My Favorite Cafés and Boba Spots

Three recommendations for cute study spots and the best boba drinks

Throughout the past months of January and February, I've been able to visit different boba places and cafés situated around Charlotte and Chapel Hill. As silly as it sounds, taking trips with friends and family to cafés are truly the best way to connect and share whatever comes to mind. Something electric zings through the air, while listening to the chitter chatter of other customers and peering at your friend's face through the steam from your coffee. Personally, I love to romanticize my life by bringing my study materials to the nearest café and finding a cozy corner to tuck into my matcha tea. There's a sort of intimacy that can only be created in a café environment that I hope you, readers, will explore in the approaching weeks of spring.

Follow along while I share my journey for the past month and a half, enjoying the sweetness and bitterness of my drinks.

Matcha Café Maiko -

While out with my friends at night, we ended up walking by this café in the Arboretum shopping center. Nestled snugly into the corner of a few shops, it was hard to see the café when passing by, but luckily, we decided to grab some snacks and drinks here. While first stepping inside, the environment is immediately very cozy and aesthetically pleasing, warm circular lights hang down from the ceiling and pastel colors surround the white brick walls. Even more appealing were the scents of the vanilla and matcha ice creams, as well as the familiar and satisfying sounds of the coffee machines whirring in the background. I ordered the matcha white chocolate chip cookie and a matcha chai latte, while my friend ordered the ube and vanilla soft serve with a freshly baked waffle cone. They also had a small selection of pastries and other baked goods like a cinnamon crunch muffin and matcha roll cake that I'll definitely have to order next time.

The cookie has the perfect softness in the middle and had the perfect balance between the bitterness of the matcha and the sweetness of the chocolate chip. Taking a bite of my friend's soft serve, I marveled at the crunchiness of the waffle cone that contrasted brilliantly with the softness of both the ube and vanilla ice cream. Between the boisterous laughter of my friends and the great customer service of both workers, I had the most amazing time here and would definitely recommend exploring all of the ice creams and drinks that they offer.

Gong Cha -

After a night at work, my sister and I snuck on over to Gong Cha. Boba has always been my soft spot when it comes to drinks and desserts, as it is a perfect combination of both. She ordered the brown sugar boba and I got the pearl milk tea with boba and jelly stars, which I had never tried before. Gong Cha is one of our favorite places, mostly because of their quality tapioca pearls/boba balls and their wide variety of drinks ranging from milk teas to coffee to slushies. Their café is always so inviting because of the pink and white themed colors, as well as the fast service and their cute plants adorning the tables and windowsill. The most satisfying part is stabbing the straw through the boba lid, especially if you get it in the center. I made sure to include a clip of my best attempt, a big achievement for myself considering I always tend to leave a mess or spill when I do it. If you're looking for a convenient and quality boba place or study spot, I would definitely recommend Gong Cha.

"10/10 boba" – My picky sister, Meilee

Yaya Tea -

On a trip to Chapel Hill, NC with my aunt and uncle, we ended up walking alongside Franklin Street. Dotted among the wide assortment of fried chicken restaurants and hibachi grills were multiple boba stores. My aunt, being a boba afficionado and having an overall addiction to them, quickly darted inside Yaya Tea. From the moment we walked in, I could tell that it was a lovely study place with many college students lounging and typing furiously on their computers, as well as having potentially good boba. I ordered their Hokkaido Milk Tea with tapioca pearls and my aunt ordered their taro milk tea hot. I highly recommend trying warm drinks with boba as it makes them even more squishy and delectable to eat during colder weather. I loved seeing all of their plushy options and using the efficient online ordering system. Seeing a glimpse of this café gave me such hope for my own future and how college is in its own way about romanticizing life- finding optimism in every place and pursuing one's independence, while chasing after one's aspirations.

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A Short Dive into the History of Boba -

Originating from Taiwan in the 17th century, it didn't gain mass popularity or its current form until the early 1980s. Boba drinks have evolved and gained several variations in different Asian countries like Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Its origin varies from source to source, but it generally understood that several entrepreneurs added certain components like the size of the tapioca balls or the addition of milk, which all add up to how it is today. Oftentimes people question what the tapioca balls are, and unsurprisingly they are made up of tapioca, a starch from cassava root. Combined with milk and tea, it creates the boba drink that many people across North America and Taiwan love in the recent years, with its popularity constantly growing and growing. The chewiness of the tapioca pearls and the many choices of drink which can be paired with it makes it, in my opinion, one of the most appealing and delicious drinks to study with.

Thanks for reading this blog all about boba! Boba has always been one of my favorite drinks, even stretching back to childhood. There is something so special about venturing out to cafés and enjoying these quiet moments in life, whether it be romanticizing study sessions or enjoying time out with friends and family over drinks and snacks. As always, happy eating fellow foodies!