Davis is home to many boba tea spots, but if you’re looking to steer clear of the downtown traffic, there are a couple of secret boba tea spots that are worth tracking down. Here are two of my top recommendations!
1. Four Seasons Tea
Address: 620 W Covell Blvd STE A, Davis, CA 95616
Once called Akira, Four Seasons Tea has secretly morphed into one of the city’s prime boba spots. Everything about this place seems to work—the drinks taste balanced, the high-quality tea is impressive, and the prices are reasonable enough that I rarely flinch while ordering. My standard here is the roasted oolong milk tea, which comes unsweetened (by my request), so that I can taste its pasty, milky flavor.
The seasonal drinks at Four Seasons Tea are truly something special. Among them is Coconut Breeze: made of fresh coconut water, the drink is topped with a creamy spin on the usual salted foam that uses spirulina—an algae that is lauded for its health benefits—and shreds of roasted coconut. Just as with many of the drinks at Four Seasons, it is an experience to enjoy with the senses, from hearing the boba pop as you drink and savor the contrasting textures of the foam and the boba to how the drink itself is an extension of its main ingredient, coconut water.
2. Mandro Teahouse
Address: 1260 Lake Blvd, Davis, CA 95616
More famous for its bingsoo than its boba, Mandro draws strong and steady lines of customers. Their mango bingsoo is the kind of wonderful that can make you fall in love with fresh fruit. The only probable drawback is that the interior is often uncomfortably crowded, which can only prove that Mandro Teahouse is a Davis favorite! During the notoriously hot Davis summers, their outdoor patio is a great change of scenery. The interior of this boba spot has a minimalist aesthetic that is perfect if you are in need of a refreshing ambiance. The simple design creates a relaxing environment, ideal as you sip your boba.
Should you be in the mood for tea of the highest order, you cannot do better than Four Seasons Tea. And should you desire a delectable dessert, you would do well to seek out Mandro’s bingsoo, if everyone else hasn’t already beat you to it!