Bubble tea bliss: Dhaka's best boba tea spots
The Business Standard looks into the most talked about boba teas around town
Tea was introduced to the Indian Subcontinent by the British colonialists. Ever since, it has undoubtedly been a local favourite. Truly, one of the most Dhakaite things to do is to 'spill tea' with a warm cup of tea.
Fast forward to 2023, the story unfolds quite differently over a rather overpriced cup of Boba Tea — a flavoured drink that has tapioca pearls in it.
In recent years, the streets of Dhaka have seen the growth of cafes selling many variations of bubble tea. Boba tea was originally brought to Bangladesh by Formosa QQ. The brand used tapioca pearls in drinks like smoothies and juices. But the enthusiasm for boba pearls in milk or tea-based drinks first found its way into Dhaka's markets when Taiwanese brand 'Chatime' was launched back around 2014.
Since then, many other brands have taken the boba tea craze much further. The Business Standard looks into the most talked about boba teas around town.
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Brown Sugar Cheese tea by Gotcha
The Brown Sugar Cheese tea, one of the classic drinks at Gotcha, is one that is not only a constant favourite, but also one that made Gotcha popular in the first place.
The drink is made of a base of imported brown sugar, black boba pearls, milk tea, and cream cheese on top. The star element is the cream cheese — made of cream cheese powder imported from Taiwan — which adds a slight creamy and salty aftertaste to the drink.
Gotcha has left open a variety of other topping options as well, like burning grass jelly, pudding jelly, and coconut jelly.
There's no denying that the Brown Sugar Cheese tea is among the best on the list. With the creamy consistency of the cream cheese, the chewy and sweet black pearls, and the caramelised notes of the brown sugar — this drink is the epitome of perfection in milk tea. It leaves a subtle creamy taste and a happy heart behind, no matter the circumstance.
Price: Tk 400 (500ml)
Tk449 (700ml)
Classic Milk Tea by Koi Thé
When we talk about posh boba places in Dhaka, Koi Thé is usually the one to top that list. The brand, which is an internationally reputed chain with roots in Taiwan, has partnered with TAD group to bring to Bangladesh the classic essence of milk tea. "It is unlike anything else," says Tahamid Adnan, the operations manager of Koi in Bangladesh.
The Koi Milk tea, a classic, is a blend of raw black tea, imported directly from the birthplace of Koi in Taiwan. In fact, according to Tahamid, nothing apart from the water used in the tea is locally sourced.
The tea, a classic of the brand, consists of a mixture of raw black tea and milk, accompanied by a preferable level of sweetener. A delightful treat to the buds, with a smooth and creamy texture that perfectly balances the tea's strong flavour, leaves a lasting effect on the mouth. The pleasant hint of bitterness from the tea and the creamy goodness is a flavour as such that lurks around the back of your taste buds for a long time.
The star element of the drink however, are the golden tapioca pearls. The small chewy pearls in the signature drink is definitely what makes Koi the top choice for Dhakaites.
Price: Tk220 (Regular)
Tk280 (Large)
Brown Sugar Milk Tea by Chamichi
Launched around the same time as Koi Thé, Chamichi is another favourite that has topped the charts over the last few months, when talking about the best boba tea places in Dhaka. Chamichi, though nothing spectacularly different from the ones mentioned above, puts its own unique spin on the Brown Sugar Milk tea.
Though slightly sweeter than the others, the tea still has good consistency. Although it was a treat, because of the level of elements, the taste of the milk tea was barely noticeable. Towards the end when you finish the drink, the mixture of the cream cheese and golden bubbles, however, do not disappoint.
But the fine texture of tapioca pearls bursting in your mouth leaves you craving for more.
According to Sifat Arman, one of the founders of Chamichi, the popping boba pearls are rarely found in Dhaka, which they like to present as the star element of their fruit-based drinks.
Price : Tk300 (Regular)
Tk420 (Large)
