Boba has been one of my favorite joys of the past few years, and trust me I have the debit card charges to prove it. Nothing brings a smile to my face quite like a delicious milk tea, but ever since I moved to Boulder I’ve been looking for my new go-to boba spot. This week, I ventured down to the Lollicup location in an area near the University of Colorado Boulder Campus known as the Hill to give my own review and see if it’ll become my new boba destination.
Brief History:
Lollicup was created by Chinese entrepreneurs Alan Yu and Marvin Cheng in April 2000. The company claims to have opened the first bubble tea cafe in San Gabriel, California known as Lollicup Coffee and Tea. Following the milk tea craze in Taiwan in the 1990s, the duo’s goal was to bring the Taiwanese concept of tapioca pearls to mainstream America. To keep quality consistent for their stores, Lollicup then established two new brands, Tea Zone and Karat. Tea Zone is a manufacturer of all things needed to produce boba, including an assortment of tapioca pearls, popping pearls flavored syrups, loose-leaf teas, drink powders, and more. Meanwhile, Karat is a packaging supplier targeted towards boba shops and restaurants. The headquarters of Lollicup USA are in Chino, California and the brand remains one of the leaders in the boba and milk tea industry.
Flavors:
Lollicup presents a number of classic milk tea favorites such as black tea, Thai tea, taro tea, matcha, and jasmine. However, the store also offers more exciting flavors such as honeydew, rose, and lavender. There are a number of other drink types including flavored tea, slush, smoothies, and coffee. The company also offers a variety of add-ons including classic tapioca pearls, crystal boba, coffee jelly, popping pearls, and lychee jelly.
5/5 stars
Milk Tea Quality:
If there is one thing a girl loves, it’s her milk tea. I’ve tried two milk teas at Lollicup, the first being Thai tea and the second being lavender. Below are more detailed reviews for each drink, however, in general, I would say that Lollicup milk teas are pretty good. I often struggle with chain boba stores because their drinks are too sweet, which is a little insane of me to say considering I have a huge sweet tooth. However, I find Lollicup’s milk teas to be an enjoyable amount of sweet, while still having prominent flavors.
Thai Review:
Now let me tell you, I love my Thai tea. However, I wouldn’t say I am the pickiest Thai tea consumer, as I enjoy a decently large range of Thai tea. While I would say that this is a decently good Thai tea, I wish it had a little more depth in terms of the earthy flavor that Thai tea is known for. However, for a chain store, it’s not bad at all.
4/5 stars
Lavender Review:
I’ve never had lavender milk tea before, but after a friend’s recommendation, I would definitely recommend it. I’m telling you, this milk tea was delicious—and that’s an understatement. The unique floral flavor meshed so well with the creamy nature of the milk, tying together a sweetness that wasn’t overpowering. However, my suspicions that I might be allergic to lavender were quickly confirmed because following my first heavenly 15 minutes, I was plagued by one of the worst migraines of my life. So, I may not be indulging in lavender milk tea anytime soon, but I would most definitely recommend this.
5/5 stars
Boba Quality:
Tapioca pearls are the major staple of the drink. However, I feel like half the boba shops I go to don’t even try. I’ve had brick tapioca, slimy and melty tapioca, and, worst of all, tapioca that I swear contained an ocean’s worth of salt. I can be a very picky girl with my tapioca pearls. However, I can say I don’t think I’ve ever had an awful experience with the boba at Lollicup. Generally, it has remained about the same texture where it’s not too soft or too firm, which is pretty impressive for a chain to be consistent in this regard (and thank god it’s not incredibly salty). This is usually the part of boba that I’m the most fussy with, so I’m excited to say that the tapioca pearls are most definitely Jeslyn-approved.
5/5 stars
Price Point:
My drink total for a milk tea with classic tapioca pearls came out to be $6.50, with the milk tea itself being just $5. When I’m usually paying an arm and a leg for a simple milk tea (I mean $7-8, but I’m in college), it’s refreshing to see even a slight change in price. I would definitely say the quality is worth the price and that this is one of the most competitive prices I’ve seen for high-quality boba.
5/5 stars
Wait Time:
I’ve been to Lollicup a number of times and honestly, the wait time can vary. The most recent time I went, the drink was made within 5-10 minutes. Another time, I waited about 20 minutes. However, once I went, I waited for over 40 minutes. To be fair, this was during one of the first football games at the University of Colorado, Boulder campus, meaning the store was much busier than on a normal afternoon. I was also given a complimentary Choco Pie, which didn’t hurt either. I personally was in no hurry that day and enjoyed my free Choco Pie and the extra time with my friends. The wait time varies heavily on what time you go. For instance, going on a Tuesday afternoon will be much quicker than on a weekend.
2/5 stars
Environment:
Lollicup’s peaceful and homey aura acts as a safe haven towards the bustling nature of the Hill and campus as a whole. I believe that Lollicup is a perfect place to just hang out and spend time with your friends, but is also a space to focus on all the things you need to get done. There are always cute little boba stickers near the counter that bring a smile to my face (and best believe all my water bottles are covered in them). Chances are, an adorable dog will also be there which definitely helps brighten my day a little bit more.
5/5 stars
Authenticity:
After the mess that was Bobba, I think it’s important to acknowledge how boba companies are connecting back to the origins of the drink. At the end of the day, milk tea and boba are culturally significant drinks and deserve to be treated with respect.
The company itself demonstrates care and attentiveness to address the cultural significance of boba. It’s amazing to see two incredibly successful Asian-American entrepreneurs forefronting the company who aren’t afraid to acknowledge their goal of bringing Asian culture to America in a respectful manner. There are numerous examples of the website attributing the historical origin of boba to Taiwan, furthering the brand’s initiative to educate consumers on the cultural significance of the drink.
5/5 stars
Currently, Lollicup reigns supreme as my favorite local boba shop near CU Boulder. Whenever I’m going out with friends or just need to fulfill my cravings, Lollicup is the place to go. The store itself is so cozy, with kind employees. I would definitely recommend Lollicup to the boba girlies, but also to those who are just wanting to try out some new flavors. For a chain boba shop, I would say that its location presents high-quality milk tea and tapioca pearls for a reasonable price point. There is a 99.9% chance you’ll see me sipping down a milk tea on a random Wednesday afternoon.