In the heat of summer or in everyday life in some countries, a drink is very important. And no, it is not the ones with alcohol. We need something to freshen us up during the day, especially the ones with caffeine and, sometimes, toppings in it.
Bubble tea has become an East Asian culture in the pass 10 years, and Gong Cha is one of the bubble tea stores I highly recommend.
Introduction and ambience:
The root of the franchise is Taiwan, but it has expanded to Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, mainland China, the United States, the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam and Brunei very quickly, so it will not be hard for you to find in the mentioned countries. Gong Cha focuses on serving you milk tea with the toppings you prefer. The store opens at 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM on Sunday to Thursday. But on Friday and Saturday, you can visit it until 11 PM (May various in different countries).
Service:
The store can be very busy at noon when everyone makes their way here from school or workplace on their lunch break. The line can be long enough that some of us had to wait outside of the store, but you do not have to waste so much time standing. There are more than five tea makers who will get their job done quickly and smoothly. And before that, the cashier will welcome you with his or her smile and hospitality.
Drinks:
Even though milk tea is the headline of Gong Cha, but they also have coffee in the menu, or even lemonade. You can also choose your own toppings, sweetness level and ice level. I do not know what they put in their tea or how they brew it, but I can promise you that it will taste differently from other milk tea you have ever sipped on. You can check out the menu here.
Value for money:
The price may seem like a dollar too expensive, but the taste will make up for it. They also have a stamp-collection card that you will get one stamp for each drink you buy. Once you have collected 10 stamps, you can get one free drink. Isn’t that fair enough?
Panda’s recommendation:
As someone who is sort of addicted to caffeine, my favorite drink ended up being Lemon Ai-Yu. The taste of cold lemonade is delighted, and the gelatin (Ai-Yu) in the cup really goes well with the sour. As for the toppings, White Pearl is truly something unique and stands out from other bubble tea stores’ toppings.
Happiness meter:
You will have a great first impression the first time you go there. The staff and the drinks will not disappoint you even though you have to be in a long line sometimes. Out of 5, Gong Cha is definitely a 4.
Actually I’ve been drinking boba for over 17 years and that’s just in the Bay Area, so it has been around for a really long time. I agree with you that the lemon aiyu at Gong Cha is tasty, their teas IMO are quite mediocre compared to other places.