Solid boba here. I came with my sister who was visiting from Chicago and had attended Cal. I got the boba milk tea with 0% sugar (crazy, yes I know, but that's how I live life). I thought it was pretty solid overall. The boba pearls were overwhelming -- I choked on quite a few, and swallowed even more whole -- but solid nonetheless. As I'm not generally a big fan of boba, I would rank Purple Kow under ShareTea and U-Cha -- the two other places where I've had boba. read more

I LOVE this place! I would buy their drinks everyday if I lived closer to a location. I usually frequent the San Francisco location but we were in the East Bay so we decided to check this place out. One thing that I love about them is that the drinks are always consistent. It doesn't matter what location, the time of day, the staff or whatever else it's always great and it always tastes the same. I've read some of the other reviews where they say they don't know what the hype is all about well let me explain why I have been buying drinks here for years and will drive by a million other boba shops just to buy drinks here. First of all, everything is handcrafted only using the finest ingredients. I've heard that the owner takes trips overseas and personally hand picks the best teas. Second, nothing is pre made like at other boba shops. Your drink is not sitting in a big bucket somewhere and just waiting to be scooped into your cup a week in advance. Even the syrups are made in house. You won't see Torani here. Third, they are constantly working to make improvements to their already delicious drinks. What other hugely successful place have you seen that will actually invest more money into their already awesome drinks? Who switches from regular milk to organic at no extra charge? Who switches to Tcho chocolate? People are going to buy these drinks anyway and yet they will make more costly improvements not to charge people more money but to genuinely make their drinks better because they actually care. How many places have you seen go downhill after they become successful because they decide to cut corners to increase profits thinking that customers won't notice and will continue buying their products blindly? Not here. So there you have it. This is why I continue to drive across the city for these drinks on a regular basis and why I will happily wait an hour for them. So for those of you who don't understand why this place stands out and for those of you who think it all tastes the same then you should probably stick to quickly where you will get your generic low quality pre made drink for about the same price. You are also probably the same people who think Burger King makes gourmet burgers and that Long John Silvers is run by Gordon Ramsay. read more

I had boba and soba noodles! Both were really good! The noodles are a good snack! The service was really good as well. read more

Diabetes... intense, sugary diabetes... Purple Kow has finally moved into Berkeley, and the interior is SO ASIAN! More Asian than UC Berkeley! I felt so weird standing in line to order a drink... and I'm Asian! In terms of the drinks, I'm astounded how people seem to love these drinks. I ordered a Twins QQ with pudding and jelly, and it was horrendous! People seem to enjoy this place because of the large fat cups... but it just adds to the quantity of sugary liquids entering your body! People rave about this place all the time... but I don't find anything special. Lots of hype, lots of sugar, and by the time you're halfway done with your drink... you feel sick. Well, I'm not coming back! read more

I'm loyal... so as a fan of the SF location, I was excited when the Berkeley location finally opened! A few improvements with this location: -Shorter wait times... 10-15 mins vs. 1-hr or longer wait -Clear drink menu on the wall vs. Flimsy laminated worn out menus -Option to order less sugar... vs. Before I would order my drink and let the ice melt before drinking to lessen the sweetness Some pluses that haven't changed: -Frequent stamp card! -Aloe jelly -Friendly service CONVENIENCE: *** [Located in the heart of DT Berkeley, parking meters only, closes early 8pm at the latest, but hours can change depending on business.] AMBIANCE: **** [Clean, brightly furnished, resembles SF location, shares space with Top Dog.] SERVICE: **** [Friendly service, shorter wait times, order by drink number.] PRICE: $ [$3.09+ tax, $0.50 per topping] OVERALL: **** [4-stars... cuz altho wait times are shorter, getting to DT Berkeley ain't easy and parking is kinda a B.] Still a fan. Nuff said. [#40 of 100 YELP CHALLENGE 2013] read more

Good but not memorable. I branched out of my comfort zone and got the honey milk tea with boba, less sweat. The honey flavor didn't stand out and it really just tasted like plain milk tea. Adequate but not what I wanted...The boba was decent-good balance of sweetness without being overly so and not too chewy, not too soft. The shop space is actually very cool with high ceilings and a small upstairs alcove with a few tables. We were lucky to snag a seat because it is very limited. With all the boba options in Berkeley, Purple Kow doesn't stand out enough to venture here again. Just okay-not a go to spot. read more

If you like spider webs and dust, venture to the narrow alley by the front window. Ordered mango green tea boba at half sweetness. Damn, half sweetness tasted incredibly sweet or they just messed up the order. read more

For all of the people who are appalled at my rating, it's because my first experience here wasn't too good, and that, sadly, had a very large impression on me. I visited Purple Kow today, and I initially was very pleased. Everything is very clean and "cute." I ordered the simplest boba drink (milk tea (black) with boba) and waited. And waited. And waited. I mean, I don't expect my drink to be out within a matter of seconds, but boba should not take 20 minutes to take. Yes, it was a busy, but the line was not out of the store. When I got there, there were 2 people in front of me. I do want to give them some leeway because of the fact that the employees might have been new, but still: 20 minutes is a long time (and I was late to class). When I got my drink, it wasn't bad. But it also wasn't good. It was very "okay," and I can go get $2 "okay" boba anywhere. It wasn't worth paying the $4 for a very okay drink. Oh, and they forgot my ice, so I had a nice, lukewarm "iced" tea. I am willing to return after they get settled in and hope to change my rating, but for now, they get 2 stars. read more

finally got to them when they were open. after lunch, very short line. space small, only 2 tables for sitdown. drink: purple kow milk green tea (3.09) -sugar option available: choose 50% less sugar -milk not overpowdering -real tea taste subtle -no sweetness tasted. -came out in 5 minutes..... 3.5 stars, slightly disappointed. drips: -surprised backup staff entirely indian or latina. read more

I've always been a huge fan of Purple Kow-- when there's no lines out the door, it is a win win! The thing about this place are the Chubby Cups. One too many drinks here and the cup won't be the only thing that's chubby. You'll always find me going for the flavored teas-- the Lychee black tea here isn't too shabby. Add the boba and lychee jelly to top it off. Price wise, expect to pay about $5 a drink. Unfortunately their food menu is lacking. We ordered a popcorn chicken for about $5. It was decent, but definitely would not be ordering it again. I'd probably skip (literally) on over next door to Top Dog for a snack. They have a small waiting area, especially if there's a lot of people lingering around, but there's a sitting area upstairs if you want to chit chat. All in all, I don't make a special trip out of it to come to Purple Kow, but if I'm in the area I definitely circle on by to scout out the line before circling for parking. Not a bad spot if you're craving boba and can find parking! read more

I had the Purple Kow in SF and thought that it was alright but I gave this place a second try since it was in my Berkeley. Yes, the line extends out til forever and hopefully you get in before it closes at 5pm. Maybe its hours are so short because they are very new and opened in mid July. It will take about 10-15 minutes to place your order and then another 10-15 minutes to pick up your drinks. They tend to jump around when calling out orders so that was sort of annoying. I finally got my Roasted oolong milk tea with lychee jelly for $3.91. I got the regular milk tea last time so I wanted to try this mysterious roasted flavor. The oolong is definitely a different taste and I prefer it to the regular milk tea hands down. By 4:30pm, they ran out of the pudding which was fine because I love me some lychee jelly! Even with a little bit of ice in the cup, the drink was lukewarm and not a refreshing drink you would want on a hot day. The drink is alright to be honest and it is just the novelty of the fat cup that makes it so popular among all the college students. If I was still a student, I would just avoid the farther walk and additional cost and just go for my favorite cheap milk tea at Sweetheart Cafe. **TIPS** 1) The pudding runs out toward the end of the day so get there before 4pm. 2) They dont have a loyalty card yet so they stamp your receipt. Make sure to keep your receipt! 3) Get the roasted oolong over the popular regular black tea (supposedly the most popular drink). When I tasted my friend's, it was ridiculously sweet so she just gave it away. read more

Purple Kow - Roasted oolong milk tea with lychee jelly for $3.91 - Desserts Near Me - Berkeley, California

I gave purple kow a second chance. And now I am here multiple times a week (translate: every day). I don't drink milk so I always choose one of the 'fresh fruit blended teas.' My favorites include strawberry, peach, and lychee. Always always get reduced sugar!! Lychee jelly + boba = perfection read more

Super fragile container with no caution!!!!!! Damages: 1.Dry cleaning 2.Gas/Fuel 3.Carpet Add all these damages ... it would be the most expensive boba I've ever paid :( read more

Purple Kow - Desserts Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Overall the taste of the pepper chicken is not bad, but I feel that the frying batter definitely can be improved. Because of the clustered flour, texture of the chicken isn't very good and lacks crunch. Also the oil doesn't seem to be very freah read more

Purple Kow - Desserts Near Me - Berkeley, California

Tip: The drinks here are super sweet so if you normally don't like sweet tea drinks, I would recommend 25-50% sweet. I ordered a Lychee green tea here. The taste was average but the service was crap. I asked for less sweet, but when I tried my drink it was still extremely sweet. I asked the worker girl if she could just dilute the drink a bit to make it less sweet, but she said no with a bad attitude. read more

My friends and I walked in at 9:55pm (they close at 10), and the girl tells me that it's 10 and they're closed. WTF??? I showed her the time on my phone and she gave me attitude. Then she called another girl over and that girl looked at her phone and said "well it's 9:56" and shrugged her shoulders. Apparently, the clock on their register is 10 min fast and "that's the time they go by". So she very reluctantly served us. But before she even took our order, the guy that was in line in front of me ordered an ice milk drink, and as he walked away, the same girl flagged him back and said they didn't have any more iced milk. But then, another girl in the kitchen said, "that's ok, we can do it" and the first girl said, "he's the last one". I wanted that drink, but she refused to let me order it. Again, WTF?? AND, it's still not 10pm yet. This is absolutely the worst service I've received in a very long time. The amount of attitude I was given is absolutely unacceptable. The workers there tonight seemed very immature and seem to not care about their jobs. If it is a known fact that the clock is fast, shouldn't it be fixed? Don't give me attitude when you are clearly in the wrong. read more

Purple Kow should adjust its posted hours. According to an employee, you cannot be served unless you arrive by 9:50 pm. Drinks are mediocre, inconsistent and way more sweet than is healthy or pleasing to taste. No reason to come here unless it is convenient or you are desperate for some boba. Lazy workers but what can you expect if they are all college students. read more

If you're in Berkeley near the Cal campus and have a hankering for Bubble Tea, there are a TON of options. Purple Kow is one of them. After having dinner nearby, my friends and I stopped by Purple Kow to satisfy our Bubble Tea craving. Purple Kow offers many different options and we were all able to order what we needed. Good Berkeley option for Boba. read more

They started off pretty rocky when they first opened up. (They were SUPER slow at making drinks and they were pretty inconsistent with taste). But by now, they are really good! I would have to agree with some ppl here that say these big cups are a novelty and it is just a fad... but the boba and the tea are pretty legit. Especially their High Mountain Oolong (tea crema), very authentic. My go-to drink is the honey green milk tea with boba and pudding. Very yummmy! I also recommend less sugar. FYI, there bobas are a BIT smaller than the usual bobas, but they're also definitely not considered small boba either... So I guess you could call them medium boba? Oh, also a word to the wise, on game days or when it's hot outside, you will definitely be expected to wait a bit. Shout out to Top Dog next door. Bratwurst ftw. read more

Ok - so as a vegan obsessed with Boba - you'd think my life was complicated - and to tell the truth it really is - I am constantly searching for places that offer soy milk/almond milk/coconut milk because really milk tea is where it's at for me. I was so excited to find out that Purple Kow uses a soy based creamer for the non-fresh milk bobas. Sign me UP! I asked to see the ingredients list and they were like can't do that but it's totally soy based - no dairy - the promised. Thanks to my crazy hunger for boba and the name of the milk protein currently slipping my mind- I threw caution to the wind and asked for an almond milk boba. 2 hours later - my stomach was not happy - but the inner boba monster in me was satisfied. Did some research on soy based creamers - most seem safe online but next time I go in and actually remember the name - ask hey do you have an ingredients list to show me? They say no - then I ask does your SOY based creamer have casein in it? And well of course they do. Ugh - I will be going to Asha from now on - they at least have legit soy milk AND almond milk (fantastic in almond milk teas!) FYI Casein is a by product of milk/cheese that is so chemically altered its allowed in non dairy creamers. Gross. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casein http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/Casein.htm read more

They got huge cups here and their selections include at least 2-3 toppings. Still, not a big fan of their milk tea...

The drinks tend to be pretty sweet, so if you don't want to be drinking straight sugar, I suggest getting 0%-50% sugar. Especially for my favorite D3, the caramel iced milk. I haven't been let down from their drinks and I've tried a few. Their new mint and strawberry milk drinks taste like ice cream but doesn't have the thickness of milkshakes. They have the locally produced TCHO chocolate pieces in these drinks and chocolate pudding. YUM! read more

If you're ever bored and want to waste about 45 minutes waiting in line then this is the place to be. If you're lucky, you'll only have to wait 20 minutes. Quality& Taste: 4/5!!! After the longest wait ever, Purple Kow redeemed itself because my drink was delicious. I got the Honey Green Milk Tea (+ boba for extra $0.50). Unlike other places, PK gives you a ton of boba (you get what you pay for) You can definitely taste the fresh tea and the milk wasn't overpowering. The boba was soft and chewy, just the way it should be. Overall, I enjoyed my drink. This is probably the best milk tea place in Berkeley. You have a wide array of drink selections (milk tea, milk drink, tea drinks, tea creme, etc.) It is a bit pricey but you get your money worth because the cups are huge. *Update, their services get an upgrade because they got their shit together. Service: 4/5 . read more

Purple Kow has a drink for everyone, from anti-sugar freaks to those who wish to give themselves an early onset of type 2 diabetes. A sugar scale is available to assist you in the art of boba titration, figuring out the exact concentration of sugar before it crosses the threshold from drinkable to disgusting. However, the only problem is that each type of drink comes with different levels of sweetness, so it's hard to figure out how much sugar you want if you're feeling adventurous enough to order something you haven't tried before. PK milk tea is in the middle of the sweetness scale, and when it's topped with perfectly chewy boba and flavorful egg pudding, I'd have to say that it's one of the better tapioca drinks in Berkeley. PK iced milk drink with caramel (and boba and egg pudding) is so far off the charts on the sweetness scale that it breaks any sugar-measuring instruments within a 5 mile radius. I thought it was very similar to a caramel frappuccino with an extra shot of caramel syrup. This is probably the only time that I regretted getting a boba drink in a chubby cup, because it was physically impossible for me to finish it in one sitting. The salt and pepper chicken nuggets were nothing to rave about. At all. Not enough flavor for it to stand out in my memory. Advice? Save your money. read more

I love Purple Kow and their cute chubby cups! Usually go to the SF location, but this was on the way back to Sacramento so we stopped by for the first time. This review is only for the jasmine milk tea with boba and egg pudding. I LOVE THEIR EGG PUDDING! It's always so soft and I love the caramel/slight coffee taste it has. I tried their regular milk tea but I still love jasmine because it's made with green tea. I'm usually not a fan of sweet drinks and have to lessen the sweetness level, but I don't with this drink. It sometimes gets a little sweet, but it has a strong green tea taste to it that sometimes leaves a slight bitter taste at the end of your sip, so I leave the sweetness level as is. I like it like that because that's when I know that there's a good amount of green tea and it's usually more authentic. Yum! I want some more just thinking about it read more

I love the large, diverse menu that they offer here, they carry plenty of smoothies and teas at prices that can match any other similar businesses in the area. Their topping selections are decent at this location, they carry the standard boba pearls, but also stock many different jellies that are both a tasty and refreshing addition to any made to order drink. I would have given this shop a perfect rating, but I am not too crazy about their wide bodied drink cups, they appear to give you more for your money, but in reality it is purely a visual effect and it also makes it a small hassle to place them in standard cup holders. read more

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Come here for a indulgent treat especially ones with pudding AND boba. I think they are indulgent because the actual container for one serving is massive. I don't like mine on the overly sweet side, so if I'm getting D3, I ask for microsugar. The last time I came here, I decided to get something different and opted for the pineapple green tea (with half the sugar) and that was amazing. Refreshing with that real kind of bitter green tea flavor that is balanced with the chunks of sweet pineapple (could have been canned pineapple, but still good!). Definitely worth trying the different types of drinks they have. read more

PurpleKow is a popular spot in a heavy foot traffic area. It can get super crowded around midday rush, and the space is not really made to accommodate a crowd. It's not terribly uncommon to see a really long line snaking out the door, mingled with people who have already ordered milling about near the counter so they can hear their order number called.....with everyone grumpily trying to share a really narrow, small space. Chaos! I avoid PurpleKow during peak hours for this reason. That and, while the drinks are certainly very good, they aren't quite spectacular enough to pull out too far ahead of local competition. With strong new boba and milk tea options popping up around Berkeley all the time, PurpleKow has lost some of its luster for me. I have tried just about every general 'type' of drink on the menu, and the strongest are probably the Tea Cremas; the obscenely sweet Milk Tea options; and the yakult teas (If you like yakult. I effing love it, so...). A Tea Crema is a nice simple combination of brewed tea with cream on top; but I will say, that 'crema' is serious business. It is a thick cap of cream that has been whipped to almost butter consistency. It feels really decadent, and is best when mixed reallyyyyy well into the tea itself. I usually order the cremas with no sugar added, and the cream mellows out some of the tannins in the tea, without being sweet. The Milk Teas---with all sorts of sinful add-ins like pudding, boba, caramel, chocolate, etc.---are like liquid cake. Even if you opt to get no sugar added, the drinks are still insanely sweet because the add-ins themselves are chock-full of sugar. Maybe I'm getting old, but if I finish a whole Milk Tea by myself, I am probably going to be out of commission for the rest of the day while I sleep off the sugar crash. All the same, sometimes I am game for that. Like I said, liquid cake---and who doesn't like cake?! But, in truth, lately when I go to PurpleKow I always order the same thing: fresh orange yakult drink! It is simply orange juice and yakult blended together: sweet, refreshing, with slight creaminess from the yakult. Perfect for a warm day and it doesn't leave me with a Purple Kow hangover; I recommend it highly! Outside of those three things, which I generally enjoy, the rest of the menu is a little hit and miss. The special jelly drinks don't really seem worth the extra cost. I was tempted to try one of the special jelly QQ drinks because in the description it mentioned coconut jelly, which sounds DELICIOUS. But, as I found out, they don't even serve coconut jelly. Boooooooo. They substitute lychee jelly instead. Which they run out of a lot. Boooooooo. Oh, and side note: if you were curious, "QQ" means 'chewy'. It was driving me crazy trying to figure it out so I looked it up, haha. The more you know.... Anyway, I have figured out which drinks I like the most at PurpleKow, and I pretty much stick to those. It is a good spot for boba, but not the best--- however if you do make it through one of their stamp cards, you get a free drink, unlimited on size and toppings! If you are a heavy boba drinker, cash in on that shiz! It'll be your meal for the day! read more

How now, Purple Kow? This is definitely an awesome place to check out if you're coming to or from the Downtown Berkeley Station towards the campus on Center St and are in need of a delicious refreshment! Located right next to another one of my favorite Berkeley stops (Top Dog!), you can usually find this shop bustling with a long line, and for great reason! There are plenty of different flavors and topping combinations to choose from, and the atmosphere of the place is very clean and bright with cool decor; the service is very nice too, although the front desk is pretty small. Once we walked in, we were enthralled by their large bright menu offereing all kinds of different drinks. My friend and I ended up getting orders of green and oolong milk teas with boba, which took no time to make and were in their famously wide containers! We were talking about how large their portions are for a small, and how we couldn't seem to make a dent in it no matter how much we've drank. My only issue is that I wish they offered a taro drink because it would really fit with their name! Otherwise, this place is udderly amazing and totally worth the price! I wish every college campus had a boba place like this! :) read more

Yay Purple Kow. So convenient near a college campus. Walked and there was no line. Lots of choices though and it took us awhile to decide. I ended up with mango green tea with boba. Oh bucket cups. It's a huge amount of drink. The large is even ridiculous-er. The drink was good and had some small mango chunks in there too with the boba. A medium amount of seating and there's even a small upstairs area. We sat and chatted and people watched for awhile. It's very chill inside and they had multiple rushes with the line going out the door at times. read more

Having a ridiculously terrible day today :( needed a pick me up after class so stopped by. There isn't a wait here around 11:30am/noon. So that's definitely a plus for no lines. Service is pretty fast too and really friendly - my friend and I received our drinks within 5-7 minutes after exploring their upstairs seating area. Note - there's no Wi-fi here, no plugs - but apparently you can steal the wi-fi from Starbucks :P (says the cashier after I inquired) And they don't have real foods yet - only drinks (even though it's advertised on their sign) Super cute decorations - very bright, and just what I need for this stressful day! Very clean environment as well. Drinks - D3 - DIabetes in a Chubby Cup - holy moly - I feel like I shorten my lifespan with every new sip - the iced milk portion was definite too sweet for anyone's good. The boba was flavored and soft - yes! The egg pudding was alright - lacking in flavor and amount - eh! The caramel - it is there, and giving you an uppercut into the gut with its wrenching sweetness. Ended up giving me a headache from the sweetness. (For health fanatics - don't get it - it's not worth it to go big or go home for this one) Matcha milk tea with boba and grass jelly - RECOMMENDED! - I love how it's sweet, but durable - You can taste the tea :D - Cute green color - Would recommend in Berkeley? Yes. Overall 3.5 stars read more

The boba at Purple Kow is just ok -- I've had better boba at Sharetea and Sweetheart Cafe, but Purple Know is also not the worst. I personally like fruit teas, but the fruit teas at Purple Kow are so sugary sweet and I have a hard time enjoying drinks when they are that sweet. I also do not like their boba because I think they are too small and kind of chewy. Purple Kow is more known for their milk teas, so if you're a fan of milk teas, Purple Kow may be a good place to check out, but if you're like me and only like fruit teas, check out some of the other boba places in Berkeley that have delicious and refreshing fruit teas. read more

Purple Kow - Passionfruit green tea - Desserts Near Me - Berkeley, California

This location is much bigger and quicker than the SF location, with similar menu choices and plenty of boba to spare. The last time I came here I had the matcha crema and it was delicious. What's in that crema?? Oh, just fresh milk with just a dash of WTF. In any case, I think the biggest noticeable difference in comparison to the SF location is the speed and the manageable line to order (aka not out the door). Can't vouch for all hours, but I was here on a Sunday afternoon and while busy, it was not overly crowded.I love the decor and there's plenty of seating. There's a second floor with additional seating, if the couple of tables downstairs are taken. I mean, I think this place automatically gets 3 stars alone for sharing the same space with Top Dog. Just the thought of an awesome hot dog + boba drink from Purple Kow is already blowing my mind. Prices could probably be a bit lower for its proximity to UC Berkeley, but you can definitely tell the quality is a lot better for what you pay. read more

I'm really sad to write this review. I drove all the way from Fairfield to have my 2nd round of Purple Kow at Berkeley today. I ordered the matcha milk tea with boba. Within 10 minutes of finishing the drink I became dizzy and nauseous. My tummy started turning quick, luckily I was able to evade instantaneous disaster with some Pepto, but it's 6 hours later and I'm still gurgling and experiencing some interesting after effects... I want to come back really badly but I just don't think I'll be able to because of this. :( read more

I like the tea crema here. Very light but the cream on top makes the drink worthwhile! Get the Mountain High Oolong Tea. I can't stand sugary drinks so I always get 50% sugar. 25% is a little too bland for my taste. 1 star off for their annoyingly shaped cups that won't fit in any standard cup holder. Maybe they are trying to be unique but there is something called efficiency and this is not it. That's why I like the tea cremas, they come in a regular sized cup that will fit in a cup holder. The milk tea and pudding drinks are good, but basically a meal in itself. It will get you full! read more

Purple Kow! Never been able to figure out the name of this boba joint (sounds like a Barney-fied cow), but what I have figured out is that they make some pretty good drinks. The drinks are pretty simple. I always go for half-sugar here because I care about my sexy physique and too much sugar makes for drinking liquefied candy. At the same time, half sugar means all the more actual tea flavor, which is the point of getting milk tea in the first place right? Can't really go wrong with any of the options over here. I suggest just throwing a dart at their "most popular" list and getting whatever it lands on. (Please don't actually do this) The best thing about this Purple Kow is that there isn't the ridiculously long wait that the San Francisco location ails from. You can get that ridiculously sized cup in just a fraction of the wait time. There is literally nothing stopping you from pumping your stomach full of milk tea and boba here in Berkeley! That is, except for the parking. Being so close to both Shattuck and the campus means it is a battle to find a spot to park your car. You can either make like Pharrell and get lucky finding a spot, or pay for parking in one of the random lots in the area. Purple Kow seems like the place to be to get some quick boba in Berkeley! read more

It was my first time and I wasn't sure which one was better, black or green tea. After asking the cashier, I knew right away which one to get. I got the purple kow black tea with regular sugar because it is suppose to be sweeter than the green tea. The large cups are a great plus. So much milk tea and they don't skim on the toppings either. It could even be a whole meal in itself. Next time I will definitely get a reduced sugar option next time because the black tea + regular sugar is WAY too sweet for me. read more

I like it! I come from the land of Half and Half in LA and this is the closest you get to it. It's on the pricier side but still under $5 and I'm sure it's because they have a larger cup. If you can't decide what to get like me, the D3 is a mishmash of yummy toppings [pudding, boba and caramel] + milk tea. I only got it at 25% sweetness and it was plenty sweet. We also got the popcorn chicken and it was a nice takeout size. For the popcorn chicken snobs, there's chili powder for you to dress it. There's limited seating in an upstairs loft and though the staff was friendly, the tables could use a bit of wiping every so often.Also, parking is street and limited. Overall, coming back again! read more

My new favorite boba place in Berkeley! For those who are lactose intolerant like me, they make all of their milk tea drinks with soy milk by default so you don't have to worry about asking for it. I love their roasted oolong milk tea--more flavorful than regular milk tea IMO and I don't think any other place in Berkeley offers this. My only complaint is they aren't open as late as the other milk tea places around campus, but they're starting to extend their hours which makes me happy. All of the times that I've gone, there wasn't a long line, but they're not the fastest at getting orders out. The quality of their drinks, however, is noticeably better than Moccacino and Sweetheart Cafe so I think its worth the wait and extra cost. There's a good amount of seating (they have an upstairs level!), its very clean and they take credit card! read more

Purple Kow now offers varying degrees of sugar levels for their boba drinkers. When you order, just ask for "less sugar," etc. to further customize your drink. I wonder why they don't say 75% for less sugar, though... 100% = Full Sugar 80% = Less Sugar 50% = Half Sugar 25% = Micro Sugar 0% = No Sugar I am now a fan of their roasted oolong milk tea, or just their roasted oolong tea. :) PS: The upstairs seating area is hella hot. And not in a good way. read more

Purple Kow - Oh the pretty lights! - Desserts Near Me - Berkeley, California