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Bubble tea is my go-to sweet treat. Before the health experts shake their heads in disapproval, I always pick the lowest sugar level possible, or even 0 percent sugar, along with the least amount of ice possible, because I prefer my bubble tea that way. It also helps me feel better about how many cups I drink in a week, as it feels healthier with less ice and less sugar — call that girl math.
If you’re wondering which bubble tea shops are the best to get your sweet treat of the week (or day, if you’re like me), here are the best bubble tea shops in Singapore.
How I chose the best bubble tea shops
These are the 3 main criteria I used to decide which bubble tea shops to recommend:
- Quality of drinks: I find that the bubble tea shops on this list offer drinks of good quality.
- Variety of drinks: I picked bubble tea shops which offer a variety of drinks, so you can pick the one that best suits your taste.
- Accessibility: I picked bubble tea shops with outlets around Singapore, for easy access to the shops.
This isn’t a ranked best-to-worst bubble tea shop list, but a collection of the best bubble tea shops in my opinion, in no particular order. Get ready and head out to the best bubble tea shops to get your drink of the day!
Best bubble tea shops in Singapore
| Name | Best for | Key highlight |
|---|---|---|
| KOI Thé | Classic milk teas and brewed tea | Golden Bubble pearls and over 70 outlets |
| iTEA | Affordable variety and ice-blended drinks | Extensive menu with fruit teas, matcha, and caffeine-free options |
| No.17 Tea | Unique local-inspired flavours | Mochi pearls and Singaporean-inspired tea combinations |
| CHICHA San Chen | Freshly brewed premium tea | Tea brewed one cup at a time with multiple tea varieties |
| PlayMade | Handmade pearls and seasonal toppings | Handmade boba in distinctive flavours such as Pink Cactus |
| LiHO | Creative milk teas and seasonal specials | Regularly refreshed menu and cheese tea pioneer |
| R&B Tea | Brown sugar drinks | Known for its Brown Sugar Boba drink range |
| Molly Tea | Fragrant jasmine tea | Specialises in jasmine tea with a premium tea-focused menu |
| Each A Cup | Wide drink selection and nostalgic favourites | Broad menu with classic Blue Coral Milk Tea and mini pearls |
| I Love Taimei | Bubble tea with Taiwanese snacks | Butterfly pea milk teas paired with Taiwanese snacks |
1. KOI Thé
I’ve drunk enough KOI Thé in my lifetime to know that this isn’t their original brand name. They were actually known as KOI Café, which was founded in 2006 by Khloé Ma (Ma Ya-fen), as an international extension of the popular Taiwanese bubble tea chain ‘50 Lan’, founded by her family. KOI Café opened its first overseas outlet, its Toa Payoh flagship store, in 2007, in our red dot! In 2015, KOI Café was rebranded to KOI Thé, with the newly added ‘Thé’ emphasising the popular tea drinks the brand serves.
To date, there are over 70 KOI stores in Singapore, including both KOI Thé and KOI Thé EXPRESS, which features a slightly different menu and topping selection such as Jumbo pearls. Personally, I prefer their golden bubble pearls available at the original KOI Thé outlets, as they have a softer chew compared to the Jumbo pearls at KOI Thé EXPRESS outlets.
Highlights in KOI Thé for me: Jasmine Green Tea with Golden Bubble (S$4.20) and Black Tea Latte with Golden Bubble (S$5.90). I find that their Jasmine Green Tea is always brewed well, without that oversteeped bitter taste. Their Black Tea Latte is like an elevated version of their iconic milk tea. It features their Assam Black Tea poured over fresh milk, making it taste more robust as compared to their regular milk tea, which is what I personally prefer.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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2. iTEA
iTEA is a homegrown brand which started in 2011. Their mission is to provide us, the consumers, with premium bubble teas at affordable prices. iTEA has more than 60 outlets around Singapore. I like that many of their outlets are conveniently located across residential neighbourhoods and MRT stations, so I can easily get myself a sweet treat whenever I wish.
I especially like iTEA as they offer ice-blended drinks, perfect for the never-ending heat in Singapore. Their menu is extensive, with milk tea, fruit tea, matcha and even caffeine-free options. Personally, besides their ice-blended drinks, I also opt for their Aloe Vera Passion Fruit Green Tea with White Pearls (S$4.50). I like this drink the most because of the refreshing, fruity taste, along with the sour kick of the passionfruit; the aloe vera and white pearls also add extra texture.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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3. No.17 Tea
No.17 Tea was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and specialises in teas that have a unique Singaporean twist. They currently have 6 outlets across Singapore, so I still find them to be quite accessible. Their menu has a variety of drinks, suitable for any mood I’m in. They have fresh fruit teas, Taiwan teas, Yakult teas and even ‘Himalayan cheezo’ drinks.
I like their toppings selection as well, as they have a unique topping called Mochi Pearls, which literally taste like the name. If I’m craving something extra sweet, I usually opt for their Roasted Brown Boba, which adds extra sweetness to both my drink and my day. My usual order for bubble tea here is their Yakult Jade Green Tea with Mochi Pearls (S$5.50). This drink is a refreshing, clean green tea taste blended with the tangy creaminess of Yakult, paired with the chewy mouthfeel of their unique Mochi Pearls.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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4. CHICHA San Chen
CHICHA San Chen was founded in Taiwan in 1998. Their mission is to make high-quality freshly brewed teas easily accessible to tea and bubble tea lovers. A differentiating factor which sets CHICHA San Chen apart from the other bubble tea shops on this list is that their teas are freshly brewed 1 cup at a time, so do be patient! I personally enjoy watching their tea brewing process; seeing tea get extracted into a cup reminds me of potion making, and it feels calming to watch.
CHICHA San Chen offers 6 varieties of teas: Green Tea, High Mountain Pouchong Tea, Dong Ding Oolong Tea, Osmanthus Oolong Tea, Black Tea and Cassia Black Tea. They also have a variety of add-ons to enhance their drinks, such as fresh milk, mousse and lemon juice. Their topping selections range from bubble pearls to konjac jellies and more.
Personally, I get their Jasmine Green Tea with Bubble pearls (S$5.00), basic but it hits differently with their freshly extracted tea, which is light and refreshing.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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5. PlayMade
PlayMade is originally from Taiwan and has established itself in Singapore since 2017. Their bubble teas are already handcrafted, with the baristas making every drink by hand, measuring each ingredient to the T(ea). However, let me tell you that PlayMade takes it a step further, with their handmade bubble tea pearls (boba). These handmade pearls are crafted with only the freshest and best ingredients.
Their stores have an open-kitchen concept and I like to stand and watch their baristas craft the drinks as I wait for my order. PlayMade has distinctive boba flavours as well: pink cactus, black sesame, burnt caramel, grape and more. Do note that some flavours are seasonal.
I usually get their Mango Green Tea with Pink Cactus Boba (S$5.60). The final drink made is a refreshingly sweet and tart green tea paired with the floral, chewy pink cactus boba.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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6. LiHO
LiHO! That means ‘how are you?’ in Hokkien. LiHO was one of the major bubble tea chains which introduced cheese tea in Singapore, and they have since made even more creative bubble tea flavours for all to enjoy. 1 thing I like about LiHO is that they often switch up their menu and special drinks selections, as that allows me to try out even more different bubble teas.
My go-to order from LiHO is their Classic Taro Milk with Taro Pearl (S$4.60). I really like the decadent, creamy and mildly nutty taste from the Taro Milk, paired with the soft and chewy Taro Pearls. Additionally, the drink is a treat for the eyes with the soft pastel purple colour.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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8 Neighbourhood Bubble Tea Stores To Get Your Boba Fix At Wallet-Friendly Prices
7. R&B Tea
R&B Tea was founded in 2006 and c omes from Taiwan. They were the bubble tea shop to sell the first-ever cup of Brown Sugar Boba Milk in Singapore — talk about trendsetters. Since then, they have built on the love we have for Brown Sugar Pearls and created a whole collection of drinks with Brown Sugar as the star ingredient. The collection includes: Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cheese Brûlée, Brown Sugar Boba Fresh Milk and Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea. R&B Tea also serves up other drinks such as fruit teas and milk teas.
My personal favourite for when I need a really sweet treat is their Brown Sugar Boba Fresh Milk (S$3.90). I find that the fresh milk complements the smoky and rich sweetness of the brown sugar pearls, creating a well-balanced drink that isn’t cloyingly sweet. If I feel like a refreshing tea drink, I usually just get their Passion Crystal (S$4.50), which is a peach oolong drink with passion fruit puree, crystal ball and tea jelly toppings.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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8. Molly Tea
Molly Tea offers a wide variety of fragrant teas, and they specialise in jasmine tea, my favourite type of tea! Molly Tea originates from China, and ‘Molly’ is a transliteration of the Chinese word for jasmine (莫莉 Mòlì). They have teas such as Gardenia Iced Tea and Premium Jasmine Iced Tea.
As for milk teas, they have a large variety: Premium Jasmine Milk Tea, White Champaca Milk Tea, DanCong Oolong Milk Tea and more. I like their milk teas as they are lighter and taste more mellow than regular milk teas, which makes it great for a refreshing yet creamy sweet treat. Additionally, they have toppings such as White Boba Pearl, Pecan, Pistachio and Jasmine Whipped Cream with Pecan.
My personal order is their Premium Jasmine Iced Tea with White Boba Pearl (S$5.40), again, seemingly basic but Molly Tea does their teas extremely well. Their Premium Jasmine Iced Tea tastes fresh, clean and fragrant, but without that strange perfumey taste some jasmine teas tend to have. There is also a subtle hint of sweet rock sugar in the tea.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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9. Each A Cup
Each A Cup should be a familiar brand to everyone in Singapore, as the brand started in 1999. Being such an enduring brand in such a highly saturated market should be testament to how enjoyable Each A Cup’s drinks are. I like how Each A Cup is usually found in residential neighbourhood blocks and near bus interchanges or MRT stations.
Their menu ranges from milk teas to fizzy drinks to brewed teas and more. They also have a large selection of toppings, from jellies to pearls to whipped cream.
I personally get their Fresh Passion Fruit Green Tea with Mini Pearls (S$5.50). You may be wondering why mini pearls and not regular-sized ones; well, in my opinion, the mini pearls are more ‘Q’ and have a bouncier bite to them. When I’m feeling nostalgic, I get their iconic Blue Coral Milk Tea with Pearls (S$5.10), yes! That iconic bright blue drink which is rarely found in chain bubble tea shops now.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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10. I Love Taimei
I Love Taimei serves up drinks and snacks to share Taiwanese culture with the world. They have teas, milk teas and Yakult teas. However, a highlight of their drinks menu is their butterfly pea milk teas, where the butterfly pea creates a beautiful ombre with the milk. I especially like that they sell snacks such as Taiwan Popcorn Chicken (S$6.90) and Mini Hashbrowns (S$3.90) to go with my drink.
I usually get their Moon River with Pearl (S$5.30), which is a fragrant honey jasmine milk tea with butterfly pea. Another standout drink to me is their Mango Yakult Jasmine Tea with Pearl (S$5.70), which is a refreshing, tangy tea with chewy pearls.
For a full list of locations, opening hours & contact numbers, refer here.
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How to choose the right bubble tea shop in Singapore
Choose KOI Thé or CHICHA San Chen if freshly brewed tea is your priority, with KOI offering familiar classics and CHICHA San Chen focusing on tea brewed one cup at a time. iTEA, Each A Cup and LiHO suit those who want a broad menu and convenient outlets across Singapore, while PlayMade and No.17 Tea are better for distinctive toppings such as handmade pearls or Mochi Pearls.
If richer flavours appeal, R&B Tea is a natural choice for brown sugar drinks, whereas Molly Tea is better suited to fragrant jasmine teas. I Love Taimei works well if you want bubble tea alongside Taiwanese snacks, making it a practical option for a more substantial treat.
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