You may be wondering what boba, also known as Bubble Tea, is and how did this all begin? In essence they’re black balls of tapioca (called mall) used in beverages and, generally, are consumed through a large straw. Bubble Tea originates from a small tea stand in 1980’s Taiwan. Hundreds of locations in California alone serve Bubble Tea, and they’re most popular in the more metropolitan cities, especially those with a lot of Asian take out restaurants and large Asian communities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco. But boba lovers in Bakersfield, California shouldn’t despair! There are at least a handful of locations here in town serving up this sweet drink.
Boba Buck 333 Union Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93304
Boba Buck is a great place to get bubble tea made with syrup as it should be in a quaint and cosy atmosphere. The best recomendation is the passionfruit green tea with pearls. The pearls are nice and chewy, and the cups are sealed to help prevent spills. Boba Buck also offers powdered drink mixes and competitive prices with fresh, not grainy, boba. This shop shares space with Lina’s Sandwiches in the Vietnamese business district.
House of Wings & Boba Drinks 3541 Panama Ln
Bakersfield, CA 93313
The coconut and taro boba drinks are among the best reccomendations for House of Wings & Boba Drinks. However, they make their smoothies with milk instead of water, which makes them very rich, so it’s all a matter of taste. They have a variety of fruit flavors as well as coffee boba drinks. The wings themselves are a treat. The lightly buttered garlic bread is one of the most favored things among diners here. The atmosphere is laid back and relaxed, making for an interesting meal.
Thai Taste 4829 Panama Ln
Ste C
Bakersfield, CA 93313
Serene, Thai Taste with it’s friendly, courteous servers and quick service is the place to go for good food and a great time Eastern style in Bakersfield. The Boba is huge and delicious, as is the food. Overall a wonderful place to eat.
Saigon Restaurant
3113 Chester Ln
Bakersfield, CA 93304
With pressed bamboo wallpaper and beautiful decor Saigon Restaurant is a clean and well kept place to eat. The most interesting part of Saigon Restaurant is the schulptures. The three traditional figures of the women of Vietnam; North, Central, and South, all with different styles, food preferences, and accent. The food is served by polite, attentive servers with an average price range for both food and boba drinks.
Thai Kitchen
9901 Hageman Rd
Bakersfield, CA 93312
Hospitality and welcome abound at Thai Kitchen. They offer speedy service and are very personable with their customers. The interior is magnificently decorated to add even more quaint charm to the atmosphere. They serve a variety of foods including pineapple fried rice, pad thai, and mee krob. Curry is a standard in delicacies there. Thai tea boba is also among the drinks being served and it’s quite tasty! They have a wide variety of flavored drinks.
Maui Pho
4011 Ming Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93309
Maui Pho makes some of the best Boba tea in Bakersfield. Their four star restaunt quality food makes many dishes seem average in comparison. They have remodeled very well in an effort to conceal its’ building’s previous occupation. The prices are a little steep but the quantity and quality more than makes up for that fact. Maui Pho’s house special is the volcano fried rice and it’s size is humongous. The boba costs about $2.99 here and they have milk tea as well as fruit smoothie flavors like strawberry and honeydew. With a well trained staff, and a great atmosphere it makes Maui Pho the place to go.
Surf City Squeeze
Valley Plaza Mall
Anyone who frequents the Valley Plaza Mall in Bakersfield has probably seen Surf City Squeeze, a beverage chain which came to our city a couple of years ago. They’re located at the main entrance, in between Starbucks and Sees Candies. The boba drinks are about $2-$3 depending on size. They have a variety fruit smoothie mixes, like pinapple coconut and orange, as well as coffee flavors and typical boba flavors like taro. You can get any of their drinks with or without boba, and they make their smoothies with water instead of milk, which is more of my taste.
