Bubble tea shops are popping up around Rochester, and as one of our family’s favorite treats, we wanted to share a roundup of all the locations so far! Bubble tea (boba tea, pearl milk tea) is a delicious drink originating from Taiwan in the 1980s and has surged in popularity across the globe. The original bubble tea blends black tea, milk, sugar, and tapioca pearls into one satisfying drink. Now, there is a vast array of combinations and flavors for anyone’s tastebuds, as well as each shop offers some other exciting drinks to try out. And if you’re too busy to get to any of these locations, they are on Doordash for delivery straight to your door.
Each bubble tea shop offers non-milk options on their menus, and vegan options as well!
Kung Fu Tea
With over 350 locations around the United States, Kung Fu Tea offers the largest menu in town of milk teas, lemonade mixes, slushes (blended with ice), and so much more. They offer drinks in many flavors, both familiar and new, which really makes it an adventure to try new flavors and drinks. One of our favorite discoveries is their Lychee Punch, a combination of lemonade and Lychee (a Southeast Asian fruit that tastes like a cross between a strawberry and a pear).
Location: 1006 N Broadway Ave, Rochester, MN 55906
Hours: 11am – 6pm Every Day
Phone: (507) 206-6466
Poppers Tea
Located inside the Apache Mall in the Food Court, Poppers Tea has some amazing flavors to grab while you are walking around the mall. One of their menu highlights are their “Poppers” they offer as an alternative to the classic tapioca pearls in your drink. The Poppers come in a variety of fruit flavors, and “pop” when you bite into them. If that doesn’t appeal to you, they offer smoothies, slushes, and an Oolong Tea version of the classic Milk Tea drink.
Location: Apache Mall, Memorial Pkwy SW, Rochester, MN 55902
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 10am – 7pm // Sunday, 10am – 6pm
Phone: (872) 201-4384
Song Tea & Poke
Driving southbound on Broadway you might have seen the name Song Tea & Poke (pronounced like Pō-kay) on the strip attached to the Walgreens and wondered what it is all about. Poke originated in Hawaii during the late 70’s and 80’s, and is a rice bowl dish served with sushi-grade raw fish (Song Tea offers cooked protein options as well like chicken, eel, tofu, spam, etc.), veggies, toppings, and sauces. They also offer a cheese tea, which is a milk tea with a cream cheese and milk foam at the top of the drink. Their menu offers so many good flavors, toppings, and poke, it’s a great place for the whole family to explore.
Location: 90 14th St SW STE 500, Rochester, MN 55902
Hours: Monday, Wednesday – Sunday, 11am – 8pm // Tuesday, Closed
Phone: (507) 206-3607
Tea Time
The Tea Time location downtown in the Kahler hotel has the honor of being the first bubble tea shop to open in Rochester. They recently expanded by opening up a second location on North Broadway in the strip mall next to Caribou Coffee and Starbucks. They offer many of the traditional and classic flavors of milk tea, brown sugar milk, and flavored teas. With unique offerings like a Hokkaido Milk Tea, Cake Milk Brulee (tastes as great as it sounds), and a cookies and cream blended drink (the kids’ favorite), they consistently deliver on great drinks and offer adorable plushies and keychains that you won’t find anywhere else in town.
Downtown Location: 20 2nd Ave SW #7, Rochester, MN 55902
Downtown Hours: 11am – 7pm Every Day
Downtown Phone: (507)-261-9868
Broadway Location: 1617 N Broadway Ave, Rochester, MN 55906
Broadway Hours: 11am – 7pm Every Day
Broadway Phone: (507)-735-8772
Uni Uni
If my research is correct, Uni Uni is the latest addition to bubble tea shops in town and is located across the street from St. Mary’s campus on Second Street. With a menu that offers the classics as well, Uni Uni has some unique offerings that make it worth the hunt for a parking spot! With signature smoothie flavors like banana, taro, honey, red bean, and Oreo, the summer heat will be easy to beat. We were delighted by their flavored fresh milk with vanilla pudding drink/snack, and their flavored yogurts with boba are awesome. If you need a little dessert afterward, check out their tiramisu, croissants, cakes, and cheesecakes. Your sweet tooth will thank you!
Location: 1227 Second St. SW, Rochester, MN 55902
Hours: Monday – Friday: 11am – 8pm // Saturday – Sunday: 12pm – 8pm
Phone: (507) 206-3488
Honorable Mentions
The following locations are not dedicated bubble tea shops, but they do have bubble tea options on their menus!
- Mochinut – 102 20th St SE Suite 600 // (507) 206-3188
- Wabi Sabi II – 1505 12th St SE // (507) 258-1058
- Pho Chau – 1014 Broadway Ave N // (507) 281-3342
- Lee Market – 1116 9th St NE // (507) 271-5547
- Asian Fusion – 2711 Commerce Drive NW SUITE 200 // (507) 258-7992
