If you have spotted those chewy pearls at the bottom of an iced tea and wondered what is boba, you are in the right place. Boba, also called bubble tea, is a cold, sweet tea drink loaded with soft tapioca pearls that you sip and chew at the same time. At Kona Poké, boba has become the perfect partner to a fresh island bowl, and our drink menu now stretches well beyond classic milk tea into fruit teas, smoothies, slushies and creamy Dole Whip. Here is everything you need to know about bubble tea, how it is made, and where to find it in Central Florida.
What is boba, exactly?
Boba started in Taiwan in the 1980s, when tea shops began dropping chewy tapioca pearls into sweetened iced milk tea. The result was a drink you could both sip and snack on, and it spread across the world from there. The word boba refers to those signature pearls: small spheres made from tapioca starch that turn soft, springy and lightly sweet once they are cooked.
A classic bubble tea has four simple parts: a tea or milk base, a touch of sweetener, ice, and the boba pearls themselves. From there the combinations are nearly endless. You can go rich and creamy with a milk tea, light and refreshing with a fruit tea, or thick and frosty with a blended smoothie or slushie. Every drink is shaken to order and served with an oversized straw so the pearls come along for the ride.
Because you choose the base, the flavor and the toppings, boba is one of the most customizable drinks around. In other words, it is a lot like building your own poké bowl, just on the sweeter side of the counter.
If you are brand new to bubble tea, do not overthink it. Start with a classic milk tea and tapioca pearls, then adjust the sweetness to taste. Once you are comfortable, branch out to popping boba that bursts with juice, or swap in a fruit tea for something lighter and dairy-free. Half the fun of boba is finding the combination that becomes yours.
Boba, fruit tea, smoothies and Dole Whip: the Kona lineup
Walk up to the drink counter at Kona Poké and you will find a lot more than one kind of bubble tea. Whether you like your drink creamy, fruity or frozen, there is a pour with your name on it. Here is a quick tour of what you can order.
Ways to build your drink
- Milk teas: creamy classics like our Kona Classic bubble milk tea, taro and matcha, served over ice with chewy pearls.
- Fruit teas: bright, refreshing and dairy-free sips such as tropical island fruit tea, passion fruit and strawberry.
- Smoothies & slushies: thick, frosty blends like mango, strawberry and taro, made for hot Florida afternoons.
- Dole Whip: the famous soft-serve pineapple treat, a dairy-free, island-style dessert you can grab by the cup.
Boba and Dole Whip are the sweet finish to a savory meal. Build a bowl from the full Kona Poké menu, add a drink, and you have lunch and dessert in one stop. You will find the drink bar at every shop, including our Melbourne location and our Sanford location, and it is an easy add-on to any Kona Poké catering order for the office.
One more thing worth knowing: you are in control of how indulgent your drink is. Ask for less sweetness, choose a lighter fruit tea over a creamy milk tea, or skip the caffeine with a fruit-based option. Boba can be a weekend treat or an everyday refresher, depending on how you build it.
Not in the mood for tea? The Dole Whip is a crowd favorite all on its own. It is light, tangy and refreshingly sweet, dairy-free, and it travels well for kids and grown-ups alike. Pair it with a fruit tea and you have a bright, tropical combo that feels like a mini island vacation between meetings. On a warm Central Florida day it is hard to beat.
Where to get boba near you in Central Florida
So, is boba worth trying? Absolutely, especially when it is shaken fresh and paired with a made-to-order bowl. You will find boba, fruit teas, smoothies and Dole Whip at every Kona Poké in Central Florida, open daily from 11am to 9pm. Swing by our shops in Sanford, Apopka and Melbourne, grab a bowl and a bubble tea to go, or order delivery on Uber Eats and DoorDash. If bubble tea near you keeps coming up in your searches, this is your spot.
Planning something bigger? A boba and poké spread is a fun, fresh way to treat a team, a classroom or a party without the usual heavy catering.
Regulars have another reason to grab a drink: every boba, bowl and Dole Whip can earn Kona Rewards points toward free food down the road. It is a small perk that adds up fast once bubble tea becomes part of your weekly routine.
