Rating: 4.5 I've been meaning to try this place for a while but decided to try because i passed by and was in the area. It's a small tea shop in providence that offer toppings such as boba and sides like taiwanese chicken. They offer different tea toppings like boba, crystal, jelly, ..etc and also sweetness, milk substitute and ice options. Parking is street parking only and can be difficult to find during busy time. Inside is nicely decorated and has good aesthetic. Seatings are limited so I would not expect to find one unless you are lucky. I guess the name of the place is derived from cha which means tea in Chinese and Daruma who is a founder of zen Buddhism. They have a mascot who looks like Buddha holding a bubble tea. I ended up ordering black milk tea with boba and taiwanese popcorn chicken with seaweed and salt/pepper. Tea came out right away and was pretty good. Good tea flavor but maybe a bit too sweet. Boba is home made and its nice and chewy and no inconsistency. I would do 75% sugar and less ice next time for my liking. Taiwanese popcorn chicken was juicy and flavorful. We also got lucky with seating so we sat down to enjoy their food and drink. Service was good and no issues. Overall the place is pretty good. I think everything was good quality and definitely one of the better tea/fried chicken place around RI. If it was in more convenient location I would definitely come back often but I would likely only stop by if I'm already around the area. I did like the place. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Charuma has pretty decent teas/boba, but the service has been bad every visit. The usual wait after ordering has been 20+ minutes. They are also out of ingredients sometimes, including their house made bubbles. On my most recent visit, they messed up my order too. I think the drinks are good, but the service and overall experience is frustrating. My only guess is that I go towards the end of the day (5ish), potentially during a "rush", so I am going to try earlier in the day to see if there is a difference. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Coming from California and being a lifelong boba tea lover, I was pleasantly surprised to find an authentic boba shop like Charuma in Rhode Island, especially since the state's Asian population is less than 4%. The store has a warm and cozy vibe, with a few seats available. It's also a great spot to get some work done, with fast WiFi and seats near outlets. I got a large smoky oolong milk tea with boba, a large black milk tea with boba, and their salt and pepper popcorn chicken. My favorite items were the black milk tea with boba and popcorn chicken with salt and pepper. The black milk tea's boba had the perfect chewiness and the balance between black tea, sugar, and milk was perfect. The popcorn chicken's exterior was crispy, while the inside was incredibly juicy. I also appreciated that they had eco-friendly bamboo straws. The only downside is that there is only paid street parking nearby If you're in Providence, I'd highly recommend checking out Charuma. read more

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My bobba dream! I came to enjoy my third stomach wish for bobba tea, and I was blown away by the simple but fresh taste of this bobba tea. Interior was very stylish, and the design of the logo and cups scream like they belong to some good artist with a vision. Bathrooms are available and the space only has one table and first come first serve seating. Wifi is offered but to have a seat available might be a long shot for sit down sessions with friends or study session. I ordered the smoky oolong milk tea with oat milk, bobba which is house made, less ice, and 50% sugar. My partner got a drink and 100% sugar was wayyy too sweet. A 50-75% is a more safe bet. The tea flavors are so strong and tasty, you don't need too much sweet to overpower it. You definitely want to taste the tea and bobba themselves~ the bobba was the best thing about my drink because they were delicious and made my visit super worth it~ I did the combo of a large with a food, since a large has the price of $5 versus the the drink itself with no food would be $7. Worth the deal. My sweet potato fries were simple and good, coming in a paper bag ouch, for easy carry out snack. They are snack size, so not a full meal if that's what you're looking for. Parking was a hassle, especially if it's chilly, but I see myself coming back, dealing with a more pleasant walk to this location. This place was meant for college students since their dorm is nearby, but I still want to come back for sure! read more

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I was recommended to try this place by friends from California, and I was so shocked by how delicious it was. Coming from the Bay Area in California, I have had so many boba spots and this one ranks so high and has become one of my favorites!! I absolutely love their black milk tea, but my partner loves their jasmine milk tea. You really can't go wrong with either. The store is also super cute and cozy, and it has a good amount of seating which makes it perfect for hanging out or studying! I also always get the combo with their fries or chicken, and after trying all of the flavors, I can confirm that they're all super delicious. My personal favorite is the regular salt and pepper one, but my sister loves the seaweed flavor. The chicken is also super crispy and juicy!! As for service, I've always had super positive interactions and they get your boba out to you super fast. I literally make this a top priority when I visit Providence, and I'm so grateful that there is such a yummy boba place when I'm away from home. I really recommend (-: read more

I was really impressed with the boba here flavor wise! They had tons of options too which I appreciated and they allow you to adjust sugar and ice levels. I've not always had a lot of luck with places being this good outside of the west coast or major cities but this spot was very good. They were pretty busy at 5pm on a Tuesday though and it took a little while to get my drink, but the milk tea was very tasty and the boba was perfect! Not too many places to sit but I was taking it to go. Definitely would come back! read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Smoky Oolong Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Authentic Taiwanese bubble tea and snacks! The Formosa Beauty Milk Tea was amazing and unlike anything else you can get in the area. The fried chicken and fries have fun seasoning options and are delicious. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Great place. Pros Teas are wonderful and will keep me focused without a lot of caffeine Best part is I don't get coffee jitters. The only drink I know that will keep me focused and calm for the rest of the day. I love the addition of the fruit teas and how much sugar they asked you and also the different jellies like the grass jelly I would get with my strawberry fruit tea, light oolong tea, with 25% sugar . Cons new line Unfortunately they don't open till 11:30 a.m. so I cannot get any tea or any type of beverage in the morning because they don't open until so late . I recommend this place this is one of my favorite place to walk to from work on my lunch Please open Earlier! read more

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Got the roasted oolong tea at 0% sugar and 0% ice. The tea had a strong roasty hint and was perfect for a black coffee lover. It's mildly bitter then transitions into a bit of astringency. It's nice and brisk. This is similar to what I would get in Taiwan. Definitely give this a try if you like pure teas. 9.5/10 Also tried the Pu-Er milk tea with agar boba at 25% sugar. The agar boba had floral hints of honey and the tea was refreshing. However, the tea flavor was covered almost entirely by the milk. I wished the tea flavor was a bit more pronounced, but otherwise the milk tea is pretty decent. 6/10 We got the passion fruit green tea at 50% sugar but it turned out to be too sweet. Would rate it around 7/10. Better than the same drink from Gong Cha though. The inside of the store had good decor and a pretty modern look. The barista was really nice and let us try different flavors of the tea and different toppings. We were given a chart of all the different tea flavors. There's also a promo where if you get a food item you can add $5 to get a large drink with one topping. There's a 10% discount for Brown students as well! read more

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Super authentic tea (sourced from Taiwan) with delicious flavors. Would definitely recommend!

Charuma is one of my favorite places for boba in providence. Coming from California, I was pretty disappointed with the lack of good boba in Providence before Charuma. When it first opened, I was so excited and it is now my go-to! One of my favorite flavors to get is the Pu-er milk tea, which has a more floral, earthy taste. All of the teas here seem very authentic, and you can't go wrong. They do tend to run out of the house boba, so come earlier in the day if you're looking for that! read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Pu-Er Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

We stopped for boba at Charuma Tea while we were just chilling in the area, waiting to get hungry enough to get Dune Brothers. The staff were super friendly and helpful when I had questions about the menu. There's a tiny bit of seating inside, but it was all full at the time. We ended up taking it to a nearby green space. The boba was good, very refreshing and really hit the spot on a hot day. read more

I've seen many eateries come and go in this spot, and I hope Charuma stays! The staff are friendly, and though it's a small space, it's very nicely decorated. I love how international they are about the sourcing of their Taiwanese tea, and how many options you have to make it the tea you want (hot, cold, milk, fruit, boba, jellies, milk varieties, sugar levels, etc). The food is also shockingly delicious. I say that only because I'm not usually excited about popcorn chicken unless it's 2am after a concert, and MAN their chicken is delicious. I've only tried the seaweed salt and pepper flavor, but I would recommend it. Their sweet potato fries are also delicious! Can't wait to return. read more

I love their tea base - it really is so fragrant and subtle. I've tried a few of their tea varieties so far and everything is a hit. I think both the milk and fruit teas are really good, so it's mood dependent on what I end up ordering. My only constructive feedback is that the boba ball sizes are kinda small compared to the other shops so I accidentally swallowed a few more than usual. Anyway, I noticed there was some cute Christmas decor up recently and it really brightened up the space. I'll keep stopping by since I think Charuma is such a charming tea shop worth going out of the way for. Next time I'm excited to try the food as well. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Formosa Beauty Milk Tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I read a review that this spot has dethroned KFT for the best boba in Providence, and after trying this place I definitely believe it! Some things I noticed that make Charuma super unique: - they have pu-er tea!! I've never seen this on any other boba menu (most places have the usual oolong, Jasmine green, and black teas and maaaybe high mountain if they're feeling fancy). I love that Charuma is bringing attention to other types of tea :) - house made boba - need I say more?? I always feel like house made boba is better, and this one is chewy (even after sitting for a few hours) and perfectly sweet (but not too sweet) - some of the crispiest Taiwanese fried chicken I've ever had in my life, and the inside is nice and moist. This is also a nice place to study! Interior is clean and minimal, and there's great food/drinks and wifi :) read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Pu-er tea, iced with house made boba. Taiwanese fried chicken with salt/pepper seasoning - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Cute little tea bar with Taiwanese goodness. Service was fast and the tea was good. One star less for little seating.

Atmosphere: 5 Beautifully designed café. Love the seating area and the wall of tea canisters along the wall. I want one! The menu had a few things blocked out as sold out, which was a bummer. However, they did have a sign saying that many of their ingredients are shipped from Taiwan and due to delays are currently unavailable. That's understandable. Portion: 5 I ordered their black milk tea and added their crystal boba. Their drink sizes are standard and my drink had a sufficient amount of boba. We also ordered their sweet potato fries in their seaweed salt and pepper flavor. We got a good sized serving tucked in a paper sleeve. It was definitely made fresh because it was so hot to the touch! Flavors: 5 Bubble tea tastes best with real milk. And that's what they use! I think the tea could be stronger, but it was still really good. The crystal boba is not chewy like normal boba. The texture is different. It breaks apart a little like jelly. The sweet potato fries were delicious. The seaweed salt and pepper was tasty! The outside of the sweet potato fries were tender and fluffy inside. Overall, I'd go there again. The fries are addicting!! read more

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Charuma is one of the coolest tea bars I have ever experienced! It combines classic tea favorites like boba tea with some fun snacks like popcorn chicken. Their Oolong black tea was alright, but their grapefruit tea slushie blew me away! It was a warm day and the slushie was the perfect escape with a strong citrus flavor. I also really enjoyed their popcorn chicken and sweet potato fries. They had great seasoning and had a crispy, umami flavor! The place was popular with a huge crowd of visitors, but the staff was very kind and prompt with our order. If you are in Providence, definitely stop by! read more

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Great ambiance. Right in downtown next to the arcade. The service is wonderful here. I purchased the smokey oolong with coconut lychee as recommended which was fantastic. Ordered the Taiwanese chicken and combined toppings with the pepper and seaweed. At first glance it appears small but it was very filling and I actually couldn't finish it as it is a bit heavy but overall great. They have covered seating outside which is nice as well. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Smokey Oolong - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Came here for an after meal drink. The menu was simple--nothing too lengthy or with crazy combinations. You get to choose your base tea and either go with a fruity option or a milky one. I had the smokey oolong milk tea with their house made boba. The tea was pretty sweet but i didn't mind it. The house made boba was the star of the show. They came clearish yellow, different from the traditional black tapioca. Cooked to absolute perfection! Great chew without being mushy or too hard. Would come back just for that boba! Overall, great experience and the staff was friendly to answer our questions about flavor profile.. maybe next time i'll try the Pu-Er if I'm feeling adventurous. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Unfortunately, the Formosa Milk Tea beauty didn't live up to my expectations. It tasted very watered down - the tea wasn't strong enough. Boba was pretty good and chewy, though. The store is well-decorated and prices are pretty fair. We got an XL to share and it was honestly pretty cheap for how much volume we got. read more

Came back to try their Jasmine Green Milk Tea with homemade boba. Their boba is clear and is jelly like. It tasted good so worth a try. You can tell it is homemade. read more

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Chicken cutlet was very juicy. I didn't like the plum flavor though. It was sour, salty and sweet. Too complicated for me... Fried chicken itself was great. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Really enjoyed my experience at Charuma. All their tea is imported from Taiwan which makes for an authentic experience. The place itself is small, there's window seating and a large table for 5, but otherwise not many other places to sit. I feel like it's more of a takeout spot. I got the smoky oolong tea and the Taiwanese chicken cutlet with plum seasoning. The chicken cutlet was made fresh to order. The tea I would say didn't have a strong smoky flavor, maybe because of the milk? But it was still pretty good. I could compare it to a stronger oolong tea. The chicken cutlet was perfect though, it was super crispy and the plum had a nice sweet and sour flavor. It's so rare to find plum flavoring outside of Taiwan. I'm curious to try their other flavorings as well. Next time you're in downtown PVD, check this place out! read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I ordered a medium (the smallest size) and the barista informed me that they only had large "until tomorrow" (???) and did not explain why. Beware: you might be overcharged if you go here. read more

Really great bubble tea but took 20 minutes to get 2 drinks on a weekday afternoon where there were barely any customers...

You know that feeling of bliss and the lifechanging moment whenever you taste something heavenly for the first time? Your first experience with pho, the oysters at Matunuck, the Death by Chocolate cake at Gregg's... Since I started going to Charuma, I dream about their chicken. My girlfriend drove an hour into town and the first thing she said upon seeing me was, "Charuma?" Heck yes! Upon her first bite into that chicken, I saw a sparkle in her eye. "I would fall in love with you if you were human," she remarked at the chicken and not at me. Now we go at least once a week... sometimes more. The tea is pretty good as well. While Providence has several options in town and I am quite the bubble tea enthusiast, none of them satisfied my addiction. Charuma is now our go to place for bubble tea. They make their own high quality boba in house, and the tea is a perfect balance of sweetness and tea. I'll be back, Charuma! read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Seaweet salt and pepper chicken cutlet - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

My all time favorite tea! The tea is delicious and boba texture is perfect. The XL size is actually enormous, which is great! read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

New tea and boba spot in Providence! I was so excited to check it out. Parking can get a little tough in Downtown, but coming around 3PM on a weekday wasn't too bad. I ordered the Mango Black Tea with bubbles and their homemade bubbles are amazing. One of the best tapioca I've ever had. I like how you can customize the sugar and ice in your drinks as well. Definitely will come back to try the popcorn chicken next time! read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Mango black tea Insta: @rhodycoffee - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

It's an exciting time to live in when another boba shop opens here in Providence. The Formosa milk tea was a tea I don't see often in other boba shops around the area & it was a great floral flavor, all for an affordable price. The fried chicken--though on the pricier sides of fried chicken--is fried + juicy goodness; seaweed salt and pepper is my recommendation. read more

The best boba I've had! Friendly staff, super fresh tea and pearls. The space is a little tight when it gets busy but I get my drinks to go so it's not a big deal. Parking can be a little tricky and is typically found at least a couple of blocks away. read more

The best boba tea in PVD. The staff was very friendly and kind. My 5 years old son wanted a drink which was not on the menu but they willingly made it for him. I ordered black milk boba and Taiwan popcorn chicken. Both were really good. I can't wait to try their freshly baked cake! read more

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The milk oolong iced tea with homemade boba was perfection. The chicken sandwich was yummy. And being able to get the meal deal made it a deal! (You can add a large drink to any food item for $5 to make it into a meal deal.) The service is excellent, and the tea bar is small but charming. Going to Charuma made my day happier! read more

It's official: Kung Fu Tea is no longer the superior boba in Providence (in my humble opinion). I had heard about Charuma earlier this year, but never made it a point to visit while I was Downtown. Thankfully, I had a bit of free time before the end of the summer to go and try their bubble tea and food items. I stuck with the classic black milk tea and split a side order of salt & pepper french fries with a friend. You can really tell that Charuma makes their tapioca pearls from scratch. The boba has just the right amount of chew and even in an iced drink still manages to remain soft. The tea was tasty but the tapioca was the star of the show. The french fries were surprisingly delicious. I never would have guessed that a bubble tea place would have good food items, but these fries were perfectly crispy and salty. Despite ordering salt & pepper fries, I could taste some of the plum seasoning. The flavor was interesting (sour and savory) but not totally my cup of tea (see what I did there?). Overall, I had a great experience at Charuma Tea Bar. Although the shop is rather small, the ambiance was nice and the bubble tea was delicious. If I'm ever in need of a sweet treat and I find myself in downtown Providence, Charuma will definitely be my first choice. read more

Been here a few times and it is definitely consistently good. I definitely recommend trying their chicken alongside their boba. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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BEST THING TO OPEN IN PROVIDENCE!!! I go here atleast 2 times every week, the tea is nothing like what you get at boring franchise bubble tea shops. my favorite tea is the puer tea with bubbles! so sophisticated and yummy! Tom and the staff are always so kind and polite, couldn't ask for a more welcoming group of smiley people. interiors are gorgeous, branding is beautiful, and generally love this place so so much!!! my boyfriend asks to come to charuma every time he visits rhode island!!! def ordering for catering student run events!! :) read more

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I've tried all the boba shops in the Providence/College Hill area, and Charuma is my favorite! The texture of the boba (homemade in the store) is always perfectly chewy, the popcorn chicken and fries are spiced well, and the service is excellent. It's also a really great spot to study or hang out with friends. read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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This place serves extremely authentic and delicious bubble tea and Taiwanese popcorn chicken and Taiwanese fried chicken cutlet. I would say the fried chicken cutlet is out of this world amazing and the jasmine green milk bubble tea is to die for. I cannot express how happy I am to have found this tea bar! Thank you Tom! read more

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I work in Providence and my colleague mentioned that she ate some of the best fried chicken at a takeout place on Weybosset Street. Heck yeah! I'm always up for fried chicken. But this isn't any old fried chicken... it is Taiwanese fried chicken! You can order cutlet or popcorn chicken. It is not dredged in flour and batter, instead some version of potato starch so you get this amazingly thin, crackly and almost transparent crust (delicious both hot right out of the fryer or later cold from the fridge). I ordered both - cutlet with chili powder and popcorn with seaweed salt and pepper. Outstanding! And plenty for lunch today and lunch tomorrow. My colleague tried the popcorn with plum and it will be the next thing I order from there! A whole slew of teas with all kinds of great flavors which they put an individual seal on each plastic cup. There is a lot of love at this place so check out Charuma the next time you are in Providence! NOM NOM NOM #YUM read more

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This place is extremely clean and has a really nice and quiet environment for either studying or working. Staff is very helpful and friendly! They recommended me their Taiwanese Fried Chicken Cutlet, they also have popcorn chicken, it's so juicy and crispy! Will definitely come back for more of their chicken read more

Charuma Tea Bar - Smoky Oolong with their fresh house-made bubble - Bubble Tea Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island