Over the years I have developed a slightly problematic bubble tea addiction, and although my bank account is suffering, my mental health has never been better. Since I do consider myself to be an elite bubble tea connoisseur, I thought that I would bless the world with my ratings of seven bubble tea shops in Waterloo from my least favourite to favourite!
Lait night
First off, we have Lait night. If I’m being completely honest, Lait Night’s bubble tea tastes a lot like something that I could make at home. Nevertheless, it is so convenient. They open at 9 a.m. and close at 2 a.m., so if you’re desperate for boba ridiculously late at night or if you need it to motivate you to get out of bed, just pull up to Lait Night and they’ll always be open. Rating: 4.5/10
Coco
Coco is one of the cheapest places to go to, so if you’re a broke college student like me and have zero self-control over how much you spend, this is the perfect place for you. The bubble tea itself I’d say is decent and definitely worth the price. Rating: 6/10
Sweet Dreams
Sweet Dreams lives up to the title; it is very sweet. Some people may love the sweetness, but I order bubble tea twice a day on average, so this could be a potential health hazard for me. As much as I advocate for “living your best life” and “following your dreams,” in this scenario I choose to follow my pancreas because I am not trying to get diabetes. However, I do stop by there every now and then since it is indeed high-quality bubble tea. Rating: 6/10
Chatime
I would say that Chatime satisfies the bubble tea cravings. That being said it’s nothing spectacular. In fact, I would say that it’s spectacularly average. In past experiences, it has not transported me into another dimension and it hasn’t filled my tastebuds with extreme euphoria. However, it’s quick and efficient, close to campus, has a huge selection of flavours and has a pretty decent taste. Rating: 6.5/10
Noon Moment
Noon Moment is a simple little tea shop and has good vibes all around. There are so many flavours to choose from, with nearly every fruit tea flavour you could think of. As well, I would say that Noon Moment has the perfect ratio of “bubble” to tea. Overall, it’s an excellent place to go. Rating: 7/10
The Alley
The Alley is absolutely phenomenal. They have so many cool, creative options and every single one of their drinks is a beautiful, unique experience. The only downside is that a lot of their drinks are super fancy and confusing so if your brain is tiny like mine, ordering from there is going to be a struggle for the first few times. Rating: 8/10
Gong Cha
Although all of these bubble tea shops are incredibly amazing, Gong Cha is on a whole other level. It goes above and beyond and completely defies all of your expectations. The tea is of superb quality, the flavours are magical and the pearls are a perfect consistency. With Gong Cha, you’re not just drinking bubble tea; you become one with the bubble tea. Rating: 11/10
I’m a regular at about half of these bubble tea shops, so I’m praying they don’t feel betrayed if I gave them a lower rating. Waterloo has a ludicrous amount of bubble tea shops and there are several places that I haven’t mentioned, but I hope this article was useful and that you follow your heart to find the right bubble tea shop for you.