Gong Cha was delicious and refreshing! Located on the lower level of the Buckland Hill's mall, Gong…read moreCha is a great addition for fresh tea, smoothies, and boba drinks. We spotted the kiosk when we entered the mall and knew we had to stop on our way out (we parked by Barns & Noble/Hungry Pot). The staff member was really sweet and ran through all the options since you can make a lot of customizations. Gong Cha has a lot of different toppings like milk foam, tapioca pearl boba, jellies, milk foam and more. My husband got the Mango Milk Smoothie with 50% sweet, no toppings and whole milk. He liked the creaminess of the drink, but will likely try 70% next time. I tried a seasonal summer flavor called Thai Mango Milk Tea that had green tea, passion fruit jelly, milk and mango syrup. It was super yummy and refreshing. I got the drink 30% sweet because I prefer my teas not too sugary. The passion fruit jelly was my part. For a mall kiosk, Gong Cha had some seating. The kiosk was shaped as a circle, and the backside had seats which I thought was nice. The food court is also right above on the upper level too.

she's okay like she's not best but their seasonal boba drinks are cute and their regular milk tea…read moreis okay, usually grab it is as a drink while shopping

This is going to be my favorite spot for smoothies. Small, easy access, and healthy fresh fruit.read more

I saw the many positive reviews on Google and decided to try this place on my way to Woodland…read moreGardens. I got the Macarena bowl and the raspberry mint tea and was shocked with how flavorful and ripe the fruit was and how lovingly everything was assembled and packed up. I'm so glad we found this gem! Definitely give it a try!

Very friendly staff. Tons of bubble options. No milk alternatives though. In a very secluded area…read more So don't go alone, but also go with a group, they have tables and games to please. Tad Teas were very sweet, even though we asked for only 50%

It's okay but the drink are extremely sweet and very long wait time. They place has some games that…read moreis very nice and clean.

Whale Tea at UConn is a specialty boba tea shop on or near campus that has developed a steady…read morefollowing among both students and people in the surrounding area who make it a regular stop. I found the space clean and the interior with enough character to make it a comfortable place to sit for a bit rather than just a grab and go counter. The brown sugar boba is the signature item. I tried it and the tapioca pearls were chewy in the way that good boba should be, with enough body that they held up through the drink rather than dissolving into something gummy by the midpoint. The brown sugar flavor came through clearly without being cloying. The broader menu covers fruit teas, milk teas, and slushes with a range wide enough that most preferences are accommodated, and customization options for ice level and sweetness allowed me to dial in the drink to my preference. The ability to order without boba if that is not your thing is worth knowing if you are new to the format. Service was friendly and the staff were welcoming in a way that made the shop feel approachable for a first time visitor. Order accuracy has occasionally been an issue, and online orders do not always get flagged as ready in the app when they are, so checking in at the counter if I have been waiting longer than expected is worth doing. Pricing runs over ten dollars per drink, which adds up quickly for a group, and the shop is closed on Wednesdays, a detail worth confirming before making a specific trip. For boba in the Storrs area, Whale Tea sits at the better end of what is available locally.

This is the Whale Tea that created the boba addict in me. When I heard they added egg puffs to…read moretheir menu, I had to come back. I got my usual oreo milk tea with 30 percent sugar and jelly boba, and it was the perfect treat, as always. I got the matcha egg puffs, and they looked so cute with their little smiley faces! The flavor and texture of the egg puffs was also delicious and standard, but I was disappointed because I was expecting an oozy matcha filling in the center, and, as you can see in the photo I posted, there is barely any filling at all. The matcha flavor was very weak, and I was basically just eating a plain egg puff. It was still good, but I hope their other flavors have better filling or it was just an off batch.

I'm finally back here. The restaurant is Vietnamese and is located at 252 Broad St. in Manchester,…read moreCT. It's been quite some time. This is possibly the largest pho (Vietnamese) restaurant in the state (next to Pho Boston). The decor is real nice too. The menu is huge. There are a lot of options including classic Vietnamese non-soup dishes (one of which I am getting). Unique items include salmon spring rolls and salmon noodle soup. There is no music. That should be on while they're open. The owner, Pete, immediately serves me a huge glass of ice water with a lime. It's warm outside so it's very refreshing. For my drink, I'm having a Nuoc Chanh (fresh lime). Nước chanh is a classic Vietnamese limeade, known for its refreshing balance of tart, sweet, and occasionally a hint of salt. In Vietnamese cuisine, "chanh" usually refers to green limes, though lemons can be used as a substitute abroad. This is good! It tastes closer to lemonade. For my appetizer, I am having the Goi Cuon Ga (chicken spring rolls). Gỏi cuốn gà are fresh, non-fried rolls filled with poached chicken, rice vermicelli, fresh herbs (mint, cilantro), and lettuce wrapped in thin rice paper. They are a light, healthy alternative to the traditional pork and shrimp version, often served with peanut hoisin dipping sauce or fish sauce (nước chấm). These are light and easy to eat. The cubed or diced or minced chicken is a different approach I haven't seen before. Add sriracha sauce for a little kick. These are good! They do serve everything on styrofoam plates. Adding some ceramic plates would be a nice touch. For my entree, I'm having the ga luclac (also known as Shaking Chicken). This is stir fried chicken breast with mixed vegetables and white rice. Vietnamese Shaking Chicken (gà lúc lắc) is a popular dish featuring wok-seared, cubed chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce, oyster sauce, and garlic, resulting in a caramelized, savory flavor. It is typically seared at high heat to create a crust, served over greens with onions and tomatoes, often accompanied by rice. I've asked for extra spicy. Let's see what comes out. There's always sriracha sauce as a last resort. This is more like it! It's served sizzle hot! That's a big portion! This tastes great! It's nice to be served by the owner himself! What a great meal here! P.S.: When paying, you need to go up to the front counter.

The food is OK, what's not great are the prices. Maybe I'm biased because I've been to places like…read moreSan Francisco where the dishes are usually around $15. Each plate of food is almost $30 here, which is unheard of. So you can almost buy a steak dinner for what they charge for a rice plate here.

I love tea break! Virtually every time I go to West Hartford I have to swing by this place. I used…read moreto be a pearl tea addict when I lived in the Bay Area. Thank God this place exists for people like me. One time I went outside and spilled my tea by mistake, and when I came back in to get napkins, they gave me two new teas free of charge. They are awesome human beings. I also love that they have really weird flavors like lemon citrus with sour plum and taro and all the good stuff

I'm a bit of a boba tea snob and I hail from South Florida, I'm just here visiting the area. I…read moredidn't expect much from Hartford, CT. I like my boba to be actual tea plus milk and the only sweetness added comes from the boba. So, I was really grateful when I asked about swapping out the powdered milk for liquid milk. They swapped to lactaid, which is my preferred milk for milk tea. They also allowed me to adjust the sweetness and the ice level. I was still skeptical, given the unassuming store front. But they mixed real, actual, brewed tea with the lactaid. Their boba was the perfect size and consistency. I tried their black and jasmine teas and both were perfectly brewed. You'd be surprised at how often people get the jasmine tea wrong, but these guys checked all the boxes. Keep on being your authentic selves, guys!

The closest I've found to Daboba back on the West Coast! The owner happened to be there and was…read morevery friendly and accommodating. Their brown sugar milk tea with creme brulee is awesome! A lot of drinks to choose from and a better menu than the other boba/bubble tea shops in the area. My only complaint is the entrance to the parking lot is full of huge holes and broken pavement and could mess up the bottom of your car or pop a tire.

I randomly stopped into Joy Cup in East Longmeadow after visiting a shop next door, and I'm so glad…read moreI did. They have such a wide variety of drinks it almost makes it hard to choose. Milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, Vietnamese coffee, and some really fun specialty options like their Cream Brûlée and other unique blends. The space is super cozy and inviting with cute decor, little games, and just a really good vibe overall. You can hang out and sip or grab it to go, and the service was genuinely friendly. I left with 3 different fruit juices (fresh start, happy hour and red dragonfruit) for myself, partner and mom and we all loved them! Honestly, I wish I lived closer because Joy Cup is that girl and I would be there all the time.

Was in the area and stopped by for some boba. My fiancé got his usual brown sugar to try and I…read moretried the strawberry mango yogurt tea. I think the lady forgot the yogurt part because it came back clear but she was hustling the store by herself and I didn't care that much to correct it. I didn't add any toppings to my drink but as she was making it she suggested a few toppings and included them in my drink complimentary to try. I really appreciated her hard work and trying to satisfy the customer! This looks like a fairly new boba shop so it was pretty slow but I don't mind supporting a smaller business. There were fresh strawberry and mango pieces in my tea which you don't get at the main chains! My fiancés brown sugar tasted yummy, and had the salted cream on top!!

Cute small place. I've tried coming here 3 times before and they were always closed so I think they…read morehave really limited hours. Only one worker so it can be a wait for a drink of someone orders a lot.