Vivi Bubble Tea Brighton is a solid spot when you're craving a refreshing drink in the Boston area…read more The shop has a bright, casual vibe that makes it perfect for a quick stop between classes, work, or hanging out with friends. The menu offers a wide variety of classic milk teas, fruit teas, slushes, and specialty drinks. You can customize sugar and ice levels, which is always a plus. The boba pearls are typically soft and chewy, and drinks come out quickly even when there's a small line. We got the brown sugar boba, which was good though a little on the sweeter side. This location also serves food like popcorn chicken, which is crispy and well-seasoned, a solid pairing with any drink. Service is generally friendly and efficient, with staff keeping orders moving at a steady pace. Prices are about what you'd expect for bubble tea in the area. Overall, Vivi Bubble Tea Brighton is a dependable go-to for sweet, refreshing drinks and a convenient pick-me-up whenever the craving hits.

" Open late & good tea " This place is opened late and the…read moretea is good . I definitely recommend this place . It's also opened late . The service is welcoming. The vibe is friendly. Parking is difficult. Prices are reasonable.

I stopped by Cacao after a Pilates class next door and was pleasantly surprised! I didn't realize…read moreit was a Dominican coffee shop at first, but once I saw the decor, I had a little moment like, "wait a minute, why does all this feel familiar?!" And I may or may not be biased because I'll always support my people I ordered a buttered croissant and a dulce de leche latte to enjoy there. The space is homey and warm, the kind of place that immediately makes you feel grounded. For a few minutes, it really felt like home, especially seeing touches of my roots reflected in the atmosphere. The staff were super friendly and attentive, and there's a great variety of drinks and pastries. I'll definitely be back. So glad my friend recommended it.

Cacao is such a cozy little chocolate shop in the South End. However, the quality of their…read moreindividual chocolates were so-so. We were a bit disappointed because some pieces tasted stale while others were delicious. For their expensive price point, they all should've been perfect. My favorite was their nougatine, and my least favorite was the almond bark. The main reason I'm giving them a higher rating is because their hot chocolate is so rich + dreamy. Will def need to come back this winter to get it again, but would skip the bonbons next time.

It's hard to say anything bad about bubble tea because it's almost always delicious! Royal Tea…read moredidn't disappoint. Good tea, good boba. That being said, there's lots of competition in the area, so it's hard to stand out. The Chinatown location was pretty convenient and they actually had a decent amount of seating, especially compared to most other tea shops in the area. My drink was ready pretty quickly, so it's a good option if you're on the go, too. I didn't have too much interaction with the staff, but they seemed polite and helpful. No complaints!

It might just be Royal Tea as a company as a whole but they have some of the best bubble tea. We…read morehave a location in Beaverton OR and I was so excited when I realized they had one in Boston. I got my go to drink - jasmine milk tea and adjusted the sweetness. It was so good, you could smell the rich jasmine flavor. I actually came twice the week I was in Boston because it was just that good. Will definitely be back. There is a kiosk you can order from. Parking is fairly challenging so I recommend taking the T and walking.

TLDR: nice Thai flavors…read more I got the seasonal special Lychee slushee and also the lemon slushee. Perfect for the hot weather outside. Each drink was not too sweet and had a great complexity of flavors. The people working the counter were very lovely!

TEA22 is a small but striking tea shop tucked into Newton Centre. The space is compact and…read morestraightforward, more focused on takeout than lingering, but it still carries a calm, welcoming energy. I noticed a sense that everything is new and intentional, from the setup to the way drinks are prepared right in front of you. The menu centers around Thai inspired drinks, especially Thai tea and Thai coffee, along with lighter clear teas and slush style options. I got to sample a few of their signature drinks, and both stood out for being noticeably rich and balanced rather than overly sweet. I unfortunately was not able to get the Thai tea itself, but I did get to sample a toast with the Thai tea on it. The Thai tea was strong and had a great flavor, probably one of the best Thai teas I have had. I also tried the Lemon Lush, which was a little on the weaker side for the lemon flavor, but still a refreshing drink. The standout for me was the coffee, which had a strong, bitter flavor. It can definitely be one that not everyone will enjoy, but I am quite used to this sort of bitterness, and it is a strong flavor reminiscent of other Southeast Asian coffees I have had. Service is one of the strongest parts of the experience here. The people working are genuinely warm and engaged, often offering samples and explaining the drinks without it feeling rushed or transactional. Even when there is a bit of a wait, it feels like it is part of a slower, more careful preparation style rather than inefficiency. The overall atmosphere is relaxed and local, more of a neighborhood stop than a destination café. TEA22 feels like it is still finding its rhythm, but already has a strong identity built around quality tea and genuinely friendly service.

This feeling. It is like finding a lost love stolen away from you without notice, without reason,…read moreand without closure. I had a favorite mochi donut place. Religiously visited every chance I got. Knew the owner. Knew the staff. Knew the consistency of flavors. When she disappeared and closed her shops without any posted information, it was a rough adjustment. How do I date this addiction to amazing mochi donuts? Well, I didn't. I was the lost traveler searching for the parallel potent rush that never sufficed. One shop after the other, it was another disappointing visit. Another waste of disposable income. I've walked by this bakery so many times but never took the time to see their offerings. Today, I decided to take a look when the other spot I had originally wanted to visit for something completely different was unexpectedly closed for the day. Perhaps, it was fate. It was meant to be that a wanderer end his long days of being lost. I found a mochi donut that was similar to the long-lost love. It was just right. Not too sweet with the perfect texture. Sitting outside in the warm sun before the cold creeps back in savoring each perfect bite made me whole again. Thank you. I shall see you again. Often and with a grateful heart.

I was invited to try this sweet family-owned bakery where fresh mochi is made in-house every single…read moreday -- and you can customize it to your liking Build-your-own mochi: Choose from 7 fillings: taro, purple rice, red bean, fresh strawberry, fresh mango, matcha cheese, or vanilla cheese 6 gelato flavors: chocolate, Oreo, matcha, mango, strawberry, or pistachio 5 coatings: butter biscuit crunch, seaweed & dried pork, soybean powder, Oreo crumble, or rice powder And we HAVE to talk about the giant Fan Tuan -- ham, fried egg, youtiao, pickled mustard and pork floss all perfectly wrapped in chewy purple sticky rice You get the perfect mix of savory, crispy, chewy and sour in every bite. It's HUGE, hearty, and TOO GOOD! I crave it all the time! Summer drinks to try: Cucumber Mint Sparkler -- crisp, refreshing & perfect for a hot day Iced Lychee Milk -- creamy, sweet & bursting with lychee flavor Between the made-fresh-daily mochi, giant Fan Tuan and creative new drinks, Crystal's Bakery is definitely going on my food and dessert favorites list

The food was great! As a vegetarian, I really enjoyed my tofu bao sandwich. So unique. The owner…read morewas amazingly sweet and even gave me a sample of a vegetarian dish she is experimenting with service. I would really love for this place to stay in business!​

I was excited to see another boba place pop up in Newton, so I went after trying out the pilates…read moreplace next door. I was greeted by a grandma who seemed very excited as I walked in. I went with their top pick of drinks which was the passionfruit boba and some sweet potato fries. There were a lot of fries and they were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. On the other hand, the passionfruit tea was extremely way too sweet and some of the boba was hard. I would definitely not recommend the drinks, since you can't adjust any of the sweetness. The service was quick and if I ever stop by again maybe I'll be in the mood to try some of their fried chicken.

I live a little ways away from Sweet Boba and always look forward to walking home from Maverick and…read morestopping by for a drink if I'm feeling down. The service is always really fast and every worker has been kind to me. I particularly like to get the banana milk tea (since it reminds me of banana milk, which I love). When I get their fruit teas, I opt for 50% or 70% sugar since they're really sweet. I've ordered a coconut smoothie from them before, and it was filled to the top (with the bubble lid on) and completely worth it-- and I plan to get more smoothies now that it's hotter out. I've also gotten an egg waffle from them (and I love that they have egg waffles here because they're hard to find outside of Chinatown-- you can't even find them in Allston!) and it was good. Basically what you'd expect from an egg waffle. The value you get for your drinks is great, especially compared to other bubble tea shops in Boston, and it's the only bubble tea place (that I know of) in East Boston. Happy it's here!

I was walking to a friend's place and saw this place on the way there - definitely a pleasant…read moresurprise to see a bubble tea shop in East Boston! There was one other party there when I walked in, but the wait wasn't too long. Their menu has a decent selection so it took me a moment to decide what I wanted too. The person working behind the counter was really friendly and pleasant to interact with. I settled with a mango milk tea and honestly, the tea itself was great. I enjoyed the flavor, a good mix of mango and milk tea, but the toppings were a little soft. The bubbles were just a little too chewy to my taste and my friend agreed. The restaurant was closing within an hour or two of when I went though, so it was probably their last batch. Overall, if I'm ever in the area again, I wouldn't mind coming back. It's a decent boba shop in East Boston and I enjoyed my experience!

I really wish this place was more of a *real* ice cream shop. The fact that the ice cream counter…read moreis never staffed (you have to get the coffee shop workers on the other side of the wall to assist you), is Big Clue #1 that something is awry. Big Clue #2 that they're not a *real* ice cream shop: I think their ice cream has been sitting around in those freezer chests for a long, long time. My scoop of pumpkin very well might have been left over from last year (it was both chewy and crunchy), and the consistency of my chocolate chip scoop was not much better. Plus, it literally (and I mean literally) only had two chocolate chips in it. Two! In an entire scoop! The last time I had ice cream here (probably a year ago), the quality was fine. Perhaps it's the same batch--just a year later? Who knows. Big Clue #3: Coffee shops and ice cream shops really are catering to different clientele--who'd like to patronize said businesses at different hours. Who ever heard of an ice cream shop that closed at 6pm? I really, really, really wanted to fall madly in love with Sebastian's when this place first opened nearly two years ago. I totally envisioned myself hunkered in at one of their tables, a bowl of artisinal ice cream laid out in front of me while penning my very own heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Oh well . . . I'm not going to blame Sebastian for my writer's drought, but I do take his name in vain each and every time I find myself succumbing to Friendly's. Grrr.

Extension of Cafe on the Common. Phenomenal Non-fat Strawberry Yogurt!!! I had it in a cone with…read moretwo scoops for $3.75 and had to pay next door at Cafe on the Common since the register wasn't working which wasn't a problem since the two spaces are connected and I was going over to the other side to enjoy some free wifi anyway. Actually, I'm sitting in Cafe on the Common right now and the ac is crisp and cold and the jazz music music is filtering in at just the right volume. Great new place and looks closed from the outside (due to the dark tint) but is a beautiful space of dark wicker chairs and granite tables with local art featured on the birch paneled walls. All the ice cream is churned out by hand and homemade. They use fresh fruit (and offer more fresh fruit toppings than Lizzy's albeit less dry toppings like KitKats, Oreos, coconut, etc.).