The best places to find boba drinks in Torrance
Whether you call it boba tea, bubble tea, pearl milk tea or another name, the delicious and satisfying drink can be found throughout Torrance.
Originally created in Taiwan in the 1980s, the tea-based drink found its way to California in the 1990s, and the Golden State fell in love with it. Boba tea soon became a mainstream delight and shops around the country either added the beverage to their menu or opened brand-new restaurants with boba tea as the main draw.
If you’ve heard of boba tea, but don’t know what it is, here’s a very brief explanation: It’s scrumptious. Too brief? OK, here’s a bit more. “Boba” is the name of the chewy pearls or balls commonly made of tapioca, although the little round delights can be made of jelly, juice and other ingredients. The drink — made with or without milk — usually has a base of black, green or oolong tea and is often sealed in a plastic cup with a plastic cellophane covering. That way, you can shake it up to your delight, and then plunge the oversized straw into the cellophane (that’s our favorite part); the large straw is necessary to allow the boba pearls or other toppings to pass through.
By now, you’re probably craving an ice-cold boba tea. Below are some locations around Torrance that serve the refreshing drink, so hop in the car, get on the bike or lace up your walking shoes and take a stroll to find the perfect boba drink.
85°C
Located in the Del Amo Fashion Center — one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S. — 85°C offers a variety of boba teas. The Zebra Oolong Milk Tea is made with boba and mini crystal boba (crystal boba is made from konjac flour or agar-agar for a softer chew), or try the Tiger Boba Latte, a milk tea with boba and brown sugar. Looking for a different type of drink? Order a side of boba and add it to a smoothie, coffee or espresso. And 85°C also offers delicious breads and cakes to go with your beverage.
AMAI TEA AND CAFE
Amai Tea & Cafe is a popular spot for teas, blended beverages, specialty drinks and seasonal offerings. If Brown Sugar Milk or Brown Sugar Milk Tea sound tempting, head to Amai, where you can add toppings such as cinnamon, banana cream or sweet foam. As is the case for many boba tea shops, Amai lets you choose the temperature of the drink as well as the type of milk and sweetness level.
BOBAHI
Using special blends of fragrant tea leaves for the black and jasmine green teas, bobaHi ensures everything they offer is fresh and delicious. The shop cooks its boba and tea every few hours so the quality of the flavor is high. For a fruitastic drink, try Summer Passion, which blends passion fruit and dragon fruit with jasmine tea and crystal boba.
KOKOROLL CAFE
Enjoy a laidback atmosphere while sipping on a tasty tea at Kokoroll Cafe. In addition to a full menu (how does a Sushi Burrito or an Açai Bowl sound right about now?) Kokoroll offers a variety of milk teas, slushes and smoothies. There are a wide range of toppings available, including a selection of jellies and different flavors of popping boba (think Pop Rocks in little balls of fruit).
TASTEA
Rather than hear the dreaded response of “I don’t know. Where do you want to go?” head to Tastea for a — wait for it — tasty treat and a refreshing drink. Tastea offers delicious appetizers, such as Spuddies, Calamari and Tofu Bites, but the drinks are the big draw. Mango Milk, Thai and Jasmine Oreo milk teas are just a few of the selections available, with Honey, Crystal and Popping bobas among the many additions you can add. A drive-thru makes the order process a breeze.
UNCLE SHARKII
“Food, Family and Simplicity” are the core values that Uncle Sharkii Poke Bar, located at Del Amo Fashion Center, strives to create. The Hawaiian-themed restaurant menu offers a variety of treats, but not an overwhelming explosion of choices that make it difficult to choose. Uncle Sharkii’s drinks — available in milk tea and smoothie form — can include additions of Mango Popping and Strawberry Popping bobas, as well as Lychee Jelly and traditional boba. Enjoy the beverage with a poke or chicken bowl.
YI FANG TAIWAN FRUIT TEA
Using fragrant tea leaves, locally sourced ingredients and freshly made boba, Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea may just be “The Best Tea in the World,” as the shop’s website exclaims. With indoor and outdoor seating available, you can enjoy a refreshing milk or fruit tea with an assortment of toppings that range from Agar Crystal Boba to Mochi Jelly Cake.
There are plenty of other spots around town with boba on their menu. An explosion of pink surrounds in-store patrons of Boba Bunny, which offers close to a dozen premium teas and fruit drinks, a variety of toppings and plenty of good eats. It’s Boba Time features more than 140 menu items, including delicious açai bowls and an assortment of boba drinks, such as the shop’s best-selling Thai Tea.
You may have a tough time choosing from the food and beverage items at La Cha Tea House, a modern café with delicacies such as Umami Tune Poke Salad and an assortment of drinks in which you can add boba toppings. 7 Miles Tea Lab will delight you with its fruit, milk tea and classic tea creations, and you can add toppings such as agar boba, jasmine jelly and Oreo bits.
MAKE IT A BOBA GETAWAY
Residents know all about the boba shops in Torrance, and the loyal followings are proof of their popularity. If you’re planning to visit our lovely city, however, you’ll want to stay awhile so you can experience all the boba goodness. And if you want more options to compliment your trip, explore the city through various other guides including the ramen trail, beer map, pasta path, film map and mural map. With its convenient location just minutes from Los Angeles, Torrance is an ideal laidback city to stay in with a variety of budget-friendly hotel options. Make your plans today and get ready to boba!