Skip to main content

My Top Spots for a Proper Bubble Tea in Birmingham

The bubble tea scene in Birmingham is a battlefield. New spots pop up faster than I can decide what toppings to get, and then, just as quickly, they're gone. It's a true survival of the fittest, and honestly, if your boba is basically just a cup of sugary water with some squishy things at the bottom, you're not long for this world. So, for your drinking pleasure, I've compiled my hit list of the best places to get your fix. 

Hey Tea

HeyTea Grape Crisp Boom
Signature grape tea
First up, a bit of an outlier. Hey Tea is not a typical bubble tea joint. It's a fruit tea sanctuary. Forget your usual milky concoctions; this is all about that fresh, fruity goodness. Their grape and grapefruit teas are an absolute revelation. Full of real fruit chunks and so ridiculously refreshing, they're basically a health drink... if you ignore the sugar. Their matcha is also surprisingly good, a proper earthy flavour that puts the usual UK chain stuff to shame.
HeyTea Matcha
Top-notch Matcha

Oricha

My favourite fresh taro milk - Google Image
Directly opposite Hey Tea, you’ll find Oricha, the faithful guardian of traditional Taiwanese bubble tea. This is where you go when you want a classic done right. Their Fresh Taro Milk is a game-changer – creamy, a little bit starchy, and so comforting it's like a hug in a cup. For the purists, the Lishan or Osmanthus milk teas are divine. The tea flavour is strong but not overpowering, a perfect marriage of leaf and milk. It's what bubble tea was always meant to be.

Molly Tea

Very eye catching pink cup - Google Image
If you're a tea fanatic like me, you'll appreciate Molly Tea. This is another Chinese import, but their focus is purely on the quality of their tea leaves. Their milk teas are brewed to have a serious, robust flavour. I'm talking a proper, grown-up tea taste that stands up to the milk and toppings. If you're someone who thinks most milk teas are a bit bland, Molly Tea is your new best friend. Just a warning, if you prefer a subtle flavour, this might be a bit of a shock to the system.

ALS Gong Cha

Located in Chinese Quarter next to indoor market- Google Image
The name is a bit cheeky, I'll admit. It's easily confused with the big-name Gong Cha, which, let's be honest, didn't last long here. But don't let the name fool you. ALS Gong Cha is a worthy contender, and dare I say, even better than the original that closed down. This is classic Taiwanese boba at its finest. My personal go-to here is the Roasted Milk Tea. It has a gorgeous smoky, caramelised flavour that is truly unique and addictive.

Honourable Mention: T4

T4 is the OG of Brum's bubble tea scene (after their temporary closure, it is re-opened now). Is it the best? Surely not. The bubble tea itself is decent, but nothing to write home about with all the new competition. What keeps me coming back is their hot food. Their crispy chicken is a thing of beauty, a salty, savoury slice of Taiwanese street food heaven. And the bubble waffle is a good treat to pair with a not-so-perfect but still-drinkable bubble tea.

Final Verdict 

For classic Taiwanese perfection, it's Oricha or ALS Gong Cha. For a fruit-filled escape, Hey Tea is your jam. And for a seriously strong brew, Molly Tea is the one.


Restaurant Info:

Hey Tea 
Address: 23 Corporation St, Birmingham B2 4LP

Oricha 
Address: 10 Corporation St, Birmingham B2 4RN

Molly Tea 
Address: 79-84 High St, Birmingham B4 7TE 


ALS Gong Cha 
Address: Shop 3, Indoor Market, Pershore St, Birmingham B5 4RW 

T4 Birmingham
Address: 116 New St, Birmingham B2 4NS
Labels:
Location: Birmingham, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

🍜 Noodle Nova London- Beyond Chinatown's Gravitational Pull

When you're craving proper Chinese food in London, your brain immediately screams 'Chinatown!' and you're mentally bracing for the jam-packed street. But London's culinary map is expanding faster than my waistline after a day out. I was loitering around the Temple station area, pretending to be a fancy lawyer (didn't work, my shoes were too muddy), when my stomach issued an urgent demand for noodles. A quick search later, and I found myself staring at Noodle Nova, a new kid on the block that's doing Lanzhou beef noodles. The Vibe and the Broth Giant vase in the centre First impression: Nice dΓ©cor. And true to its Chinese name, Qing Hua Yu (ι’θŠ±ιˆΊ), which means something like 'Porcelain Jade,' there was a rather large, fancy vase in the shop. Clearly, they've gone for aesthetic as well as noodle. Spicy broth taste good too but I prefer non-spicy one Now, onto the main event. As a specialist beef noodle joint, they offer a whole spectrum of noodle thi...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Joy -Taipei's Highest (and Priciest) All-You-Can-Eat Truly Worth the Sky-High Bill?

When someone mentions "buffet," your mind probably conjures up images of lukewarm, vaguely-Chinese food trays and a general sense of regret. But hold onto your chopsticks, because East Asia’s buffet game is a completely different. We’re talking next-level quality, and prices to match. This time, Honest Bao scaled the ultimate peak in Taipei to review what might be the city's highest and most expensive buffet... and I'm here to tell you if it's the absolute best. Great view on Taipei city This place is seriously popular, so ditch your spontaneous dinner plans. You must book in advance, and here's a cheeky little catch for you international travellers: they tend to charge foreigners a tad more since you typically have to use a booking agent like Klook to snag a spot. Once you're in, though, prepare to be impressed. The restaurant sprawls across the entire floor, and the variety of food is absolutely monumental—it easily dwarfs any buffet spread I've enco...
Post a Comment
Read more

Barcelona's Best-Kept Secret? Finding High-Quality Sushi at Sato I Tanaka

As a big city and famous for seafood, it's no surprise that Barcelona has some quality Japanese restaurants. It seems people are really crazy for them here too, as I really struggled to find any online availability when I tried to make a reservation. They are definitely busy, but not 100% full every day. Stay until the end of the post for a little tip to secure a table. Good quality tuna from Spain Sato I Tanaka, a small, unassuming spot that promised an omakase experience for less than the price of a flight to Japan. The moment I walked in, I felt like I was back to Japan. A long, elegant wooden counter, the quiet clatter of knives, and a chef who looked like he knew his way around a fish. This was the real deal. Love the red prawn We went for the lunch tasting menu, and at under 50 euros, my expectations were set to "cautiously optimistic." I mean, I've paid more for a sad-looking sushi platter in London. But what arrived was pure magic. The rice was  perfectly seas...
Post a Comment
Read more