address: Singpost Center, 10 Eunos Rd 8, Singapore 408600
Opening hours: 11AM – 10PM daily
Website
16. Oh Cha Cha – topped with tofu cream froth
Oh Cha Cha takes pride in directly sourcing the best tea leaves from Japan and Taiwan to grace our taste buds.
Image credit: Monica Koh
Each cup of their Matcha Latte Tofu ($5.70) is individually brewed on the spot with Uji Matcha and Qinxin Oolong tea to create a rich floral flavour. This is topped off with a tofu cream froth, which adds a hint of soy flavour.
They also have a customisable drink menu, with popular bases such as Red Jade Milk Tea ($3.20) and Sakura Oolong ($2.60).
Oh Cha Cha
Address: #01-01 Northpoint City, 930 Yishun Avenue 2, Singapore 769098
Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM daily
Website
17. Partea – putting a spin on traditional Chinese tea
Partea offers a wide variety of teas ranging from milk, cheese and fruit infusions. They also have a hefty selection of traditional chinese tea brews, boasting the likes of Jinfeng Tea + Cheese ($4.90) and Gaoshan Oolong Tea + Pineapple ($6.40).
Try the fan favourite: Black Sugar Milk Tea with Black Pearls ($4.90)
Image adapted from: Lock Yin Tam
Partea
Find their full list of outlets here
Website
Bubble tea in Singapore
If you’re looking to spice up your usual bubble tea runs, check out the myriad of new bubble tea shops that have graced us over the past 2 years. From healthy fruit infusions to decadent pudding combinations, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Check out our other tea-related articles here: