After several delays, I'm glad to see that this location finally opened! I think that this Center City location is a very prime location, especially because most of the bubble tea spots are concentrated in Chinatown and the other Boba King location is in the West Philly/Drexel University, which is a bit out of the way unless you work or go to school there.
Compared to the West Philly location, there is less seating at this location. This feels like more of a grab and go place with limited seating along the window. When I went, I did see a few people doing work there.
Let me preface by saying that when I rate bubble tea places, I usually compare them in relation to Kung Fu Tea because Kung Fu Tea's bubble tea isn't the best but it isn't the worst. It's not my go to spot but it's always a safe option when that boba craving hits. And they have a good variety when it comes to milky and fruiter options. For additional context, I usually prefer fruit teas and adjust the sugar level (typically one level below 100% sweetness.).
I ordered the Yuzu Citron Fruit Green Tea with Aloe Jelly and Less Sugar. I usually like citron tea, which is a pulpy syrup made from yuzu (similar to a marmalade) and combined with cold or hot water. The addition of the green tea and aloe jelly made it different but a good different. I thought it was the perfect amount of sweetness and the drink was overall very refreshing. As a separate comment, I'm not sure if Boba King does this for all of their drinks but the drink had both a drink seal and a plastic lid on top. I liked the idea because it made the drink more secure before I put in the straw but I did have to remove the lid first and then reattach it once I put the straw in because it was a bit difficult to insert the straw.
I didn't realize this at the time I ordered but I'm really happy to see that Boba King offers non dairy alternatives, which you don't usually see at most bubble tea shops.
Based on the Yuzu Citron Green Tea and the Mango Tango, which I tried at the West Philly location, I would rank Boba King as being a little better than Kung Fu Tea, more accurately a 3.5. What I like about Boba King is that the drinks aren't overally sweet and there is more of a distinct tea taste. Also, they have some unique offerings and having non-dairy options is always a plus in my book. Some cons are that the flavors are a bit artificial and, while there are several different drink type categories, there aren't that many options per category, with several of the same flavors appearing across the categories.
Would I go back? : Most likely! After discovering that they offer non-dairy options, I'm more inclined to try some of their milk tea options. I feel like my impression of Boba King is a bit limited due to how few of times I've tried their drinks so my rating of them may change as I try more drinks now that their Center City location is now open. I also think that their bear theme is very cute. read more