Good Friend

Super fast drinks! Order on digital menu and out comes the drink. Boba was soft and sweet. Great…read morespot to get a drink while enjoying sights of London Eye and Big Ben.

Hmm, well, in retrospect, I'm not exactly sure why I decided to pop into this boba place, seeing…read morethat 1. I'm from San Francisco (one of the boba meccas on the West Coast) and 2. I never really got into the whole boba hype when I was growing up. Still, the prospect of boba on the other side of the Atlantic piqued my interest when I was in the neighborhood... First things first: you'll definitely feel the dollar-to-pound conversion when you peruse the menu. While I am no stranger to paying extra for some of the fancier toppings (like jellies), I was a little disappointed to see that even the boba tapioca balls cost an extra £0.50. (Maybe this is normal outside of the States, where the drink is known as "milk tea" instead of "boba"? Because otherwise I find it hard to believe that boba can be sold without, well, the boba...) I went with the Assam black milk tea because I find that choosing the most basic of milk teas is the best way to evaluate a boba spot. It wasn't as sweet as the basic black milk teas that I usually can find in the U.S. (understandable, as most drinks in the U.S. are probably sugarier). The boba was fresh (to be expected, as I had pay extra for it...) At the end of the day, I had paid £4.50 for the regular size of some pretty average tasting boba. The shop itself is pretty tiny, though the seating is pretty hip-looking.

Hot bubble teas

See all

Black Mousse Tea and Taro Milk with pearls

Cuppacha Bubble Tea

3.8(90 reviews)

0.0 mi•Chinatown

Delicious roasted oolong tea! The place is cute, small, lots of customers in and out but they were…read morequick to get out drinks to everyone!

Really good bubble tea place in Chinatown! It's a small place with limited indoor seating, but a…read moresuper cute vibe. I tried the Midnight Blueberry and it was delicious (I'm not even a huge blueberry fan). Definitely recommend if you're a bubble tea lover!

Roasted Oolong Tea

See all

Toppings

HeyTea

5.0(2 reviews)

0.7 mi•Holborn

great ambiance with unique milk teas. too "milky" for our personal taste but for what it's worth…read morethe brown sugar milk tea with tapioca was delicious service was very helpful and informative on menu items

It's my favorite milk tea place. Not easy to find a parking spot though. I would recommend to place…read moreyour order beforehand on their app.

Waiting for the order

See all

BobaJam

4.8(6 reviews)

0.2 mi•Soho

You gotta love a name that you want to repeat again and again - and BobaJam is one of those…read more Bobajam bobajam! It's a welcoming little spot on Dean St which is now the quieter part of Soho due to Crossrail construction, but it's a perfect place to sugar up and chill out. The wooden benches are not the most comfy (a lil shallow maybe) but the staff are friendly and some of the desserts look stonking. I would happily come back and try loads of stuff from the menu, but this time we just got a regular bubble tea with warm hazelnut milk and mango chewy bits (decoco apparently). The cup exploded a lil when we pierced it, but that's no biggie. I'll be back!

Cute little shop that puts in a lot of effort into their presentation. I had the matcha ice dessert…read moreand an americano. It's literally a bowl of shaved matcha ice with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Order and pay at the counter

See all

Xing Fu Tang

3.5(10 reviews)

0.1 mi•Bloomsbury

After lunch, we stopped by this little drink shop for something refreshing. My friend ordered the…read moreLemon Black Tea, while I went with the Grapefruit Jasmine Tea. I had never tried grapefruit tea before, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. They freshly squeezed the grapefruit to order, then added the juice and plenty of grapefruit pulp to the tea. The fresh citrus paired beautifully with the fragrant jasmine tea, making it light and refreshing. I especially loved the bits of grapefruit pulp, it made the drink taste even fresher. The staff were pleasant, and ordering was quick and straightforward. The only downside is that the sweetness and ice levels are fixed, so there's no option to customize them. Other than that, it's a charming little drink shop with a few indoor seats, making it a nice place to take a break and enjoy a refreshing drink.

So good - would return. Like it so much we might go to the Paris one. Got the signature brown sugar…read more- was very flavorful. Boba is made and harvested in front of you which is pretty cool. Service was terrible - cashier yelled at my niece. In all fairness, she yelled at everyone so my niece wasn't exactly targeted :D My brother's didn't sit so well with him. - he got the brown sugar with coffee? Paper straws disintegrated before I could finish my drink. Ambiance was small and kind of ghetto but definitely a hidden gem.

See all

Yunique

3.8(10 reviews)

0.0 mi•Chinatown

Refreshing bubble tea with tons of options!…read more My friend and I popped in on our way out of Chinatown, and service was lightning fast. I got the Passion Fruit Tea with popping bubbles--perfectly tart and sweet! Only downside: fruit teas are only available in one (large) size. Hoping for smaller options soon!

Visited on a busy on a Friday afternoon. Was enticed to try due to the groups huddled at the…read moreentrance. Order: * Mango Yogurt * Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea Both were really good and came in a cute cup. Tapioca was well cooked and the tea was strong and well balanced. Was glad that they had alternative milk options (we ordered Oat). Wait time was minimal despite the crowd. Definitely recommend! Great value!

Window Menu

See all

Window Menu

Coco Fresh Tea & Juice London

3.5(20 reviews)

0.5 mi•Bloomsbury

Across from the Museum, this location is PACKED. I waited in a long line to order and then get my…read moretea. I wasn't in a hurry so it wasn't a big deal. It did get a bit cramped in here with the limited space. I ordered a salty cream green tea (I think) with boba, 30% sweet. Overall it was ok. I felt that it was still a little too sweet for my liking, but overall it was good. Refreshing. I took it and sat in a park not too far away. I would definitely come here again and try different options. As I was on a Bubble Tea escapade in London, I was trying many different places. This was one of the better ones I tried, but still very sweet.

This place gets packed. The line can get pretty long since the British Museum is right across the…read morestreet. And the only seating is really just to wait to pick up your drink. I stopped by a couple times trying to get a fresh grapefruit green tea. First time, they said they couldn't do it because they ran out of large cups. Was kind of bummed out. I went back the next day tho, and they were able to make it! My drink had one and a half grapefruit in it, all fresh (machine) squeezed to order. It was good! Expect to wait, and expect them to run out of large cups. This is perhaps the only(?) bubble tea place in the area. It's worth the wait if you're looking to quench your bubble tea cravings!

See all

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice Soho

4.5(6 reviews)

0.1 mi•Bloomsbury

coco is a taiwanese boba chain that's located all around the world. it's nostalgic for me since it…read morewas the first real good boba i had in tapei during 2012 and now whenever i go to a new country, i always look forward to trying a new coco! this location is in chinatown. it's usually quite crowded with a queue but the employee at the cash register was very matter-of-fact and efficient. our drinks did take awhile, but it was understandable. there is not really any indoor seating, so take your drinks to go. // black milk tea with pearls 25% sweet 25% ice // the coco here is definitely more expensive than the US as well as with the currency conversion but we were craving good milk tea in london. the black milk tea was pretty good at this location and had a good balance. the pearls were also good consistency and i always get 25% sweet at coco. a taste away from home :)

amazing bubble tea here. the drink and boba pearls were great! a clean and cute store!read more

Mango green tea with boba

Medium black milk tea with pearls

See all

Medium black milk tea with pearls

Woo Tea

3.3(7 reviews)

0.1 mi•Chinatown

First time trying "milk tea" in London and thought it was okay. Was surprised to see such an…read moreauthentic milk tea shop in London as they had a lot of the flavors you would expect to see from a traditional milk tea store in Asia. Ordered the medium Woo Milk and was surprised to see that there was brown sugar mixed into it which I appreciated. The flavor was good but it got too much like just milk very quickly and the pearls were quite hard. In addition, it was a bit pricey but I guess that's what you get in London. Overall, very okay milk tea place. I will say that the cups are extremely cute though.

Date & Time: Friday September 6, 2019 @ 11pm Boba Date:…read more The Husband Scene: Groups of Asians in Crop Jackets, Burberry Scarf, A-Line Skirts & White Kicks Decor: Enter this Postage Stamp Size Boba Shop w/ Counter Standing Room Only Service: Kind, Quick, Efficient Imbibe: Woo Milk Boba Total: 4.95 British Pounds

Red bean milk tea and taro milk tea

3.11.23 Jasmine MT

See all

Black oolong milk tea with pearls, medium, no ice, less sugar

Chicken Shop

4.5(19 reviews)

0.4 mi•Covent Garden

Noticing a crowd forming in front of this chicken place I went in for a closer look. Everybody was…read moreeating chicken out of a bag. Apparently this is the Taiwanese way to eat fried chicken. They offered thighs chunks and breasts. I ordered the breasts. They came out super piping hot in a few minutes and they call your number to pick up. There is nowhere to sit down and there is zero ambience. You pick up your chicken and then you go eat it in the street outside. The breast is flattened and extra crispy and was definitely good. I would prefer a table to sit out but that's not the way Chinatown rolls. No matter what time you walk past this place there's always a line. Give it a go.

This location is closed. Tried on December 29, 2024 and was informed the location closed last year.read more

Wing are top notch

See all

Good Friend - chickenshop - Updated October 2026

Browse Brands

Brands by name

Browse Articles

Articles by date

People who viewed Good Friend also viewed

Chick N' Sours

4.3

(25 reviews)

I love chicken, but rarely get chicken sandwiches because I find white meat lacking. Chick N' Sours…read moreis perfect, because they give you a perfectly fried chicken thigh! I wasn't feeling very spicy, so I got The General, which is the most non-spicy sandwich option - so good and the chicken flavor took center stage. There are plenty of other options for those looking for more of a kick. It's a cute little hole-in-the-wall space with a few tables outside, and more seating downstairs. Very friendly staff.

We came here because this restaurant got five stars in TimeOut, and it seemed different and cool…read more We were not disappointed. I was not familiar with sour drinks, except maybe a whiskey sour or an amaretto sour, but they had all different types of sour drinks, bourbon, tequila, and gin based. I had a gin-based drink that was raspberry flavored and very sour and yummy. My friend had a chocolate cherry bourbon-based one that was quite good, and my sister had a tequila spicy sour. However, the chicken is the star here. I ordered fried chicken that came with pickled watermelon, it was delicious perfectly cooked and seasoned properly. The pickled watermelon was a lovely balance and a nice surprise. My sister and my friend got chicken tenders. I think we missed the mark because the chicken sandwiches seem to be the thing to order here. As we saw them coming out, we were disappointed that we had not ordered the sandwiches, which are piled a mile high and come in all different interesting combinations. They have a kimchi chicken sandwich, a Korean style chicken sandwich etc. If we go back, I would definitely order one of those. This place is not touristy. It was filled with locals at dinner time, and it was quite a scene, but not a pretentious one. The service was friendly, and the and the restaurant is reasonably priced.

Monga Fried Chicken

4.6

(5 reviews)

Wow amazing authentic Taiwanese chicken. Some of the best most fresh flavorful hot chicken. I was…read moredevouring it so fast that I forgot to take a picture. But trust me, reminded me of the chicken I had back in Taiwan! This is a take out place so no bathrooms but it's made to order and they season it so well. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for some good hot flavorful chicken. I got the popcorn chicken and I added extra seaweed and some mild hot spices and they flavor each chicken, not just the ones on top. 10/10 so happy I walked in

Super yummy! We came here on a whim walking through chinatown in Soho. We were hungry and tired…read moreafter a long day of travel. This was a fun experience as it was more of a street food vibe. the chicken was served in pouches with a kabob stick to enjoy it with. It was very hot and fresh out of the fryer. All three of us liked the flavors, although we agreed there was a very unique flavor to them. We tried the classic Monga Chicken, and then the Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken. The Taiwanese almost had somewhat of a cinnamony flavor to it. We would definitely come again on future visits! The service was very quick and staff was nice! Heads up, there isn't any formal seating here, just a bench inside.

Bibimbab Cafe

3.5

(24 reviews)

A place for an inexpensive quick bite. Don't have high expectations but you will get what you paid…read morefor.

Great stop right after a day at the British museum. The staff was very friendly and welcoming for a…read morefamily of four. Enjoyed the food along with the service.

BAO

4.1

(55 reviews)

Consistently awesome. Friendly & attentive staff, deliciousness AF, and amazing homemade tea…read more Nothing else to say. OK, so Yelp wants a bit more. Here goes: awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome awesome Just go. Often.

Above average, noodles were better than bao. I'd come back. It just doesn't have that wow factor…read more Quick and easy. Had to ask for water if you want any.

BAO - Soho

4.1

(226 reviews)

Overall: 2 stars…read more Michelin Guide Taiwanese restaurant in the vibrant district of SoHo. I found that the restaurant runs expensive and didn't live up to my expectations fully as the dishes were inconsistent and I found service to be chaotic -- particularly, when the staff spilled the cucumber dressing and almost spilled onto me and my friend. Pork Belly Bao - Classic comfort pork bun that has all the right textures from the soft pillowy bun to the melt in your mouth pork belly to the crisp pickles to the crunchy crumble of peanut. Marinated Cucumbers - Intriguing season of cucumber that offers a flavorfully spiced palette. However, I found some of the dish to be bitter as if the chili crunch was burned when made. Wagyu Ikura Rice Bowl - Their special rice bowl that has roasted beef topped with ikura. I particularly like the horseradish mayo it came with to give the beef a creamy balance with the rice. However, I found the beef to be unevenly cooked w.r.t. the bowl and the ikura to be disproportionate to the beef. Food: -1 Presentation: E Price: -1 Atmosphere: E Service: -1 Menu: +1 Insta/Yelp/Beli: @amei_eats Insta/TikTok: @ameizing.race

Really flavorful food - the steak with rice was the table's favorite, with the lamb dumplings…read moreshortly behind. We four sharing portions between four people, and a main dish each and felt like this was enough. For that and one beer each we only paid 35 GBP each which felt reasonable for the quality of the food in central London.

Bao Borough

4.0

(42 reviews)

SO AMAZING!!! All portions are good for sharing or order small plates to share OR BOTH like we did…read more The Pomelo & Yuzu Soda was to die for!! We were a party of three and got sat rather quickly. Smaller seating area but the service wasn't pushy to get us out but the food came out super quick. Definitely try the fried chicken!

BAO Borough This is…read morea sister restaurant of the Michelin Bib Gourmand BAO, but it's not the original that earned the distinction, and that showed unfortunately. The dishes were all good, but none were particularly excellent. I had: Aged Beef Rice (£14.75) - Incredibly salty, but I like it like that. Classic Bao (£5.50) - Good, but not distinctive. Meat was a bit dryer than it should, and bun wasn't soft and hot. Beef Short Rib Bao (£6.50) - I preferred this to the Classic pork bao and it was quite good, but again, not distinctive. Grilled Cucumber Salad (£5.50) - A nice side dish, but was swimming in oil, so not as healthy as we hopped. House Salad (£5.50) - Mostly kale with some dressing, a nice addition to get some greens. Service was a bit chaotic, it was sometimes unclear how we should order or from whom. At last call, we asked if we needed to order dessert now, and one server said we could order that later, but when the time came, we were unable. The setting was a bit compact, and most of the chairs are stools with no backs. I feel like this place was designed to be half the price, but the Michelin designation spoiled that. It'd be hard to leave full for under £35-£40 without drinks, and for that pricing, I'd at least like a proper chair and elbow room.

Marie's Cafe

4.0

(57 reviews)

Came here for a lunch on a Friday. It was busy but found a seat quickly…read more The vibe is definitely that of a canteen. I went for a lunch set. The portion was a bit small but the price was good. If I go back again, I will probably do a la carte, assuming they will have a bigger portion size. It's not mind-boggling, but they serve good food at affordable prices. Cash only, though.

DELICIOUS!! Great small business with loads of flavor…read more The thai iced coffee & iced tea were tasty! To eat we got the tofu with black bean sauce & tofu massamun curry. Both were great! Food came out hot & quick.

Paolina's Thai Cafe

4.3

(57 reviews)

Stumbled across this walking towards King Cross! It's quite…read morequaint and divey, I loved how authentic it felt. A reservation is recommended but I got lucky and was able to get seated right away! The duck spring rolls were the highlight because it was unique, and something I've never had before! The sauce complimented it well, and reminded me of pecking duck in a spring roll form. The pad see ew was a little bland, the chicken was dry and there wasn't much flavor. Would probably try something else if I come here again!

Great little hole in the wall spot for an intimate dinner. Reasonably priced and good portions…read more Free water is always a plus. Beware: if there are 3 peppers next to the dish it is SPICY. Tried the larp gai and I like to think I've got a pretty high spice tolerance and my lips and tongue felt like active fireworks for the following 45 minutes. Still yummy though.

Wok to Walk - Cranbourn St

4.3

(23 reviews)

Fast! Cheap! Fresh!…read more No frills, quick service, highly customizable, and great for dietary restrictions (including multiple vegetarian options with protein). An awesome little takeout spot with large portions at a very reasonable cost.

We picked up to go dinner at Wok to Walk because of the great reviews. The kitchen is a hole in the…read morewall where most people get carryout. They do have a couple of tables inside, but those are hard to get. You order protein, noodles and sauce/veggies and a chef stir fries your meal right in front of you. It was fun to watch. Meals are inexpensive, about $11 each. My husband and I both had Pad Thais (his chicken and mine shrimp). The shrimp were tiny, but flavorful and juicy. The sauce had the perfect level of heat for me. The bowls were delicious and hot. This was a fun and easy meal after a long day of sightseeing. I recommend if you are in the area.

Cocotte

4.5

(22 reviews)