Very cutie spot! Love the ambiance when we came in, the seating is very unique, cute, and comfortable. If you're looking for your knees to pop a little when you sit down, this is the place for you haha. Go support your local small businesses! I got the ube ice milk at 50% sugar and it was delish! There's only one size and it's pretty big. I definitely recommend mixing it super well with the coated ube on the sides of the cup, otherwise you're just gonna taste the milk. I loved it though cause it felt like I was getting different layers of the drink based on how much ube I had mixed in- very high quality milk and drink. I would totally recommend! My roommate got their strawberry matcha, and we watched them make their matcha and 100% authentic, it's not just some concentrate, we watched them mix the matcha with the designated whisk- super high quality and she loved it too. I had a sip and their boba quality is also 10/10, super super chewy and nice! The guy behind the counter was also really kind- very quick service, patient with you as you look at their wonderful menu. You can also ask to sample some of their toppings to make a well-informed decision for yourself. They also have little gifts you can buy in the form of tea, popping boba, or even cute boba/drink carriers. Also, they have a cute interactive wall where you can write a note or draw some pictures. Would be back again! Personally think it would be fun if there were also board games around too! read more

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| Overview + Brown Sugar Ice Milk is deliciously creamy + Boba texture is perfect + Decent milk tea size in a cute cup with "ears" + Good selection of fruit teas, smoothies & iced coffee drinks + Cool ambiance + Fast customer service - Boba cost extra for Brown Sugar Ice Milk - Taro milk tea here is made of powder / other ingredients look artificial - Various toppings in the open - are they clean? - Menu is purely drinks; no desserts or snacks | Full Review Located in a corner of the Hope Valley Commons shopping area, Bapu Teahouse Durham looks inviting from the outside with its cool boba milk tea structure by the cafe's front door, showing Bapu's simple logo outside. Bapu's ambiance inside looks artsy, with cute aesthetics and cool atmosphere. What stood out to me was the assortment of toppings displayed. The good thing: they look pretty colorful and fresh; the not-so-good thing: they're uncovered, so I'm not sure if they're clean. Nonetheless, it's convenient to see the different topping options you can add to your milk tea. I noticed Bapu uses the artificial purple taro powder for its milk tea instead of taro paste, so I eliminated that choice from my milk tea selection process. There was only one young employee who took orders and also made the milk teas when I went, but his customer service was good as he made fine recommendations and served my order fast. Unlike Boba Baba's eye-aching menu screens, Bapu Teahouse's menu overhead looks clear with photos, highlighting its special drinks. There are no kiosks here, so you'd have to order face-to-face. As the server recommended, I ordered the Brown Sugar Ice Milk (75% sweetness, light ice). It doesn't look as Instagram-worthy as Tiger Sugar's brown sugar milk teas, but it looks yummy enough, with brown sugar syrup clearly visible in Bapu's cute & translucent cup with ears. Bapu only serves 1 size for its drinks. When I ordered this, the server asked if I wanted boba. Most decent milk tea cafes I go to automatically already have the basic tapioca pearls or boba by default in their brown sugar milk tea drinks but Bapu charges extra for that. Brown Sugar Ice Milk is listed as $6. With the boba topping, I ended up paying a total of $7.76, which is slightly higher than average price of brown sugar boba milk teas in cafes I've been to. Compare that to Feng Cha in Morrisville, which offers Dirty Boba (brown sugar milk tea for only $6.25 with the boba already included, so Bapu's pricing here sounds like a joke. To be fair, the size of the cup is large enough, with its cute top that reminds me of Doraemon or Hello Kitty. The material of it doesn't look cheap and it feels fun to hold. The sweetness of the brown sugar flavor was just right. It might have been too sweet if it was set to 100% sweetness level, and it's still probably slightly sweet at 50% but my usual preference of 75% for any brown sugar milk tea was perfect here. The milk was deliciously-creamy with the fresh & chewy boba - perfect texture. Server did a good job blending with just the right amount of ice, good amount of brown sugar syrup & boba. It's not on the same level as Boba Baba's Brown Sugar Boba or Tiger Sugar's brown sugar drinks but it's better than many mediocre brown sugar milk teas I've tried in other cafes. Bapu Teahouse's menu is purely drinks, with a nice variety of milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies & iced coffee. Sadly, there are no snack or non-drink dessert options here that you can pair with your milk tea. It's not a big deal if you're only craving for a drink, and it looks like Bapu has a good selection of toppings to customize your order. Just prepare to pay extra for those. | Overall Score: 3.4/5 | Recommended Alternative: Sharetea in Morrisville read more

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I was apprehensive at first about this boba place because nothing immediate about it to me suggested that it would be authentic or high quality in terms of the tea. I was worried that the place was more invested in the decor and vibe than the drinks. Upon my initial fears it was better than I expected. The shop aesthetic has different influences but leans on having a cool atmosphere. I think the shop floors, chairs, and tables could use some more cleaning but it has real potential to be a nice place to sit. The staff was very friendly and accommodating. I could see every aspect of the drinks being made including fruit prep which allowed for clear observation of the quality and service put into making the drink. The oolong milk tea was a good choice as I wanted to test the taste of the tea. It surprised me that the tea had a good deep flavor and balanced sweetness when I requested 50% sugar. The boba was a bit chewier than other boba shops in this area but was nicely flavored. The menu isn't extremely extensive compared to other boba shops and some of the drinks I assume are artificially flavored. If I went again I would get a tea but there aren't many options. It is also nice they let you place a review on google and give you a free topping for your next visit. I always appreciate little things like that at stores because it shows their interest in improving customer experience and that encourages me to invest more in the business. read more

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Came here to study for a couple of hours. The lounge seating was really comfortable, I love the chairs. The flowers on the tables were real and a nice touch. It was really cold inside, but I had a jacket. I got the taro milk tea, which was pretty good, but the boba was a little too chewy. Staff were really nice and patient while I was trying to decide on a drink. Would definitely come back here to study! read more

Bapu Tea House - Taro Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I came with my partner on a Saturday night because we noticed this boba shop was close to the mall we were at. When we came, we were the only guests there so we got our order very quickly. The ambiance was very cute and cozy - the chairs there were very low to the ground but very comfortable. We ordered the brown sugar milk tea which my partner found too sweet, but I loved it because I love sweet things! There were lots of snacks on the menu that I would love to try next time we're in the area! read more

Bapu Tea House - Brown Sugar Ice Milk - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The tea was just okay, which is the main reason for my 2-star rating. Service was quick, and the ambiance was very cute. The boba pearls had a good consistency and texture, but lacked sweetness entirely. The tea itself tasted "milked" down, and in my case, the Thai tea had an odd flavor. read more

Bapu Tea House - Thai Milk Tea with Boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Open for only a few weeks, Bapu Tea House is sparkling clean and staff is eager to please. Tried that brown sugar ice milk tea today. Nice flavor without being too sweet. Would be a great place to meet a friend to catch up. (No food or pastries on menu.) Give them a try. #shoplocal read more

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Came here to study. Great atmosphere and location. Customer service was really nice. My drink was made within a couple minutes! Easy parking. read more

Bapu Tea House - Strawberry Matcha latte - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Honestly, I didn't know this place had opened next to a Harris Teeter a few miles away from us. We like bubble tea in general but not always with boba, mostly just as a drink itself. I popped in and ordered a mango tea. I appreciate that they didn't put in tons of ice but then again my tea was very sweet. I'd have to try some of their other offerings before making a more complete decision. In the meantime, Milklab is closer to our house and we are more familiar with their offerings. read more

Bapu Tea House - Counter area - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I am not a fan of their process. They don't add milk and add creamer. I don't like the taste either.

New boba spot in South Durham! Got the Brown Sugar Milk, which was classic but on the sweeter side. Appreciated the comfortable, large sofa-like chairs; definitely will be back to study here sometime. I thought the Zodiac drinks idea was super cute. Drinks were buy one get one free when I went close to the grand opening. Service was fast. 8/10 would recommend! read more

Bapu Tea is a clean boba shop with some tables inside to enjoy your boba with friends. We tried the Oolong Milk Tea with boba. Unfortunately, it was pretty watered down, which prevented us from getting a good taste of their oolong tea. Overall, Bapu Tea is in a convenient area in South Durham, but we feel that there are better boba options in the area. read more

Bapu Tea House - Oolong Milk Tea with Boba - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Visited Bapu on a whim after spotting the grand opening banner, and it was a great surprise! My boyfriend and I got a mango fruit tea and ube ice tea, and both were delicious. We prefer 50% sugar boba and this tea shop delivered on that, unlike many others we've had before. The tapioca bubbles were very good--chewy and not too hard or soft, with a lovely brown sugar flavor. In the fruit tea, the mango chunks tasted fresh. I also watched them use organic milk in the ube tea. We didn't stick around for long enough to sit down (this was a random weeknight) but the interior was cute and clean. Several cozy looking lounging options. We're definitely going back! read more

Bapu Tea House - Ube ice tea, mango fruit tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Excellent new bubble tea house. At time of writing they've only been open a week and a half. Had their Mango milk bubble tea and oolong milk bubble tea. Quick glance at their ingredients indicated high quality and fresh ingredients used. Both drinks were excellent and their boba was cooked perfectly. Not overdone and mushy, not undercooked and too hard. Just right. Highly recommended. read more

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Good service, and they have a very nice aesthetic! The seats are a little low so it's more of a lounge type of vibe. I got the cookies and Crème and it did not disappoint!! read more

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I went on a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't busy, but I had an odd customer experience. The person helping me apologized for 'being really tired', took a phone call in the middle of our transaction-- from her boss--- then handed off the making of my drink to someone else to go do the manager's request. My drink was meh. Not enough ice so the tea was actually lukewarm. Same price as Milklab, and they have better customer service. Maybe it was an off day. read more

Great atmosphere and friendly customer service. Highly recommend to come try their brown sugar boba

Good drinks. And the people who make it clearly have a passion for their craft. The chairs are a little low to the ground, but it adds a cozy atmosphere. Super cute! read more

Love this place! I've loved every drink I've gotten, my go to is the Vietnamese coffee, soooo good and the service is always great

I was waiting there for a long time for my drink. Then they proceed to make the drink of the people that came before me. They haven't started my drink. They even got the order wrong from the people that came before me keep in mind I was only one person and they were three. I asked about it and I asked for a refund because they were taking too long and they haven't even started my drink yet, but they said they didn't know how to do refunds. they also smelled the milk, which was odd and stood there, talking most of the time. And one of the workers said I don't care if I get fired I'll just sue. I will never be coming here ever again. Horrible service. read more