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.

TLDR: This Bubble Tea chain from Taiwan just opened up its first store in Ottawa. Their famous…read morebrown sugar pearls are made fresh in-store. Their milk tea has a potent tea flavour and they use whole milk, so it's very rich and creamy. Their soft opening was June 27, 2024. They will have their grand opening in July. During their soft opening, which is when I went, they only had their 10 top selling drinks available and no soft serve ice cream. Unfortunately for me, during their soft opening they didn't have any discounts/promotions and everything was just regular priced, lol. I went with their classic Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea. I got the regular size ($6.50) with less ice. The sugar level is fixed. They said they could make it less sweet by giving me less pearls, lol. No thanks, I love pearls, haha. So I got the standard sweetness. The pearls were delicious! So soft and chewy. The tea had a strong tea flavour and since they use homogenized milk, it was so rich and creamy, almost too much so for my tastes, lol. Staff were very welcoming and they were so enthusiastic. There's some seating inside and a few patio tables outside too. The store is bright and clean. Xing Fu Tang is known for their fortune boxes. They're like fortune cookies, but no cookie, haha. You choose a stick from the container of sticks. And there's a number on the stick which corresponds with a numbered drawer. In the drawer is a fortune. I was in a bit of a hurry, so I skipped the fun ;) I'll need to return to try their soft serve ice cream. And they have this mango smoothie drink with strawberry boba and a panna cotta bunny on top, which I want to try too. And they have drinks with real taro, so I'll need to take my taro-loving mom here too. They are in Old Ottawa East. Street parking only. (93)

Hubby found this place on IG so we made a day date with an afternoon pick-me-up from here. We each…read moregot a brown sugar pearl milk tea ( I ordered mine with less sugar, less ice) and we also shared matcha blossom ( I think that's what it was called), which was matcha layered over milk, with Sakura pearls and we asked to add brown sugar pearls. The matcha was so fresh and strong, it was unlike any other matcha I've had in North America. I was afraid the brown sugar would be too sweet but it was the perfect amount of flavor and a hint of sweet. Definitely a 10 out of 10 for the drinks. Staff were very patient with us as we tried to make a decision and they were very helpful with answering questions and making recommendations. The business itself was clean,modern and cute. They were also very efficient with the making of our beverages.

I love bubble tea, so was super excited to learn that Cha Miao opened up a location in Ottawa. They…read morejust opened last week (mid-December 2023). It's not in an area that I'm in much anymore, but I decided to make a special trip out there to check it out and run a few errands in the neighbourhood while I was there. They were having a BOGO deal on UberEats, so I ordered on that platform for pickup. I got the Lychee Fruit Tea with lychee jelly ($8.09 BOGO). I got less ice and the lowest sugar option available, which was 50%. When I picked up my order, I was greeted by Alan, the owner (could be Allan or Allen, not sure if the spelling, sorry). He was very friendly and welcoming. He told me they had just opened the week before. His wife owns the nail salon next door (Shangri La Nails) and both spaces used to be the salon, but she felt she didn't need all that space, so divided up the space and he opened up Cha Miao. Great idea! People can get their nails done then grab a bubble tea, lol. Anyway, he's going to see how business goes, but really hopes to expand and open a location in Kanata and one in Orleans, in a year or two. Oh my mom and brother would love it if they opened up in Orleans since they are also bubble tea aficionados, haha. The tea was delicious! I loved the pieces of real lychee in it and the lychee jelly is the soft homemade type of jelly and not the firm rectangular pieces of jelly that most bubble tea shops carry. I also loved the pink colour of the drink ;) I enjoyed the tea, but I felt I could have gone with a lower sugar option, like 25-30%. So I would recommend that they offer that as an option. The space is small. There are a few seats inside, but I feel it's more suitable for takeout. The place seems popular. As I was leaving, 3 teenagers came in and I overheard that they were just there the day before, lol. I'm glad that the shop has return customers. I want them to do well because I want a location in Orleans for my mom, haha. They are located in a small strip mall. Same strip mall as Cosmos Souvlaki. Free parking available in the shared strip mall parking lot.

Always had Cha Miao in Markham, so glad they're finally open in Ottawa!…read more Tried it twice, tastes the same. Highly recommend!

I've given this place two chances: once in Las Vegas in the US and then again here in Canada. The…read moreAlley is consistently mediocre at making boba drinks. Unfortunately I brought a first timer to try a boba drink and they were disappointed as well. If I get a brown sugar boba, it better have enough brown sugar syrup. Both times I've gotten them here, they just tasted like milk. I had to tell my friend afterwards to erase this first boba experience from their head (I'll bring them somewhere else). Definitely don't get the brown sugar boba drinks here :(

Its a good place that is popular in other cities like Toronto with good quality items and centrally…read morelocated beside byward market. The only reason it is a 3/5 is for silly reasons but ones I cant seem to get past. I find the menu to be quite limited with mostly plain milk tea. The item I got they were weighing my tapioca... i guess that is a good way to make flavors consistent.... But the worker was very exact scooping out 2-3 tapioca balls.. which i found silly for $7.... Anywaysssss It was tasty anyways... but some weird things here

It was my first time here and so glad I went! It was empty on a weekday afternoon, but I could see…read morethis little spot in Chinatown getting some traffic later at night and on weekends since they have board games and some larger tables. The seating wraps around the cafe with larger seating on the other side, so if you're a bigger group, just follow the kitchen area around the bend to the left. It's super casual and I don't think they have AC, but they do have a lot of fans circulating air. When you walk up the steps off Somerset, head to the door on your far right, as the one on the left is a hair salon. If you start going upstairs, you're in the wrong spot. I ordered a large roasted oolong milk tea bubble tea with tapioca pearls, grass jelly, and cheese foam (even though cheese foam isn't on the menu). I forgot to specify sugar and ice level, so mine didn't come with either, which is the opposite of what usually happens when you don't specify. I usually get 30% sugar and light ice anyway, so even though I wished I got a bit of ice to cool it down, it was actually great for me. The tapioca was still warm and had a nice chew to it. The grass jelly was cut in such a way that you'd suck up long chunks, which I wasn't sure about at first since I'd sometimes get mouthfuls of jelly, but I might prefer it this way since it was the first time I didn't have chunks leftover at the bottom once the tea was gone. The tea itself was great, too. Not much cheese foam, unfortunately. They use paper straws, which is great, and the first time I've seen it at a boba shop, but there wasn't any recycling for the plastic cups and lids, which is too bad. I also got a regular size matcha red bean signature bubble waffle and added fresh strawberries and some mochi (also not on the menu). I thought it was just matcha ice cream, but the waffle had matcha mochi? baked in between instead of chunks, which gave it a nice, bouncier texture and bite. It was my first time having a bubble waffle with ice cream and I enjoyed it! Matcha ice cream is a bit bitter, so it wasn't too sweet. Not too much red bean so as to overpower. It also had whipped cream and a little Pirouline rolled wafer (not filled). Great dessert, not too big, and HOW PRETTY! I do wish there were some much-needed upgrades, but otherwise tasty and super affordable. Great service as well - they even brought our orders to our table instead of us waiting at the front. Will definitely be back!

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

This is probably one of the best Boba tea places I have tried in years. It's a bit on the pricier…read moreside, but you get what you pay for. I particularly like how customizable your tea can be: amount of sugar, amount of ice, toppings, and of course, size. They also put a very generous portion of tapioca in the tea. This is the perfect way to complement your meal from the Shanghai restaurant next-door.

They have a good variety to choose from. The store at this location is now called "Lazy Panda" with…read morethe same and additional staff.

The Short Version: Chatime in the plaza where the big…read moreWalmart is. Bright and clean. Nice staff. Consistent drinks. The Long Version: This Chatime opened in late summer of 2025 in the plaza where Walmart is, but it's near the St. Louis Bar and Grill, CAA, and Thai Express. I was happy to see it open because the location nearby on Merivale Rd in the Emerald Plaza closed down (and became a Tealive. As an aside, I have no idea what's going on between Chatime and Tealive because 3 locations that were Chatimes in Ottawa closed down and shortly after Tealives opened in their places). Anyway, this location is a bit smaller than the former Merivale location but it still has a good amount of seating. It's bright and clean and still looks new, lol. I got a regular lychee QQ ($5.20). I got no added sugar and less ice. QQ is tapioca pearls and coconut jelly. This drink was just juice, no tea. The drink was great and I got a good amount of toppings. The tearista was friendly and I didn't have to wait long for my drink. Free parking in the plaza parking lot. Review #191 (2025)

From the owner: Best and largest bubble tea franchise chain. We offer hand crafted bubble tea and desserts. read more

I got this as an after dinner dessert and it did not disappoint. I had almost lowest sugar option…read moreand it was pretty sweet due to the mango. I recommend this place for fresh juice slushes to boba teas. The Mango slush tasted very fresh and there were pieces of real mango. PS: The service is pretty quick!

One of the best bubble tea spots! I love all the vegan options. I normally get the fresh mango…read moreslush with tapioca (always make sure no dairy) and their green tea selection is delicious too! My daughter has tried the blueberry, peach, mango and several others, all were great! The mango slush has fresh pieces of mango, it is so good. I have tried the mango with pineapple as well, and there's one with coconut shreds which was nice too. The most recent one I tried was from the summer menu, citrus passion fruit with tapioca and it was refreshing! Love the pulp in it! The service is great, always quick and always follow order notes. Cute decent sized place with a few tables. Lots of parking.

This second location of Tealive in Ottawa opened up in October 2023. It's co-located with Dao Cafe…read more It's fairly large and is where the Kanata Noodle House Vietnamese Buffet used to be (RIP Ottawa's only Vietnamese Buffet. So sad. And yes, it was called Kanata Noodle House despite being in Gloucester, lol). The inside is spacious and beautiful. Very Instagramble, lol. I got a Sparkling White Peach Green Tea 3Q (which comes with tapioca pearls, sago and coconut jelly). I had never had a sparkling bubble tea before, but was inspired by my friend Mary T. who enjoys them ;) They were BOGO on UberEats too! So for $7.29 I got 2 (regular size). My drink took a bit longer than usual because they had to make new pearls, but I didn't mind because I prefer fresh pearls and they updated my pick up time on the UberEats app, so I knew I had more time to get there (I found out the reason about the pearls when I arrived). Staff were pleasant. I got there a bit early so they were still making my drink. There was an issue with sealing the cup because apparently they ran out of their usual regular cups and were using some substitute that I guess wasn't compatible with the sealing machine. The girl working there tried twice to seal the cup and it kept leaking. I told her I was ok with her putting my drink into the large cup and just having it not full. She seemed relieved and the large cup sealed perfectly. The drink itself wasn't as sparkling as I thought it would be. It had a mild effervescence to it, but it was very subtle. It was also a bit bitter. I got it with no sugar, but I've gotten the exact same drink but not sparkling at the Somerset location and it wasn't bitter. I always get my bubble tea with no added sugar and this is the first time it was bitter. Maybe it's because they are new. I will give them another try to see if things are better. Ambiance and service were great. The drink just wasn't as good as drinks at the Somerset location. This location is in a plaza so lots of free parking on-site (which is a definite advantage over the Somerset location in Chinatown).

I am so happy we have a stand alone bubble tea shop in the east end, and SO ecstatic that its…read more Tealive and Doa Cafe under one roof! The fam and I popped in spontaneously, so we were not overly hungry. We just got two drinks to share and try out. An oreo vanilla frapp (literally tasted like you were eating an oreo cookie, SO GOOD) and a milk bubble tea with pearls. They have an extensive menu, so glance it over before going in if you are newbie like me. Service was quick and friendly. They even have a self serve kiosk at the entrance. There are maybe 5-6 tables for seating spread out around the restaurant, but mostly long benches to sit at along the wall. I was a little confused at how to order the baked goods as they are at the far end of the restaurant and not the first thing you see when you walk in. I observed the restaurant and how things ran while sitting at a bench. So for tealive items its at one cash, and for Doa items, like macarons, and their specialty drinks, its at another cash. I scoped out the macarons and baked goods, and they looked fun and delish. I will have to try one out next time. The restaurant had a magical vibe. Lots of parking out front and from what I understand, cashless.