The Best Bubble Tea Spots In Columbus

Bubble tea is the greatest thing ever, right?

Colorful, cold, sweet and so much fun to slurp out of those giant, multi-colored straws. My six-year-old calls bubble tea a “combo drink and snack” and she’s not wrong. Because everyone knows that if there’s nothing to chew in your cup, is it even bubble tea?

Luckily for us, Columbus has some fantastic spots to grab a cup of the good stuff. Check out these 7 spots that every bubble tea fan in Columbus needs to try!

Bubbles Tea and Juice Company

Bubbles Tea and Juice Company opened up shop in 2005 in the iconic North Market and Columbus immediately fell in love. The original location is still there and it’s my personal favorite, but many others have now joined it. In fact, you can now find a Bubbles Tea and Juice stand in the Columbus Convention Center, Dublin, Worthington, Polaris Fashion Place, Tuttle Crossing Mall, and even at the Easton Town Center!

In addition to yummy bubble tea, they also have cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and protein bars.

What to get: Their fruit teas are awesome! I’m partial to the peach and green apple flavors, myself.

Little Moon Cafe

Little Moon is a cute tea shop located in Clintonville. Not only can you sip on something yummy, but you can also sign up for Saturday night Karaoke. Now’s your chance to break out that tried and true song and wow your fellow tea-lovers.

The ambiance at Little Moon is adorable, with lots of cozy seating options perfect for sipping and munching on your bubble tea.

What to get: You can’t go wrong with Little Moon Black Tea.

The Brewed Leaf

This cute shop is located in the Olentangy Plaza shopping center off of Bethel road, and they just recently opened their second location in University District. The first time I walked into The Brewed Leaf, it was because a friend dragged me there in complete shock that I had yet to try it out.

My friend was right – it was shocking that I hadn’t heard of this spot before! It was totally my jam, and I went three times in three days. Their bubble tea is really THAT good and it reminded me of the time my husband and I quit our jobs, sold off all our crap, and bought one-way tickets to Hong Kong because we wanted to aimlessly wander the streets eating and drinking every delicious thing we could find. The Brewed Leaf is by far the most authentic bubble tea that I’ve found in Columbus, and if you want to sample a beverage that will transport you directly to the streets of Hong Kong, this is where you need to go. Plus, it’s locally owned!

Brewed Leaf iced bubble tea with pudding topping on a table — My favorite is the Passionfruit Green tea with PUDDING! Best topping ever!

In addition to bubble tea, they also have smoothies and my personal favorite – a whole LIST of fun toppings for your bubble tea. You can choose from things like wild rice, grass jelly, red bean, sweet cream, pudding, or even CHEESE.
What to get: I highly recommend the Passionfruit Green tea with pudding or the Black Milk tea with boba.

Kung Fu Tea

Kung Fu Tea is another bubble tea location that is pretty authentic. This is a massive corporate chain, headquartered in New York City, but with locations throughout the world, including Canada, Australia, and even Vietnam. In Columbus, there are two locations, one in the Kenny Center Plaza, and another on Sawmill Road.

They also use freshly brewed tea, which means that everyone can customize the level of sweetener in their drink, which I appreciate. They also offer fun topping choices like jellies or popping bubbles. Kung Fu Tea has free wifi and lots of outlets so it’s a great place to work remotely!

In addition to bubble tea, they also have different flavored punches and slushes to try.

What to get: Oolong Milk tea or Taro Milk tea

Vivi Bubble Tea

Vivi Bubble tea is located just north of campus, on High Street. This is another large chain shop, also originating in New York. My favorite thing about Vivi Bubble tea is the cute decor. It’s all done in pink and white, and somehow, they even make skulls look adorable!

No seriously, how cute are these skulls?

Vivi Bubble Tea pink wall mural with cartoon skull characters and black couch — via Yelp

The ambiance totally reminds me of what you find in Asia – lots of cutesy decors and some Kpop softly playing in the background. Plus, they have lots of Instagram worthy drinks, like their iconic “Blue Galaxy” tea.

In addition to bubble tea, you can also try a slush or one of their floats.

What to get: 3Q Milk tea or a Tiramisu tea

Cha Time

Cha Time is a favorite of OSU students. Located near the university, this spot always seems to have students hanging out between classes, studying, or meeting up with friends. While the spot does not have wifi, you can usually find a connection if needed from a neighboring shop. Like some of the other bubble tea shops in Columbus, you can customize your sugar levels in the drink which means it’s great for those watching what they eat.

They also have some fun toppings like aloe vera, popping green apple bubbles or their delicious coconut jelly. Cha time is another large chain with over 1500 locations!

In addition to bubble tea, you should sample their mousse-topped drinks or anything on their large menu! Cult favorites on their menu include the Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken or the Mala Beef Noodle Soup!

What to get: Taro Milk tea or the Thai Milk tea