Boba in Atlanta:
Bubble Tea Shops on Buford Highway and in Duluth
The short answer: metro Atlanta's boba shops cluster in two places: Buford Highway in Doraville, and Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth, where one plaza at 2180 Pleasant Hill Road alone holds several tea shops. For brown sugar boba, go to Tiger Sugar or Xing Fu Tang in Duluth. For a classic milk tea near Buford Highway, try Quickly, Kung Fu Tea or Tea Top in Doraville.
Boba shops on Buford Highway (Doraville)
| Shop | Address |
|---|---|
| Quickly Bubble Tea | 5090 Buford Hwy NE, Doraville |
| Tea Leaf and Creamery | 5091 Buford Hwy NE, Ste D, Doraville |
| Java Saga | 5145 Buford Hwy NE, Ste E, Doraville |
| Sweet Hut Bakery Cafe | 5150 Buford Hwy NE, Ste A-100, Doraville |
| TE'AMO Boba & Dessert | 5150 Buford Hwy NE, Ste B199B, Doraville |
| Kung Fu Tea | 5280 Buford Hwy NE, Doraville |
| Glaze Tea | 5705 Buford Hwy NE, Doraville |
| Crematix Cafe | 5979 Buford Hwy NE, Ste A6, Doraville |
| Tea Top | 6035 Peachtree Rd, Ste A-117, Doraville (H Mart plaza) |
Boba shops on Pleasant Hill Road (Duluth)
| Shop | Address |
|---|---|
| Gong cha | 1630 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste 180, Duluth |
| ChiCha San Chen | 2174 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste 105, Duluth |
| For Good Tea | 2180 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste B6, Duluth |
| The Bep Teahouse | 2180 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste B7, Duluth |
| Ding Tea | 2180 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste B13, Duluth |
| Snowflake Tea House | 2180 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth |
| Glaze Tea | 2205 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste 125, Duluth |
| Xing Fu Tang | 2476 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth |
| Tiger Sugar | 2570 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste 101, Duluth |
| Boba Mocha | 2628 Pleasant Hill Rd, Ste 100, Duluth |
More to try: Molly Tea (2131 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth) for jasmine milk tea; Cuckoo's Cafe (5302 Buford Hwy, Doraville) for cheese-foam milk tea with Taiwanese snacks; Sharetea in Sandy Springs; and, closer to Decatur, Dumpling Master on Clairmont Road, which serves bubble tea with its dumplings.
What to order
- Classic milk tea with boba (珍珠奶茶 zhēnzhū nǎichá): black tea with milk and chewy tapioca pearls, first made in Taiwan in the 1980s.
- Brown sugar boba (黑糖珍珠 hēitáng zhēnzhū): pearls cooked in brown sugar syrup, streaked down the cup and topped with fresh milk.
- Cheese foam tea: cold tea capped with a lightly salty cream cheese foam. Sip it without a straw at first.
- Fruit tea: green or jasmine tea shaken with fresh fruit, often with jelly or popping boba instead of tapioca.
Tips for ordering boba
- Most shops let you choose sugar (often 0, 30, 50, 70 or 100 percent) and ice levels. Start at 50 percent sugar if you're unsure.
- Tapioca pearls are best fresh; drink boba within an hour or two.
- Pair a drink with dumplings or Taiwanese fried chicken nearby; see ourBuford Highway guideandDuluth guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best boba in Atlanta?
The biggest choice is on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth and on Buford Highway in Doraville. Choose by style: Tiger Sugar and Xing Fu Tang for brown sugar boba, ChiCha San Chen and Gong cha for tea-forward drinks, Quickly and Kung Fu Tea for classic milk tea.
What is boba?
Boba is the Taiwanese name for chewy tapioca pearls, and for the milk tea and fruit tea drinks served with them, also called bubble tea.
Is boba gluten free?
Tapioca pearls are made from cassava starch, but toppings, syrups and add-ins vary. Ask the shop if you need to avoid gluten.