Did you know that bubble tea was invented back in the 1980s? The hype was only built up in the late 1990s to 2000s and it has gone so popular! Bubble tea was founded by a Taiwanese man named Liu Han Chie while he was experimenting with cold milk tea by adding fruits, syrup and tapioca bubbles. Yup, those chewy black balls at the bottom of your bubble tea, the bubble to your bubble tea, are made of tapioca, in case you never knew.
It has then become one of the most popular drinks ever since and is still a favorite for most people. In case you need a sip of a good milky bubble tea, here’s a list of places you can get bubble teas from.
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Seats.my
1. Tealive
Tealive or Tealive? Did you read that in two different pronunciation? According to Tealive, you can read them either way- “Tea-liv” or “Tea-lahyv”.
What used to be Chatime, Tealive is a new branding of Malaysia’s Chatime because of a battle between the original Taiwanese franchiser and Malaysian franchiser.
Yoyo
Yoyo
2. Yoyo
Yoyo is no stranger to local Sabahans. Not only do they sell bubble teas, but they also sell pastries and home-made bread. Famous for their croissants as well!
Gong Cha
3. Gong Cha
Another Taiwan originated chain bubble tea brand that is growing fast around Malaysia. We’re lucky enough to have one in KK!
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Seats.my
Seats.my
4. Gen Z
This relatively new bubble tea place is brought to you by the founders of Shulamite Cafe and Loca Food Truck! Venturing into an entirely different food, Gen Z makes beautiful and colorful bubble teas that are Instagram-worthy!
Lucky Bean
Lucky Bean
5.Lucky Bean
Looking for a place to yum-cha with your friends? Get over to Lucky Bean for some bubble teas and eggettes as well.
Easy Way
6) Easy Way
Never heard of this place before? Well, guess what, they do have bubble teas! The only Easy Way left in KK is the one in Karamunsing.
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7) Regiustea
Regiustea is originally from Hong Kong and has expanded to Malaysia and KK has its first outlet at Plaza 333. What’s different about their bubble teas? If you like cheese, then you’re in luck! Their bubble teas come in cheese base as well!
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Seats.my
Seats.my
9) III Cheese
KK bubble tea scene is growing rapidly and constantly. Another new bubble tea store is up and running and you guessed it, judging by the name, expect lots of cheese in your bubble tea.
Ochado
10) Ochado
This Japanese-inspired bubble tea is different than your usual Taiwanese bubble tea. If you love green tea/ matcha, go for Ochado!
Cool City
Cool City
11) Cool City
As cool as its name is, Cool City offers a variety of bubble teas. Their bubble teas are more of fruity teas than milky based teas. Very refreshing!
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12) Ayoi
We cannot keep up with all these new bubble tea stores! Ayoi is also another relatively new place to get your fix of bubble tea. If you love lots of pearls in your bubble tea, Ayoi is super generous with their pearls!
We’re pretty sure that the bubble tea phase will continue to expand and more bubble tea shops will pop up in the near future. So save this article as we will keep updating the list! You’ll never know when your strong bubble tea craving will kick in, and this list will come in handy!
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13) Cha Tra Mue
The Original Thai Tea since 1945. I guess we can safely call this the pioneer of Thai Tea! As it is obviously founded in Thailand, Cha Tra Mue has been serving quality Thai tea and even soft serve ice creams in a variety of flavors! If you’re walking around Suria Sabah or Imago Shopping Mall and a crave of Thai Tea or soft serve hits you, wait no more and grab a drink for yourself.
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14) Macao Imperial Tea
Macao Imperial Tea has over 400 outlets all over the world which include countries like Vietnam, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, China and even in the United States! It is definitely expanding even more and has finally landed in Kota Kinabalu. Opening two branches at once, T1 Bundusan and Imago Shopping Mall, you can get your bubble tea fix as well as coffee on the go!
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15) Sharetea
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Another Taiwan originated bubble tea chain store has alighted in Kota Kinabalu and it is called Sharetea! Established since 1992, it has expanded and grown to 14 countries around the world! Sharetea also has the now very trendy “tiger bubble tea” which is made of brown sugar. This creates a stripy faded color like a tiger’s stripes, hence the name. It’s located along Lintas Platinum Hotel, or if you’re more familiar with Boulevard Hypermarket, it’s just around the corner.
16) Idrink
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If you like your drinks fruity and refreshing, then you’d like the teas from Idrink. Located at T1 Bundusan, this cozy little space is your go-to spot for quiet time while indulging your delicious tea.
17) Tea Aroi
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Another Thai milk tea has arrived! For those who have a sweet tooth but feeling guilty for indulging too much of bubble teas, great news, they have a mini-sized option for you! That way you get to have your daily dose of bubble tea without feeling too guilty. Located in Kompleks Karamunsing!
18) Yunique Tea
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Plaza 333 is really booming with lots of F&B outlets and the newest addition is another bubble tea shop! Yunique Tea also serves brown sugar milk tea! If you’re feeling guilty for having one too many bubble tea, Yunique tea uses high-quality raw material that is easy to metabolize, so you can indulge guilt-free bubble tea without worrying about getting “fat”!
