Bubble tea originated in Taiwan, but today the craze has gone global. Just look at all the local tea shops and restaurants serving milky or fruity beverages filled with boba (chewy tapioca pearls) or popping boba (which are juice-filled). Grab a wide straw and quench your thirst, along with your sweet tooth, with these summery sippers. The list below includes the winners and top vote-getters from this year’s Best of Arlington Awards, plus some additional spots worth checking out.
Chill Zone Café
This Vietnamese-American fusion café and Best of Arlington 2026 winner has been an Arlington fixture for 10 years. Two of its most popular drinks are the Frosty Mango and Thai Milk Tea, says co-CEO Alan Omar. Customers can add boba to most cold drinks on the menu, including smoothies, frappes and refreshers. The traditional pearls include tapioca, honey or crystal, while popping boba (juice-filled spheres that burst when you bite them) come in flavors such as strawberry, mango and lychee. The cafe also serves hot coffee and tea, and snacks including spring rolls and bánh mì. 2442 N. Harrison St., Arlington (Yorktown)
Bees & Tea
A sister spot to full-service Vietnamese restaurant Saigon Saigon, this fast-casual takeout offers quick bites and sips. Treat yourself to fruity boba teas in flavors such as mango or passionfruit—or try a milky concoction such as Purple Dream (taro milk tea with taro puree, flan caramel custard and black honey boba) or the Seafoam Boba, made with pistachio milk tea, sea salt, pistachio nuts and black honey boba. If you’re hungry, the Crispy Crab Wontons or Steamed BBQ Chicken Bao Bun are sure to satisfy. The restaurant also serves taiyaki and ice cream. 1201 S. Joyce St., Arlington (Westpost)
Kung Fu Tea
Made with tea sourced from Taiwan, this chain started in Queens in 2010 and now has more than 350 locations nationwide. Its bubble tea options include traditional tapioca, Coffee Popping Bubbles, Grape and Mango. The store also makes Wow Bubbles—warm tapioca pearls slow-cooked in brown sugar—that find their way into decadent sippers like the Dubai Chocolate Wow and Oreo Wow. 3018 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon); 4238 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Ballston Quarter); 1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington (Fashion Centre at Pentagon City); 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons (Tysons Corner Center)
TeaDM
Brought to you by the team behind Pop-Up District at the Eden Center, this boba chainlet’s name is a portmanteau of “tea” and “EDM,” as in electronic dance music. No surprise that its vibey cafes serve a steady supply of percussion-heavy beats along with boba-filled beverages. What’s popular? Check out this list. Add boba to specialties like the Cosmopolitea (a blend of strawberry, lychee and green tea) or Rose Milk Tea. Or sample a new matcha from Japan. 6779 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church
Boba With Mi
The name is a play on boba and bánh mì, both popular Vietnamese treats. Bestselling drinks here include the Taro Special and Vietnamese Seasalt, although you can add honey, black sugar or crystal boba to any drink. The menu also offers fruit teas such as Sweet Peach, and milk teas such as Watermelon Milk Tea, along with smoothies, garlic edamame, bánh mì and a mochi waffle. 6647 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church
Gong Cha
What started as a single bubble tea shop in Taiwan now has more than 2,100 stores worldwide, including a trio in Northern Virginia. Fan favorite boba drinks include Taro Milk Tea with Pearls, Black Milk Tea with Pearls and QQ Passionfruit Green Tea. 1650 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Rosslyn); 6787 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church (Eden Center); and 1632 Boro Place, Tysons (The Boro)
TNR Café
Maybe this Courthouse eatery isn’t top of mind as a boba shop, but it has 13 types of bubble tea on the menu. Flavors include Almond with Black Milk Tea, Honeydew Green Milk Tea, Apple and Grapefruit. Try one with a meal of Ginger Chicken Casserole or lo mein. 2049 Wilson Blvd., Arlington (Courthouse)
ViVi Bubble Tea
This nearly 20-year-old chain that originated in New York now has more than 80 locations serving signature drinks such as the Blue Galaxy, Coffee Jelly Bubble Milk Tea and Flaming Brown Sugar Tapioca. In addition to tapioca pearls, customers can also add toppings such as tea jelly, aloe and red beans. 6751 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church
Spot of Tea
In March, this D.C.-based chainlet opened its first Northern Virginia storefront in National Landing, with bestsellers such as Vanilla Taro (whisked taro, coconut cream, Madagascar vanilla and milk) and Mango Sticky Rice Matcha (pureed golden mango, coconut-rice milk and matcha). The menu also includes iced fruit drinks, specialty coffees and hot milk drinks. 1631 Crystal Drive, Arlington (National Landing)
ArTeA
Part tea shop, part restaurant and bar, this McLean cafe serves organic boba in inventive combinations. For something refreshing, there’s the Lychee Lime or Cherry Lemonade. For a smooth sipper, try the Ube Latte infused with purple yam or the Creamy Earl Grey. And good luck resisting artful desserts such as the lifelike Pear (pear mousse with pear cubes and a pear purée center over a chocolate sponge cake made with rice flour) or the Coconut Paradise, which tucks coconut mousse layered with pineapple purée inside a milk chocolate shell topped with fresh pineapple slices. 6635 Old Dominion Drive, McLean