It’s hard to deny the almost meteoric rise that boba tea has had in recent years, with the drink quickly becoming as popular as iced coffee, and as more and more people are beginning to set aside their favorite cold, caffeinated drinks in favor of this delicious and popular beverage, it leads many people to wonder exactly where they get their boba from!
Even if you don’t think boba tea is something that you’d enjoy, it’s certainly worth trying out.
This milk tea drink, which is then sweetened with tapioca pearls is extremely refreshing, and the various flavors of tapioca are what help to make boba tea so irresistible.
So, if you’re wondering whether you can order boba from your local Starbucks, as well as how you can make your own boba tea at home, then this guide will give you everything you need to know about this delicious drink, including what it is, where you can buy it, and how to make it for yourself!
Does Starbucks Sell Boba Tea?
Despite the impressive rise in popularity, and the growing demand from customers, Starbucks still hasn’t ventured into the boba tea market at all.
You would think that they would be looking to capitalize on the milk tea beverage’s popularity throughout their stores, however, they are yet to introduce it to their locations!
This doesn’t mean that Starbucks doesn’t have plans to release their own boba tea offerings in the future though, and rumor has it that they’ve even began testing a special and unique variation of boba tea, and instead of using your standard tapioca pearls, they use coffee popping pearls, and are currently being used in two different drinks, which are the Iced Chai Tea Latte, and Starbucks’ classic Cold Brew!
For those who are fans of the traditional boba tea, we think the Iced Chai Tea Latte is going to be the preferred option. However, coffee fans are going to be a huge fan of the Cold Brew option.
Unfortunately, these drinks aren’t publicly available yet, and there is no confirmed or planned date for their release either. However, you can be sure that when these menu items do release, that they’re going to be extremely popular.
Hopefully once Starbucks sees the popularity of these items, they’ll go on to release their own range of boba tea in the future!
What Is Boba Tea?
While many people are joining the boba tea bandwagon, some people are completely puzzled as to what boba tea is.
This should come as no surprise however, as boba tea originates from Asia, which means that a lot of Westerners are just beginning to catch up with what boba tea is all about.
Originating from Taiwan around the 1940s, this drink is traditionally made up from a combination of milk, tea, and of course, the amazing and chewy tapioca balls.
These tapioca balls, which are often called tapioca pearls, or even boba pearls, are made using an ingredient from the plant roots of a cassava, which helps to provide the starchiness.
While boba pearls are usually typically added either to black or green tea, they can also be added to coffees too, which is good if you’re not a fan of iced tea drinks.
The boba tea market worldwide was estimated to be worth around $2 billion dollars back in 2020, and it has only increased since then, and there’s a good reason why this iced drink has become so popular: Because it tastes like nothing you will have tried before!
Its unique taste stems from the combination of the incredible milk tea, and the addition of the chewy and amazing tapioca pearls, which results in a flavorsome treat, which is why so many people enjoy it.
People often find it hard to describe the exact taste of the tapioca pearls found in boba tea, with many people referring to it as being “sweet yet salty”, which is surprisingly accurate, and this unique taste is all thanks to the salty starch of the tapioca and the sweetness from the syrup which is added to boba tea.
How To Imitate Boba Tea At Starbucks
So, whilst we wait on Starbucks to hop on the bandwagon and release their own boba tea range, is it possible to try and imitate the flavor and taste of this Asian drink while ordering from Starbucks?
Thankfully, the answer is yes, and thanks to Starbucks expansive customization, it makes it possible to imitate some of the incredible flavors found in traditional boba tea while still ordering from your favorite coffee chain.
Initial suggestions made by people would be to add coffee jelly to your drink. However, we have to disagree, as it simply doesn’t provide the same taste or feel as tapioca pearls would.
Instead, you can go down the route of creating your very own fruity milk tea beverage, and this recipe will help you to create your very own raspberry milk tea that tastes similar to how a raspberry boba tea would from a traditional Asian tea house!
To make this drink, you need to ask for:
A grande iced black tea with no sugar
Made using half water and half milk (dairy-free if necessary)
1 and ½ pumps of toffee nut syrup
1 and /12 pumps of raspberry syrup
1 pump of classic syrup
Another great way of imitating boba tea when ordering from Starbucks is to go with Teavana tea, and with a wide variety of different flavors available, and since you can even purchase them in local grocery stores, it means that you can use them in a range of different DIY recipes too.
However, if none of these options are close enough to boba tea for you, then there is still one option you have left: Order one of the iced teas from the ones available to you from Starbucks, and then go home to add some of the delicious tapioca pearls!
How To Create Your Own Boba Tea At Home
Since Starbucks aren’t selling their own versions of boba tea at this moment in time, then it’s time for you to take matters into your own hands, and learn how you can create your very own delicious boba tea at home.
Before you begin, you’ll need to ensure that you have all of the necessary ingredients for it to work.
However, this doesn’t mean that you should necessarily stick to the basics, as nothing is more fun than experimenting with ingredients and flavors, and who knows, you might just come up with your very own secret recipe!
So, with your ingredients and creativity ready, here’s our tips for you to make your very own Starbucks based boba tea at home!
Step 1: Purchasing Your Starbucks Drink
When it comes to making a delicious Starbucks boba tea, the first thing you’ll need to do is select your tea from the menu.
Starbucks’ menu has a huge selection of different iced tea flavors available, so it’s up to you to pick the one that you enjoy the most, which is necessary if you’re going to enjoy your drink.
If you want a more traditional taste with your cup of Starbucks boba tea, you can opt to use a black or green tea bag instead, which will allow you to create your very own black or green pearl milk tea.
If you’d prefer, you can even order an iced shaken black tea, which will create a delicious and refreshing cold beverage.
Of course, if you’re not a fan of iced tea, you can always opt to use iced coffee instead!
Step 2: Customizing The Drink
It’s fair to say that we all have our own tastes and preferences when it comes to flavor, which is exactly what makes creating your own boba tea at home so good, as you can adjust the drink right to your liking, and avoid any disappointment.
What you do with your drink from here is entirely up to you, so whether you want to play it safe, or go completely crazy is your choice.
You can add sweetened condensed milk if you want a super sweet drink, or you can even add cane sugar in too.
Ultimately, it’s down to your preferences, so go mad!
Step 3: Add The Tapioca Pearls
Your final step is simply to add in your tapioca pearls of choice. If you’ve never bought them before, then you’re probably wondering where exactly you’ll be able to buy them.
Thankfully, tapioca pearls are easy to buy, and whilst they’re traditionally made from scratch by those in the Asian community, you can usually buy them in your local grocery store.
If you can’t manage to find any tapioca pearls in a store near you, then you can always order them to your house from an online store, and you’ll be able to order a large quantity too, meaning that you’ll always be able to make your favorite boba tea at home.
Enjoy
With all of your ingredients, it’s time for you to combine them and mix them together well. Remember, boba tea is best served cold, so pour your drink over ice, and use a thick straw to ensure that you can suck up the tapioca pearls too!
Boba Tea Frequently Asked Questions
Where Can I Find Boba Near Me?
Since Starbucks don’t sell their own boba tea, then you’ll need to find somewhere else to buy a delicious boba drink from. To do this, simply do a Google search to see if there are any boba spots local to you.
If there’s nothing around you, then you’ll simply need to learn how to make your own boba tea at home!
Does Boba Tea Contain A High Amount Of Calories?
Since boba tea often involves using a lot of flavored syrups and sweeteners, it means that it’s often high in calories too, so if you’re on a diet, it might be best to avoid boba tea altogether.
Typically, 500ml of boba tea with added tapioca pearls will contain around 320 calories, although many boba places will offer larger servings than this, which will only have more calories as the size increases.
Does Boba Tea Have Caffeine?
Whether or not boba tea contains caffeine depends entirely upon its ingredients. If there is green or black tea involved, then yes, there will be caffeine present.
Making your own boba at home will allow you to pick and choose the ingredients used, which means that you can even create your own decaffeinated boba if you wanted too!
Conclusion
While it’s a shame that Starbucks still hasn’t found its way into the lucrative boba market at this moment in time, there are thankfully a number of alternatives available that will allow you to get your boba fix in the meantime.
So, whether you decide to take matters into your own hands and begin to learn how to make your own delicious boba tea from home, or you manage to find a boba tea location close to you, is entirely up to you.
Then all you need to do is savor the amazing taste of your boba tea!
