I dropped by Bubbilicity Tea Shop for a bubble tea. It's co-located with Dumpling Bowl. Overall, my…read moredrink was good. I got a regular-sized coconut milk tea ($4.99) and added tapioca pearls (an additional $0.75). I forgot to say half sweet, so it was full strength sweetness, which was way too sweet for me, but that was on me for forgetting. The drink itself had a nice potent coconut flavour, but the tea flavour was very subtle. It was smooth and not gritty, and was rich and creamy. The tapioca pearls were soft and chewy, how I like them, but they could have been more generous with the amount as I finished the pearls way before I finished my drink, so was just drinking milk tea with no toppings for most of my drink. Overall 3.5 stars, but I am being generous and rounding up. Hopefully next time they will follow my example of generosity and give me more tapioca, lol. Service was friendly and efficient. The inside is small. They have 4 regular tables of 4 and a high table for 2. Street parking only.

Went to this place on a hot July afternoon because they had ice cream posted. One scoop for $2 or…read moretwice scoops for $4. The young female working the cash could barely speak English and literally all we were ordering was a BBT and three ice creams. I asked for one scoop of chocolate with whip cream. Kids had two scoops each, one strawberry, one chocolate. You would think they would serve the ice cream first, then make the BBT. We sat and waited for probably ten minutes before anything showed up and everything was wrong. My one scoop of chocolate came with sprinkles and the sprinkles were hard like rocks. The scoop of ice cream was tiny, like an inch and a half in diameter and tasted like store bought ice cream. The two kids only got one bowl with two scoops, one chocolate and the other strawberry. The BBT came out fine. We had to get her to make another bowl of ice cream for the second child. We were also the only customers in there. The cost came out to over $25 and I think we were charged twice for one of the two scoops. Basically five scoops of ice cream and an $8 BBT. I had been here before the pandemic and it was good, but something changed and I think it was a language barrier. If you're going to have someone facing customers, at least make sure they can understand their own menu! After that debacle, I will never go there again!

The Short Version: Bubble tea shop with more of a focus on…read moredifferent tea varieties. Their zero sugar is truly no sugar, unlike some other bubble tea joints where there's always some sugar in their drink base. The Long Version: This Hero Tea opened in December 2025 in the space that used to be Yi Fang bubble tea and ShareTea before that. Hero Tea is a bubble tea chain from China focusing on high quality tea leaves and they use real fresh milk, none of that powdered non-dairy creamer that I don't like. Their teas are reminiscent of Chicha San Chen to me in flavours. Zero sugar here is actually no sugar, unlike when I order no sugar at places like Chatime, Coco, or Tealive and the drink is still so sweet. I like 30% sugar here. One of my coworkers and I have been eyeing Hero Tea for a while and we finally went to check them out when they had a BOGO (buy one get one free) deal on UberEats. We decided to place our orders after work and walk over together to pick it up. We agreed to get different drinks and then trade our second drink so we would both be able to have different flavours (since with UberEats BOGO specials you get two of the exact same drink). I got the Osmanthus Blossom ($6.85 in-store, $8.25 BOGO on UberEats) zero sugar, less ice, and I added konjac jelly (additional $0.70 in-store, $0.85 per drink on UberEats). My coworker got the White Orchid Jade ($6.85 in-store, $8.25 BOGO on UberEats) 30% sugar, less ice, and added lychee jelly (additional $0.70 in-store, $0.85 per drink on UberEats). Both drinks were milk teas. I really enjoyed the potent tea flavour of the Osmanthus Blossom. It had a floral note to it and was milky but not too creamy. I learned that zero sugar was not a good choice on my part. I would go 30% sugar next time. I loved the konjac jelly. They were little clear balls and oh so chewy. They taste similar to agar pearls. The White Orchid Jade had a very strong floral taste, borderline too floral for me and it was really rich and creamy, much more so than the Osmanthus Blossom. 30% sugar was perfect and the lychee jelly were good. I enjoyed both drinks but preferred the flavour profile of the Osmanthus Blossom. Service was pleasant and efficient. Oddly, my coworker received her drinks in a nice reusable branded bag and I got mine in just a regular plastic bag. She placed her order first so maybe they ran out of bags when they made my order (?) Anyway, she saw how I was admiring the bag her drinks came in and when we swapped out our second drink, she gave me the reusable bag and took the regular plastic bag. How sweet is that? I have the best coworkers! We actually ended up returning a few weeks later and got the Ruby Orchard Refresher ($9.49 BOGO on UberEats) and the Moonlit Coconut Tea ($8.25 BOGO on UberEats). My coworker treated me completely this time. Lucky me! The Ruby Orchard Refresher had hawthorne pulp, strawberry jam, and coral pinnacle jelly. It was my first time having coral pinnacle jelly and I loved the texture. It's a springy chewy texture. The drink itself was a bit bitter and had a mild medicinal taste (at 30% sugar). I would recommend getting this drink at 50% or more sugar. The Moonlit Coconut Tea was good at 30% sugar. It tasted mostly like coconut water. The water chestnut popping boba were interesting. They're pieces of real water chestnut inside the popping boba, so the outside is soft and squishy and explodes in your mouth and inside is a crunchy piece of water chestnut. The shop is mostly for takeout. They have a few seats and tables but the space is small and not a place I'd really want to hang out in. Glad we finally checked this place out. Review # 88 (2026)

I believe this was a bubble tea place before Hero Tea opened here. I've never been to a Hero Tea,…read moreI didn't look up what their specialty was but I decided to pop in to see if they offered any hot drinks. They let me know they didn't offer any hot drinks but had a full selection of other items. I asked for a recommendation and they seemed to be unsure. I decided to randomly order a drink. I tried to look it up on their website but I don't see it there so I'm unsure if it's a specialty that is only offered at some locations and not all. The place is pretty small and has a few tables that you can set on window benches. I was the only person in here and placed an order. Unfortunately they were massively understaffed and only had 1 person there when I ordered. A couple of minutes later a few people came in and the person working started taking orders for the next 10 minutes. Out of nowhere, a few people came in the front door that looked like they worked there and started helping out. It was so strange! Anyways when the extra help showed up, one of them started making my drink. It was done in no time and it was not what I expected. You can see it in picture but it was a cold brew tea and on their menu, nothing really looks like this. I left the store and took a sip. I don't think I've ever had tea so bitter. I could taste a little sugar in it and I'm pretty sure at that time I got a cold brew tea with a touch of sugar and nothing else. So there is a portion of the menu that I have no idea what it is and that's definitely what I ordered from, unless they totally messed up my order. A few more sips and I decided I couldn't finish it and tossed it out. Not a great drink and if I do come back I'll need to figure out WTF that was and never order it again. I'll also have to figure out what they're known for but my drink was a bit difficult to drink. Service seemed unpolished as well.

Update: FYI: In mid-April 2023, the Chatime in Chinatown reopened a few spaces west of where they…read morewere previously. As some may remember, they were at 675 Somerset St West, but that location closed down rather suddenly sometime in the latter half of 2022 and shortly after, a competitor of theirs, Tealive, opened in that location. About 6 months after, Chatime popped back up, but at a smaller space at 695 Somerset St West (where Tea Owners, which was also a bubble tea shop, used to be). Don't know the backstory, but happy that there isn't a reduction in numbers of bubble tea shops in Chinatown, lol. Just note that any pictures and reviews before mid-April 2023 are from the old location. I've been to the new location. Drinks are still good. The space is just smaller.

Chatime will forever have my favorite taro boba drink. The handcrafted taro drink tastes the same…read morewherever I've gotten it (the US, Asia, and in Canada)! It's amazing and doesn't taste like the super sweet & fake taro powder most taro drinks have inside. This is a real taro smoothie and showcases why taro is so good! Come here and try a real taro boba drink!

I loved their grape green tea with my choice of popping pearls(mango). It's a must must must for…read morethis hot sun. I always order less ice with 30%sugar or no sugar. The grape flavour was very refreshing and not too sweet, will definitely go back for more. Service was quick, and ambiance was nice as the shop was in the Rideau centre.

Rideau Center has Boba tea! RFBT is another chain that appears to be expanding and one of the many…read morebubble tea options in the downtown area now. As expected you pay a bit more here so expect to pay in the $6-7-$8 range depending on S-M-L. My daughter had a S strawberry slush and I had a M- Mango diamond slush. My mango Diamond was on point with some fresh mango bits. My co-boba partner loved her strawberry slush. $14 for both taxes in. No sugar options given here. Typically I like to cut down a bit on the sugar. There are Chatime and Presso tea a 5-7 min walk outside the Rideau Center but on a cold Ottawa winter day we decided to stay inside. A good option. Not life changing but adequate.

Ordered a few drinks here late at night. The staff was very friendly and was patient as I waited…read morefor my family to tell me their orders over the phone. I believe they also have board games so it's a nice place to chill and hang out with your friends. I'm not from the area but really wanted bubble tea that night. Glad we stopped by here cause we really enjoyed the drinks. The tea was very fragrant and had a nice flavour to it. The only downside is they forgot the toppings for one of the drinks (didn't realize until later on when we got back to our hotel). Other than that, I would definitely try their other drinks if I'm ever around the area. They also offer snacks.

Overall: A // 5 stars…read more Pleasant tea shop in the vibrant food scene of Ottawa. I liked the touches of Asian decor in the shop, from the claw machines to the Giant boba piece. Their menu offers a refreshing take on a variety of fruit teas, milk teas, and coffee offerings, including the Meow Meow Fruit Tea which I opted for. Although I could not say the name with a straight face, I like the blend of fruit in this as there were clear notes of citrus, passionfruit, and kiwi that made this an enjoyable and palatable drink. The cup is also quite cute. Would recommend. Food: +1 Presentation: +1 Price: E Atmosphere: +1 Service: E Menu: +1 Overall: 5 stars Insta/Beli/Yelp/TikTok: @amei_eats

5 stars out of 5 for:…read more -- friendly staff (one of two) -- it was a busy Saturday especially for delivery orders, & we were a walk-in; so we had a long wait & the store staff apologized profusely for the long wait, they also made up for it by offering us each (3 in total) - 30% discount coupons for next time -- I had the cold oolong milk tea = quenched my thirst. I wish this bubbletea place was closer to where I live.

Yi Fang opened up where ShareTea used to be. Overall I found their drinks tasty, but a bit pricey…read more I got a regular sized Super Trio Milk Tea ($6.75) and it was fairly small, especially for the price. This drink comes with tapioca pearls, sago, and grass jelly (aka Mesona jelly or herbal jelly). I got it 30% sweet with 70% ice. It was plenty sweet and plenty cold, I probably could have gone with no sugar and half ice. The tiny sago balls and big soft chunks of jelly, along with the regular sized tapioca pearls gave the drink a fun texture. The tapioca pearls were soft and chewy. The milk tea was creamy and had a good tea flavour to it. I really enjoyed the drink, just not the dent it made in my wallet. Like with taxes and tip it was close to $9 and it was so small (when you look at my picture, keep in mind that I was once told by a jeweller that my hands are the size of a 10 year old's, lol). Service was courteous and efficient. Street parking only.

TLDR: Pricey bubble tea, but good quality. Nice chewy springy tapioca pearls…read more I'd like to thank my friend, Chuan C. for giving me a heads up about this place even before they opened. Although I didn't make it out there until well after they opened, lol. They opened November 4, 2023 and I made it there in March of 2024. They brew your tea when you order it, which is in contrast to most bubble tea places that brew the tea in bulk for the day. So it takes a bit longer for your drink, but you can taste the difference. I got the green tea ($5.95) and added mango flavour (additional $1) and tapioca pearls (another additional $1). I got it with no added sugar and less ice. The drink was plenty sweet due to the mango flavour and the pearls. I loved the distinct green tea flavour. The mango flavour was on the subtle side though. The tapioca pearls were chewy and springy and they were very generous with the amount. The inside of the shop is beautiful. Very Instagramable. There are a few seats inside. Service was pleasant. Chicha San Chen is co-located with Banh Mi Girl. Lots of free parking in the plaza parking lot. (36)

Great strong tea flavour and clean aesthetic inside. I wish we had one in the east end!read more

I really enjoy coming to this bubble tea spot. It used to be very close to my work so I could just…read morecross the street for my lunch break. I enjoy there milk teas the best, i like how each drink can be customizable for your standards.

My daughter is always treating me to bubble tea so I treated her to bubble tea this time. We went…read moreto Kung Fu Tea. I love taro so I got a taro pearl latte. My daughter convinced me to get less sugar so I went with 50% and it wasn't sweet enough, haha. I should have gone with full sugar or 70%. Actually, they use honey instead of sugar. The pearls were still hot and so soft and chewy. I loved the pearls. The drink had real taro puree. It was so good. My daughter got a yakult green tea with Aloe Vera. She went with 30% sugar and said it was too sweet, haha. She liked it though. The drinks are pretty expensive. Mine was $7 and hers was $6.80. Oh, I wanted to add red beans to my drink, but it's not available as a topping :( The guy working there was nice and he made our drinks quickly.