Boba, or “Bubble Tea” as some people know it is a type of drink that contains both components of tea and toppings, such as boba, a chewy tapioca ball. It is the perfect refreshing drink for any day. Sound us, in Mission Viejo and surrounding areas, there are many places to get boba. However, with so many places to buy boba, I decided to review and rank different boba shops, since I am a frequent boba drinker. Here are some reviews of common boba places near Mission Viejo.

Sharetea:

Sharetea is one of the most common boba shops. It is a Taiwanese boba shop that serves a very large variety of drinks, and often has seasonal and limited time unique drinks to try. Sharetea is one of my favorite boba shops because of its quick service and relatively low prices. However, the drinks are made with powder and not real tea. Sharetea is one of my favorite boba shops for its relatively low prices, tasty drinks, and wide topping selection.

7 Leaves:

7 Leaves is more common in surrounding areas, like Irvine, but it still provides good service and drinks. 7 Leaves is a Vietnamese boba shop, so it has some drinks different from other places, like Sharetea, such as Vietnamese coffee. Although it is more expensive than other places, and the service tends to be slower, the drinks are very good, made with fresh tea and milk. I also really enjoy the texture of the boba from here and some drinks that stand out are the Assam Milk Tea,  the Oolong Milk Tea, and the Thai Tea. Along with this they have a selection of snacks like macaroons and croissants. However, one thing I don’t enjoy as much is the pricing as you have to pay for size upgrades and toppings are more expensive than other places, and the locations are generally farther away. I would recommend 7 leaves for their handcrafted drinks and the general aesthetics of their shops.

Ding Tea:

Ding Tea is another boba shop that serves Taiwanese boba, and it has many locations near Mission Viejo and the surrounding areas. Ding Tea has a very large variety of drinks, and I would recommend it for its fruit teas and slushes. My favorite drinks are the Mango Slush and Lychee tea. The service is typically good and some locations also have some small games like claw machines. One thing that I don’t think is the best is the toppings and their texture of the boba is not my favorite. However I think that Ding Tea is a solid boba shop and a good choice if someone wants boba and is new or does not really like the milk teas.

In all, boba is an amazing, refreshing drink and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it. I would recommend Sharetea for it’s value prices and drink selection, 7 Leaves for the quality of their drinks, and Ding Tea for their fruit drinks and close locations. 

Happy Drinking!