Taiwan gave the world bubble tea, so trying it at the source was an essential part of our trip. We visited four of Taiwan’s best known bubble tea shops in Taipei and Taichung, from the tea house associated with the original pearl milk tea to one of the country’s most recognisable modern chains.
We started with Xing Fu Tang in Ximending before trying Chun Shui Tang in Taichung, the everyday Taiwanese classic 50 Lan and the tea focused Chi Cha San Chen. Each offered something different, but there was one clear winner.
For more dishes and restaurants to add to your itinerary, read my guide to what to eat in Taiwan.
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The Best Bubble Tea in Taiwan at a Glance
| Bubble tea shop | Best for | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Xing Fu Tang | Warm brown sugar pearls | My favourite overall |
| Chun Shui Tang | Bubble tea history | Best cultural experience |
| 50 Lan | An everyday Taiwanese classic | Best local style option |
| Chi Cha San Chen | High quality freshly brewed tea | Best for tea lovers |
Was Bubble Tea Invented in Taiwan?
Bubble tea originated in Taiwan during the 1980s, although the identity of its exact inventor remains disputed.
Chun Shui Tang in Taichung says its pearl milk tea was created in 1987 after tapioca pearls were added to iced milk tea. Hanlin Tea Room in Tainan also claims to have created an early form of pearl tea. Whichever shop produced the first cup, there is little dispute that the drink originated in Taiwan before becoming internationally famous.
Today, bubble tea can refer to far more than the traditional combination of tea, milk and tapioca pearls. Menus often include fresh milk drinks, fruit teas, flavoured pearls, jellies and different tea bases, with customers able to alter the sweetness and amount of ice.
Trying bubble tea in Taiwan therefore is not simply about ordering a drink you could find at home. It is an opportunity to compare the traditional pearl milk tea with the country’s newer and increasingly elaborate interpretations.
1. Xing Fu Tang, Ximending: My Favourite Bubble Tea in Taiwan
Best for: warm handmade brown sugar pearls
What I ordered: signature Brown Sugar Boba Milk
My verdict: the best bubble tea I tried in Taiwan
Our first stop was Xing Fu Tang in Ximending, one of Taipei’s busiest shopping and entertainment districts.
Xing Fu Tang is known for preparing its brown sugar tapioca pearls fresh on site. Its signature Brown Sugar Boba Milk combines handmade brown sugar pearls with creamy milk, milk foam and a torched brown sugar topping.
Watching the pearls being prepared was part of the experience, but the taste was what made it memorable. The pearls were still warm, with a soft, chewy texture and a deep caramelised flavour from the brown sugar. The milk made the drink creamy, while the torched topping added an almost crème brûlée style finish.
It was richer and more dessert like than a traditional milk tea, but it was exactly what I wanted from my first bubble tea in Taiwan.
From the first sip, I knew no other cup would compare.
Xing Fu Tang, written 幸福堂, translates approximately as “A Happy Place”. After trying its brown sugar pearls in Ximending, the name felt entirely appropriate.
Xing Fu Tang is in the heart of Ximending, so it is easy to combine with The Red House, Rainbow Crossing and the other stops in my guide to the best things to do in Taipei.
2. Chun Shui Tang, Taichung: The Original Bubble Tea Experience
Best for: the history of bubble tea
What to try: the original pearl milk tea
My verdict: the most meaningful place to try bubble tea in Taiwan
Chun Shui Tang is one of the names most closely associated with the invention of bubble tea. Its first tea house opened on Siwei Street in Taichung in 1983, and the company says pearl milk tea was developed there in 1986 before officially launching in 1987.
I visited the original Siwei Street store and ordered the cold pearl milk tea, served in a tall glass with tapioca pearls at the bottom. You can also order it hot, making it a very different experience from the cold takeaway drinks most people now associate with bubble tea.
The setting feels more like a traditional tea house than a modern bubble tea shop, and you can sit down for Taiwanese food and tea rather than simply collecting a drink to go. It was not my overall favourite (Xing Fu Tang still held that title) but it was the most significant stop because of its connection to the history of bubble tea.
Chun Shui Tang has locations in Taipei, so you can still try its pearl milk tea without travelling to Taichung. However, if Taichung is part of your itinerary, the original Siwei Street store is the location to prioritise.
3. 50 Lan: Taiwan’s Everyday Bubble Tea Classic
Best for: an accessible local favourite
My verdict: the bubble tea shop that felt most like part of everyday life in Taiwan
50 Lan is one of Taiwan’s most familiar bubble tea chains. It began in Tainan in 1994 and developed from a small juice and tea stall into a brand found throughout the country.
The menu covers familiar milk teas, fruit teas and toppings. For a first visit, a classic pearl milk tea is a useful point of comparison. You can also adjust the sweetness and ice level to suit your preference.
50 Lan may not offer the theatre of watching brown sugar pearls being cooked at Xing Fu Tang or the history attached to Chun Shui Tang, but it provides an example of the type of bubble tea that people in Taiwan can drink as part of an ordinary day.
4. Chi Cha San Chen: The Best Choice for Tea Lovers
Best for: the quality and flavour of the tea
My verdict: the most tea focused of the four shops
Chi Cha San Chen takes a different approach from bubble tea shops built primarily around toppings and sweetness.
The Taiwanese brand uses its own Teapresso system to extract tea from the leaves for individual drinks. Its menu places greater emphasis on the character of different teas, rather than treating the tea as a background flavour beneath milk, sugar and pearls.
Its teas have also received recognition from the International Taste Institute, including a Crystal Taste Award for its green tea.
It demonstrated how broad Taiwan’s modern bubble tea scene has become. Bubble tea can be a sweet, indulgent drink, but it can also place carefully brewed Taiwanese tea at the centre of the experience.
Which Bubble Tea Was the Best?
My favourite bubble tea in Taiwan was Xing Fu Tang’s signature brown sugar drink in Ximending.
The warm handmade tapioca pearls made the biggest difference. Their temperature, soft chew and caramelised brown sugar flavour gave the drink a contrast that none of the others could match. The torched topping also made the whole thing feel closer to a dessert than an ordinary milk tea.
That does not mean it will be everyone’s favourite.
Choose Chun Shui Tang for history and the classic pearl milk tea experience, 50 Lan for an everyday Taiwanese option and Chi Cha San Chen if the quality of the tea matters more to you than sweetness or presentation.
But for me, Xing Fu Tang was the standout.
It was music to my ears to discover that Xing Fu Tang also has branches in London, so a Taiwan versus London taste test is now inevitable. The company currently lists locations in London and elsewhere in the UK.
Tips for Ordering Bubble Tea in Taiwan
Most bubble tea menus allow you to select your sugar and ice levels. If you do not usually drink very sweet drinks, consider choosing half sugar or less, particularly when the pearls or toppings are already sweetened.
Remember that a fresh milk drink is not always the same as milk tea. Xing Fu Tang’s signature brown sugar drink, for example, is based around fresh milk and brown sugar pearls rather than a strongly brewed milk tea.
It is also worth trying more than one style. A sensible first comparison would include:
- A traditional pearl milk tea
- A brown sugar fresh milk drink
- A tea focused drink
- A fruit tea or non-milk option
Tapioca pearls are usually at their best shortly after preparation, so drink them while they are still fresh rather than carrying the cup around for several hours.
Top tip: Pick up a reusable bubble tea holder while you are in Taiwan. I found these embroidered versions at The Red House in Ximending, but various designs are sold at souvenir shops in several locations. They fold flat, make large drinks easier to carry and are one of the most useful souvenirs I brought home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was bubble tea invented?
Bubble tea originated in Taiwan during the 1980s. Chun Shui Tang in Taichung and Hanlin Tea Room in Tainan have both been associated with its invention, so the precise creator remains disputed.
What is the best bubble tea in Taiwan?
Of the four bubble tea shops I tried, Xing Fu Tang was my favourite. Its warm handmade brown sugar pearls and torched sugar topping made it noticeably different from the other drinks.
Where can I try the original bubble tea in Taiwan?
Chun Shui Tang in Taichung is one of the shops credited with creating the original pearl milk tea. Its original store is on Siwei Street, although the brand now has several locations across Taipei and Taichung.
Is bubble tea called boba in Taiwan?
Bubble tea, boba tea and pearl milk tea are commonly used English names for closely related drinks. In Taiwan, you may also see pearl milk tea written as 珍珠奶茶.
Final Verdict
Taiwan’s bubble tea scene ranges from traditional tea houses to modern chains built around fresh pearls, specialist brewing and elaborate toppings. Trying Chun Shui Tang, 50 Lan and Chi Cha San Chen showed us different sides of the drink and why it has become such an important part of Taiwan’s food culture.
But the cup I would return for first is Xing Fu Tang.
Xing Fu Tang means “A Happy Place”, and after tasting those warm brown sugar pearls, I think I found mine.
