Boba Tea | Photo by Kaylee Raines | The Wright State Guardian
On April 30, boba fans across the country will celebrate National Bubble Tea Day by splurging on the delicious drink. Bubble tea, also known as boba tea, is gaining popularity across the globe. With a diverse array of flavors and styles, bubble tea continues to gain momentum as a trendy, Instagrammable favorite.
Wright State University (WSU) students and alumni are looking forward to using this special day as an excuse to treat themselves and offer their suggestions for what to order and where to go for boba.
What exactly is bubble tea?
According to a Food and Wine article on bubble tea, boba was created in the 80s in Taipei Taiwan. The boba itself is derived from tapioca starch balls that are boiled and then served at the base of these drinks. Over time, it has evolved to include fruity, juicy options in addition to the original milk tea flavors.
“The tea became known as boba because the term is slang for breasts in Chinese (a reference to the spherical shape of the tapioca balls),” Food and Wine writer Priya Krishna said in an article.
Where can people find bubble tea in Dayton?
There are several restaurants and cafes in the Dayton area that serve bubble tea. Some of these options include Yumi Boba Tea, Billie Gold Bubble Tea and Blossom Juicy Bar.
A quick day trip to the Cincinnati area will introduce Paris Banhmi, Kung Fu Tea, Milk Jar and Tea N’ Bowl as additional options for bubble tea.
WSU alumni Shelby Lynn York is a huge fan of bubble tea and is eager to celebrate National Bubble Tea Day. Her favorite places to get boba are Billie Gold Bubble Tea, Yumi Boba and Wat Da Pho.
“I love to get boba tea from Billie Gold Bubble Tea. It’s a local food truck owned by the most adorable ladies. I’ve been following them around the Dayton area since they first got established,” York said.
As far as her go-to drink goes, York insists that passion fruit with traditional tapioca bubbles and mango jelly stars is a reliable, delicious choice.
WSU student Alex Dang is starting on his Master’s degree in Management Information Systems this fall. He is a huge fan of bubble tea and enjoys drinks from numerous cafes and restaurants.
According to Dang, Wat Da Pho and other Asian restaurants in the Dayton area have some amazing boba options. For Dang, it is about the experience and he is open to trying boba anywhere that it is served-- not just a cafe or restaurant that is primarily focused on serving bubble tea.
“I like to try different flavors but my favorite would probably be frozen mango with boba and lychee jelly,” Dang said.
