The Best 13 Bubble Tea Shops You Should Visit in Tokyo Japan!

The crazy famous, Taiwanese-born drink that’s instantly pops to mind when specific words are mentioned — such as tapioca and milk tea — has taken Tokyo by storm.

The bubble tea frenzy has been off the charts, especially this year out of all the past years, and the famous Tokyo is definitely not one to miss out on the hype and trend. In fact, if anything, the people of this ever-evolving capital city takes things into their own Tokyo hands and pushes the bars of bubble tea higher than ever before.

Rise of Bubble Tea in Tokyo

Not long ago, a seemingly normal food and shopping street in every neighbourhood is lined with local ramen stalls and boutiques. But without fail, the opening of a bubble tea shop in those streets brings about crowds and lining queues that sees no end. Bubble tea shops are constantly popping up in every corner of the neon light city, from Taiwanese chains to trendy local cafes infusing their unique touch into their drink menu.

Going ahead and beyond the normal standards of bubble tea, don’t be surprised to find bubble tea drink menu offering countless of flavours and toppings, and even some exclusive only-in-Japan flavours.

If that doesn’t pump you up to pack a suitcase and head on a bubble tea cafe hop in Tokyo, these highly recommended top 13 bubble tea shops in Tokyo will.

1. OCHABA

One of the newest yet also one of the most successful bubble tea shops in Tokyo is none other than OCHABA. With their grand opening in March 2019, they are Japan’s first ever bubble tea shop that uses Japanese tea exclusively in their drinks. Taste the authenticity of their tea, with tea leaves coming all the way from the tea prefecture in Japan, Shizuoka.

The cherry on top to this amazing shop is that their seemingly normal pearls aren’t tapioca pearls at all. In fact, OCHABA offers toppings that are very close to home: Japanese sweets! Inclusive of mochi, kuromitsu, warabi and shiratama, you’ll get the whole Japan experience in one milk tea drink!

2. Cafe de KAVE

Opened by a famous Korean Pop artist, Cafe de KAVE is never short of new and regular customers. Located in the heart of Koreatown in Tokyo, their interior and exterior store aesthetics are hard to miss, and might in fact be the initial reason for the shop visit, but their impeccable tasty and cute desserts and delicious bubble teas, that’s the reason for future, multiple revisits.

Flavours include Cheese Foam Strawberry and Hazelnut Coco, and all served in tiny little cans, functioning as a shop souvenir, if you don’t fancy purchasing any merchandise they have on display.

3. Tapista Shibuya

Tapista’s minty green and pastel pink aesthetics of their bubble tea shop is merely a physical representation of their delicate and soft bubble tea drinks. Not only are the drinks’ presentation so pretty that it makes mixing to drink it a waste, their unique combination of flavours and toppings give their bubble tea drinks an edge over the rest. Natural sweetness and customisation are Tapista’s specialty.

4. Pearl Lady Cha Bar Minami-Aoyama

Opened in 2009 with a decade of nothing but impeccable reputation, Pearl Lady Cha Bar is a Japanese born and bred bubble tea cafe. With fresh tapioca pearls made daily without any use of preservatives, the option of small and large sizes of tapioca gives each cup a different experience.

Pearl Lady Cha Bar constantly churns out limited edition drinks such as the range made with Nilgiri tea, which includes the Berry Black Latte and Rose Black Tea Latte, adds freshness and evolution to bring in more loyal customers to an already successful bubble tea shop.

5. Comma Tea Ebisu

With the brand name basing off the concept of adding a “comma” into our busy lives, referring to pausing and taking a break for a cup of tea, Comma Tea is a Japan-born tea shop that has multiple outlets around Tokyo, specialising in their divine black tea.

With a huge room for customisation for every cup of bubble tea, from size, volume, sweetness and toppings, get a sip of customers’ favourite, highly-recommended Bruleed Brown Sugar Latte. As the name suggests, this drink has a layer of creamy foam that is lightly bruleed, adding a touch of unique flavour to the drink!

6. MeetFresh Kichijoji

Get a load of the Taiwanese bubble tea and dessert shop, MeetFresh! Get a cup of your preferred drink at the outlet in Kichijoji before heading to the nearby park for a stroll. Their famous and signature item on the menu, the “Imo-en”, is a hybrid of dessert and bubble tea in a cup!

Who wouldn’t want a bit of both without compromising the quality of the other? Imo-en is shaved ice coated in black sugar syrup, topped off with a mixture of sweet potato dumplings, taro, azuki and, of course, tapioca!

7. Urth Cafe Daikanyama

Experience California in Tokyo at Daikanyama’s Urth Cafe outlet. This Los Angeles-born cafe is nothing short of the whole Californian experience, with “boba” (another word for bubble tea) smoothies and classic coffees and teas, without forgetting the food-pairings of sandwiches and fluffy pancakes that have constantly changing seasonal menus.

Offering their signature bobas and more at this outlet, Urth Cafe Daikanyama also offers unique flavours such as the “divine spice chai”, which just by the sound of it, is, well, divine!

8. Alfred Tea Room

Get your camera phones ready for this Instagrammable bubble tea cafe! Alfred Tea Room is a hit in Los Angeles, and word spreads all the way to Tokyo! Their pretty-in-pink establishment oozes warm and soft vibes accompanying their extensive range of tea and bubble tea menu.

On top of their best-selling Peach Blossom Latte, Alfred Tea Room makes their very own tapioca and syrups, giving their bubble tea drinks exclusive tastes that only Alfred Tea Room has!

9. Sisters Ikebukuro

Cheap doesn’t mean bad, and the bubble tea shop Sisters is just living proof of that. At about ¥300, which is about USD3, you’ll be able to get brilliant milk tea with daily-made, fresh tapioca pearls. What a deal, am I right? Located in the always-busy Wacca Mall in Ikebukuro, you’re bound to always see a line for this amazing bubble tea shop!

10. Flipper’s Omotesando

While initially known for their fluffy pancakes that are responsible for the neverending queues daily, at every outlet in fact, Flipper’s has gained quite a reputation for their bubble tea drinks menu. While you can order them when you’re dining in, Flipper’s serve their bubble teas in a unique, stylish plastic bag for take-out orders!

Not only are they convenient while strolling around the busy Omotesando, they’re pretty cute to not take a photo of! And not to forget, just for only about ¥420, you’ll be able to get the most delicious, classic boba milk tea ever!

11. Fortuner Tea Box

Any cheese lovers out there? Even if you’re not the one that fancies cheese in drinks, you’re ought to try Fortuner Tea Box, where they pride themselves as a cheese tea shop. Using cheese foam for all of their drinks, they add a unique taste and flavour when you sip from their direct lid instead of through a straw! Two-in-one function — save the turtles!

Enjoy the cheese foam, get a cheese foam mustache, and take in the full experience of feeling like you took a sip of beer! Shaking the drink up a bit won’t hurt. It’ll only add to the flavour!

12. ZJins

Particularly known for their Instagram-worthy cups, splash sticks, drink lids, and not to forget their interior, ZJins matches their quality of their bubble tea drinks to their divine and beautiful presentation. With a constantly-changing seasonal menu, you’ll always be surprised and refreshed by their new and different drinks each time. From classic milk teas to fruity and cheese teas, you’re no doubt in for a treat each visit to ZJins!

13. Piyanee

Piyanee claims to be the first ever Thai tea shop, but they might as well be judging from the fact of how successful and busy they are all the time. Opening their Shibuya outlet recently in 2018, Piyanee has a wide range of drinks that are conveniently easy to customise. From the signature milk teas with tapioca pearls or grass jelly, to their other options include ice blended drinks and sodas with countless options for intriguing toppings!

Just like the capital city’s reputation, bubble tea shops in Tokyo are not short of their own surprises for their loyal regular customers as well as new ones. With most bubble tea shops having ever-changing seasonal menus and new ones opening up, putting fresh, new ideas on the bubble tea table, you’ll never be able to finish a bubble tea shop hopping in Tokyo.

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