There are bubble tea shops, and then there are bubble tea shops, those places where you discover that tapioca pearls may or may not have become your new emotional support system. This is a guide for the latter. Because when your craving finally stops spinning, you’ll need some liquid joy to regain your center of gravity. And while we can’t do anything about your growing boba addiction, we can tell you where to go when you’re looking to recover.
Gong Cha
$ | (443) 318-4723 | WEBSITE
Gong Cha in Towson has been serving up boba for years and their creative tea blends only continue to get more impressive. Their menu of dozens of drinks can definitely lead to some choice paralysis, so we’ll make things easier on you: try the Kyoto Matcha. It comes with earthy matcha powder, creamy milk, your choice of boba or jelly, and a hint of sweetness (for an additional $0.75) – all shaken to perfection in their signature cups.
The only thing that could possibly go wrong with your Gong Cha visit is that you down your Sakura cheesecake so fast while playing one of their board games that you accidentally give yourself another sugar rush. Sometimes it’s just not your day.
Seoul Fusion Korean Poke Bar
$ | (443) 330-5991 | WEBSITE
Seoul Fusion Korean Poke Bar feels like that spot in Towson you keep coming back to, where the staff remembers your usual order even though you’ve only been there a handful of times. And that’s exactly the kind of reliable comfort you want when you’re craving something fresh. Everyone inside this popular place is either digging into a Poke Bowl with fresh ingredients, sipping on a taro smoothie, or enjoying the Chicken Teryaki Bibimbap until they’re pleasantly full.
Yes, they actually call it a game-changer and yes, it’s a very accurate description.
Mr. Bingsoo
$ | (443) 759-4757 | WEBSITE
There are plenty of excellent dessert spots in Fells Point, so it makes sense that there are also plenty of places to satisfy a sweet tooth. When we’re really craving something special, we prefer bingsoo, and Mr. Bingsoo makes our favorite. It’s smooth, creamy, and, according to the owners, not too sweet, including one flavor that’s perfectly balanced, and another that offers a nice combination of textures. So basically, perfect for a dessert craving.
We usually go for the mango, the green tea, or the red bean taiyaki – all of them come pretty straightforward, which is good if you want something pure, but you can add in toppings to make them more interesting.
T.K.K. Fried Chicken
$ | (443) 449-7297 | WEBSITE
Some of the best comfort food comes from fried chicken spots, but T.K.K. Fried Chicken goes the extra mile in flavor. The Towson location serves up their famous spicy chicken strips that deliver a perfect kick, along with bubble tea that’s refreshingly sweet to balance the heat. While the wings might not always be as crispy as hoped and the fries can sometimes lack freshness, those spicy strips make it all worthwhile.
The wait times can test your patience, but grabbing a seat at one of their simple tables with a cold bubble tea in hand turns it into a worthwhile pause. We also support bringing a friend and sharing an order––it’s been a long day.
Kyoto Matcha
$$ | (443) 318-4723 | WEBSITE
If there was ever an all-star roster of afternoon pick-me-ups, matcha would be a first-round draft pick. There’s just something about the mix of earthy green tea, creamy foam, and sweet bubbles that instantly brings us back from that mid-afternoon slump. It’s also why you’ll often find us at Kyoto Matcha on weekdays.
The charming café in Towson is our favorite place in the world to escape and bury our heads (and as much of our focus as possible) into cool, refreshing cups of Matcha lemonade served with so many unique desserts, you’ll think they raided some pastry chef’s secret stash. We also recommend the Sakura cheesecake—a beautiful slice of creamy delight with an out-of–this-world flavor. And to be clear, you really need that cheesecake.
Kokee Tea – Towson Mall
$ | (443) 901-4553 | WEBSITE
Wander through Towson Mall on a busy Saturday and you’ll see shoppers lugging bags from every major retailer. Feel that afternoon slump coming on, and head to Kokee Tea instead. This cozy bubble tea spot never has a crowd and also offers something you won’t find at every chain in the food court—the C&C Brown Sugar with Oreo. The drink is a sweet blend of brown sugar and creamy milk that’s topped with chewy honey boba and crumbled Oreo cookies.
When it all mixes together with the ice down below, it’s a refreshing, well-balanced treat that’ll go a long way toward reviving your shopping energy.
Chatime Towson
$ | (443) 470-9838 | WEBSITE
The HongKong Style Milk Tea, by all culinary standards, was created for battling stress. So when it’s finals week, and you’re working through something brutal happening inside your textbooks, you need to remember Chatime Towson. The Towson location serves an entire mood’s worth of comfort inside a plastic cup, including perfectly chewy tapioca pearls, high-quality tea leaves, and customizable toppings.
But the real show stealer is the chocolate hazelnut milk tea that gets wrapped around your taste buds like the comfort blanket we need on dark study nights. This boba is creamy, rich, flavorful, and everything our soul needs.
Bambao Asian Restaurant
$ | (443) 438-3528 | WEBSITE
A bland cup of tea and a stale pastry is a bubble tea experience many of us know all too well, but adventurous diners no longer have to settle for this narrative. Bambao Asian Restaurant in Towson is here to provide a superior alternative with an Asian twist, including the delicious Coconut Ginger bubble tea and perfectly cooked tapioca boba. The small eatery also offers off-menu options, such as Szechuan chicken and Mongolian beef, which have been described as ‘soooo good!’
Gong Cha Towson
$ | (410) 560-8888 | WEBSITE
When you’re craving something sweet, creamy, and refreshing all at the same time, head to Gong Cha Towson to experience the ‘Bubble Bliss’. This perfect blend of purple potato with black tea, a unique flavor not found elsewhere, will tick all these boxes and satisfy whatever sugar cravings are currently haunting your day.
Their drinks are so smooth and balanced that they don’t need much customization, but they do call for Gong Cha’s ‘dirty brown sugar latte’ with its addictive mix of milk and brown sugar syrup. Consider this one-two punch a well-balanced treat.
Kung Fu Tea
$ | (443) 449-7297 | WEBSITE
Many of the bubble tea spots on this list are going to include some sort of tea/milk/boba combo, but to be honest, they all pale in comparison to the Winter Melon Milk Tea with Wow. Originally from Taiwan, this perfectly balanced drink with its creamy texture and chewy tapioca pearls basically wrote the entire book on boba satisfaction. There are a few places in Towson that serve this signature drink, but one of our favorites is at Kung Fu Tea.
Located in Towson, this is also a great place for Taiwanese-inspired staples like crispy chicken wings and lychee tea with toppings.
iFusion Express
$ | (443) 438-7468 | WEBSITE
Grabbing a quick meal after wandering through the National Aquarium is one of the best ways to refuel, but sometimes we don’t have time for a sit-down affair. Instead, we go for a customizable poke bowl: an equally satisfying form of convenience. The bowls at iFusion Express do just the trick and come with fresh ingredients like avocado, tuna, and shrimp.
The build-your-own poke bowl is our go-to choice with its warm rice, unlimited toppings, and sauces that have us feeling nourished without the fuss. Maybe bring an extra napkin if things get saucy.
YOG Crepes & Waffles
$ | (410) 832-3168 | WEBSITE
When a dessert is literally named “cookies and cream yogurt shake,” you know it’s going to be good for what ails your sweet tooth. And at this super cute Towson spot, which offers plenty of seating in a small, kid-friendly space, the peanut butter and cookies and cream yogurt shake is practically a life-giving treat on days when that sugar craving won’t lift.
Alternate sips of the creamy yogurt blend with bites of their fresh crepes or waffles, and you’ll be back to your dessert-loving ways in no time. Be sure to ask for refills of their frozen yogurt selection, too—we’ll take it over a basic ice cream cone any day.