Whether you call it bubble tea, boba tea, or pearl milk tea, the popularity of bubble tea has been on the rise and doesn’t seem to be stopping. According to a market analysis report, the global bubble tea market size currently has an expected annual growth rate of 8.9 percent from 2020 to 2027.

Bubble tea originated in Taiwan, a place where people typically don’t take coffee breaks but usually take boba breaks throughout the day instead. It is actually considered by some to be the bubble tea capital of the world. The beverage is not only prevalent in Asian countries but has risen in popularity across the world in North America and Europe. 

When talking about bubble tea, the “bubbles” can be one of many different things. Typically, a classic bubble tea is made with boba, which are small, squishy little black tapioca pearls. They’re actually the staple of bubble tea because without them, it’s just a plain old milk tea.

The addictive part about the tapioca pearls is their sweet taste and chewy, almost rubbery consistency. This may sound a little strange, but it’s a very satisfying texture to many people. 

Some drinks will include other types of bubbles like popping pearls which, when bitten, pop in your mouth and release flavor from the inside. These bubbles can be compared to the Fruit Gushers you might have had as a kid. They can come in flavors like mango, strawberry, blueberry, peach, cherry, and many more. 

Bubble tea can also be made with several different kinds of tea. Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, and white tea are all used to make different types of drinks. The same goes for milk, whether you prefer non-dairy creamer or fresh milk, coconut milk or soy milk, they’re all-inclusive.

That’s already a lot of different options, but wait, there’s even more! Bubble tea also comes in a variety of different flavors. Some people like to go fruity with flavors like strawberry, peach, coconut, and mango. Other people prefer less fruity flavors such as caramel, coffee, rose, or chocolate.

There are numerous places in Jacksonville to get bubble tea. In fact, there are eight different locations where you can pick up a bubble tea on Beach Boulevard alone. A Google search for “bubble tea Jacksonville” actually pulls 16 results and a search for “boba tea Jacksonville” pulls around 20. 

Here are a few local places to go take a boba break:

Q-Cup Boba Tea, 11380 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32246

The price range for a bubble tea is between $3.45 and $4.45, depending on size.

Kung Fu Tea, 12630 Beach Blvd #1, Jacksonville, FL 32246

The price range for bubble tea is between roughly $3 and $10 depending on what type of drink you get and what extras you have added.

Tsaocaa Florida, 10150 Beach Blvd #7, Jacksonville, FL 32246

The price range for bubble tea is between $5 to $10, depending on the type of tea and the toppings you order along with it.

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