The Essential Milk Tea Crawl in Taiwan

While the rest of the world just caught up with the milk tea trend, the addicting drink has been a staple in Taiwan for many years. If you’re a true milk tea fan, head over to the country and have a milk tea adventure.

 Milk Teas or Bubble Teas has been present for many years, but its popularity skyrocketed in the last year. In Taiwan, milk tea shops are packed with milk tea lovers at all hours. The country is loaded with all kinds of milk tea shops to satisfy your preferences.

With tons of shops and menu items to choose from, it can get pretty overwhelming to know which milk tea or bubble tea shops are the best ones to visit in Taiwan. The truth is, you can’t simply visit Taiwan and try only one milk tea shop. To make your milk tea crawl a lot easier, we’ve compiled some of the most famous and delicious milk tea brands in the country.

Chun Shui Tang

This shop may be the one to thank for inventing the beloved drink. Legend has it, Liu Han Chieh, the shop’s owner, was the first one to add tapioca pearls in milk tea. He simply poured sweet pudding with the tapioca balls in the iced tea at a meeting.

Don’t worry, it’s not hard to find in Taiwan considering it has over 1,000 large and small branches. Just a sip of their creamy drink will leave your eyes rolling. One of the fan-favorites in this store is the Original Pearl Milk Tea.

Chen San Ding

Although this shop may seem small, it boasts one of the highest sales in Taiwan. Every day, it sells more than 3,000 milk tea servings. Make sure to order the Honeydew Pearl Milk Tea, which has a moderate sweet taste and very chewy tapioca balls.

When you drop by Chen San Ding, prepare to stand in line before you get your turn. Don’t worry, as soon as you take you first sip, you’ll understand why a lot of people are clamoring for it.

Tenren’s Tea

One of the oldest tea shops in Taiwan, this shop is famous for its pure-dried tea. You can order their drinks at their shop such as the King’s Oolong milk tea. They also have a matcha variant, which is noticeably stronger than its other competitors. What makes Tenren’s tea special is its tea leaves are grown and harvested in their own farms. This artisanal tea has a distinct color, taste, and aroma.

Tenren’s tea is the ultimate destination for people who want to keep it simple. With its perfect balance of creaminess and sweetness, you’ll absolutely love it. It even offers unique cheesy and fruity milk tea options.

50 Lan

Just like Chun Shui Tang, you can find this milk tea shop everywhere you go. Sometimes, there are even two branches on the same street. 50 Lan gives its customers a wide array of traditional milk tea flavors, which is a refreshing selection considering the myriad of new flavors popping up in different shops.

If you want to try a more playful option, 50 Lan can still suit your taste. If you think you can’t have milk tea for breakfast, think again. Their Oatmeal Milk Tea flavor will make you think otherwise.

Tiger Sugar

It would be impossible to talk about milk tea without mentioning Tiger Sugar. Although it’s a newer addition compared to the other shops on this list, you must not miss its Signature Brown Sugar Fresh Milk Tea. This shop’s popularity has even spread in many Asian countries, as well as the US.

Their best-selling drink also tops the list of the most instagrammable milk tea you can get in Taiwan. With its photogenic “tiger stripes” made by the brown sugar syrup, you’ll want to have an Instagram moment before you take a sip.

​Taiwan is Milk Tea Heaven

The bubble tea or milk tea craze is definitely taking over the globe, but there’s no better place to try it than where it started. Although you’d have to line up for a few minutes to get your drink, it would be worth it.