As the warm weather makes its way back to western Massachusetts this time of year, so do my weekly walks to downtown Amherst. When you move off campus, it is a rite of passage to go on a hot girl walk and grab a bite to eat with your roommates. While I usually go for an iced vanilla latte as my drink of choice, I am newly obsessed with bubble tea as well. For those of you who are not familiar, bubble tea is a flavored milk tea accompanied by chewy tapioca pearls, commonly known as “boba.” Amherst’s downtown area is filled with every type of restaurant you could wish for, and it is also home to not just one or two, but three bubble tea shops within a 500-foot radius. In this article, I will be ranking the three bubble tea spots in this area: LimeRed Teahouse, Möge Tee, and ViVi Bubble Tea.
- Möge Tee
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Möge Tee takes the number one spot based on the taste and quality of their product. This is the very first bubble tea shop I tried in Amherst, so I have to thank them for introducing me to my new favorite drink. Möge Tee is a very modern little café with an all-white interior and self-service kiosks. To choose a drink, you use a large iPad-like screen to browse the menu and place your order. My favorite part of this process was how easily I could customize my drink. First, I selected my size and flavor of bubble tea, then I was able to choose how sweet I wanted it, along with how much ice. Because I like my drinks a little less sweet, I went with 30% sweetness, and my bubble tea came out exactly how I wanted it.
Another thing I have to mention is the packaging of Möge Tee’s products. The cups are such high quality that they almost feel like they are reusable. The bubble tea lids also have little bear ears sticking out, the company’s signature design across its 60+ locations in the U.S. While Möge Tee is on the more expensive side, I think their drinks are definitely worth the hype.Original photo by Greer Long - LimeRed Teahouse
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LimeRed Teahouse is the most recent bubble tea spot I tried, and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is filled with murals and also features a wall of leaves with a neon sign of their logo. It is safe to say LimeRed Teahouse has the most character out of all the places I have tried, and it also has the best vibes. After ordering my drink here, I sat down with my computer and began writing this article (free Wi-Fi, yay)! As for the actual product, I ordered my typical milk tea with boba. It tasted delicious and had copious amounts of boba at the bottom, but I could have gone with slightly less sugar. I will definitely be returning here, as it is the closest to my house and a great study spot. LimeRed Teahouse was also the least expensive out of the three, but the serving size was a bit smaller than the others.
Original photo by Greer Long - ViVi Bubble Tea
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Tucked away below ground level next to The Works, ViVi Bubble Tea is a more secluded spot to get your boba fix. I ordered the non-dairy Thai milk tea with boba. While the price was reasonable for a non-dairy option, it did cost more to add boba. So, if you are looking for an all-inclusive drink, the other two spots might be a better option. I really enjoyed the flavor of my drink, and I got to choose the sweetness level of the tea. As for the tapioca pearls that I paid extra to add, they were warm and slightly mushy. There was also not enough of them at the bottom of my drink, at least compared to the other bubble teas I have tried. I may have gone to ViVi on an off day, but since I had great experiences at the other two shops, it takes the last place on my list.
Original photo by Greer Long
Bubble tea is a delicious drink to sip on with chewy tapioca pearls to bite into while you’re enjoying it. If you have not yet tried it, I highly recommend taking a trip to downtown Amherst and visiting one of these three small businesses that sell bubble tea and other refreshments. While I have already formed and shared my opinion on each of these shops, I still suggest trying all of them and making your own judgments — you never know what you might like!
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