Who doesn’t like an iconic duo? PB & J, Tom and Jerry, Mac and Cheese, Bonnie and Clyde… Tea and Tapioca Pearls! Bubble tea is an amazing Taiwanese drink that is also a snack. As you drink the creamy tea, little bursts of soft, gummy-like orbs enter your mouth adding extra sweetness and excitement to your experience. This special treat also goes by the nickname, “boba”. This week, we go head-to-head-to-head as we compare the three major boba spots in State College: Cafe Wow, Momotaro, and Tea Time.
It would be morally wrong of me if I did not give you my hot takes of the bubble tea shops. As an avid boba drinker, I make it my duty to introduce it to others whenever I can. So, this is my personal breakdown of each of the places. On a special note, I am excluding Kung Fu Tea from this because I think it’s too mainstream compared to the other places and also too far for most students anyway.
First up is Cafe Wow. Cafe Wow is a favorite of most people, due to its central location near Urban Outfitters. Also, it has outdoor seating, ideal for complying with COVID-restrictions. I would say this is the most average of the places with typical drinks and average costs. If you go, don’t expect anything special and not the best boba. Compared to the other places, they have large bubbles, which some people dislike because they could get too soft and can be overwhelming.
Cafe Wow is best known for its brown-sugar boba drinks and food. Some specials are the crepe cake and the takoyaki. So, this place is great for a quick bite with your boba. Personally, I only go here because it is SUPER close to Atherton.
Our next stop is Momotaro. Momotaro is by far the most bourgie of the three places. Mostly frequented by FOBs and international students, Momotaro is the higher end spot with its cute Asian decor. This spot is famous for its notorious cheese teas. Cheese Tea is a type of tea where cheese foam is added on top. From what I heard, fruit-based
teas are the best for this unusual addition as the cheese gives the fruit flavors a creaminess. Apparently, cheese tea is the type of drink that you either absolutely love or hate, so be wary if you go for it.
In addition to Momotaro’s cheese tea, they have excellent regular teas too. In general, they take a lot of care in making great drink combinations that you can’t usually get at other places. On my visit, I had the Tropic Osmanthus bubble tea, which is Osmanthus Tea with Lychee, Rose & Guava. Momotaro also has a variety of delicious desserts, including rolled ice cream! The downside is that Momotaro is a lot pricier than the other locations because you are paying for an aesthetically pleasing location and Insta-worthy food. Also, it is a bit further from most students than the other places. So, this is the type of place that you can only go to once in a while.
Now, the gem of all boba spots is the recently re-opened Tea Time. I may be biased as it is the spot for members of Penn State’s Epic Movement ( a.k.a. the Asian American Christian Fellowship, AACF). However, you do get quality boba for a great price. It is also centrally located like Cafe Wow; it’s actually right behind it. Moreover, its boba drinks are the cheapest of all of these spots with bubbles included in the price. Moreover, the bubbles are perfectly small and al dente (which is what you want). If you go, I highly recommend trying the Jasmine Green Tea with Bubbles and Coffee Jelly (~$4). In addition to its boba, the owners also run the Little Food Court right above it, so once you grab your drink, you can walk upstairs to get some grub.
The only downsides are that it just reopened from its break due to COVID, so its hours are spotty right now, with I believe some Saturdays being close. Also, it is initially creepy because it’s hidden, and you have to go down some dark stairs to get to it. However, all you have to do is bring a buddy!
Although all these places have their individual merits, the best spot is definitely Tea Time! Despite my biased opinions, I highly recommend that you try each of these places and explore the different kinds of boba that State College has to offer.
Stay bubbly,
Rachel
Cafe Wow- 234 E College Ave C, State College, PA 16801
Dear Reader,
I apologize for the length of this post… it is much longer than usual, but I needed to fit in all of the information. Despite the length, I hope you enjoy it!
Rachel
I think that my preferred book length makes it clear I’m undaunted by a long read. Regardless, I think your word economy was good, and cutting this down anymore would have detracted from your message.
I’ve never had bubble tea before. I’ve seen it around, but I guess I’ve never felt compelled to go out of my way to try it. Since you’ve taken the hard part of making decisions for myself (such as where to go and what to get) out of the equation, I no longer have any sort of excuse. Thank you!
No problem on the long post, boba tea is definitely with the length. I really liked how you gave multiple places this time and compared them. All of these places sound really good and each have their benefits. After your last post I ended up going to snap that night and I think I will also be trying to visit Tea Time by the end of today. It almost seems like this is just free advertisement for these restaurants (which I have no problem with since you have picked some really cool places so far).
What a fun blog post, Rachel! I have always seen people drinking bubble tea, but I’ve never had the chance to actually try it myself. On that note, your post has inspired me to finally try some, which excites me! The drink sounds super yummy and fun. Unfortunately, I might have to wait a while before I can try it because I chose to live at home this semester and there is nothing as exciting as bubble tea in my area 😂. I plan to live in State College during the spring semester (fingers crossed 🤞), so hopefully by then I’ll be able to try some bubble tea for the first time. I love the theme of your passion blog and I’ll have to check out more of your posts in the future!
Hi! This was really fun to read! I especially liked the fact that you compared all three places and gave us your opinions on each:) I love boba but have sadly only tried Cafe Wow. I’ve been meaning to try Momotaro, however, I always end up going when they’re closed:( I didn’t even know there’s a third boba place on campus (besides Kung Fu Tea) and I am so excited to try Tea Time! Thank you for your insight:)