I love chocolate flavored bubble tea. For a Hanoian, who is not very fond of foreign brands, who thinks Starbucks is too sweet and Joma tastes like water, bubble tea addiction is a contradiction. Still, bubble tea (or Trà Sữa Trân Châu) predates long before those brands in Hanoi. People, especially teenagers, are in love with it – this marvelous combination of milk and tea, jotting with bubbles. Moreover, bubble tea is better for health than coffee, you can drink more than two cups a day.

This review covers the most popular bubble tea shops in Hanoi…

Chatime

Being a huge brand with a chain of shops – more than 800 in the world, Chatime seem to be the best bubble tea in Hanoi. Apart from choices of flavor, topping, cream, you can also alter the ratio of sugar and milk. However, the small shops are usually crowded with people, so take away might be a better option for UNIS students.  Additionally, Chatime also has delivery services. The price is 30 – 50 thousand dong for a cup, excluding shipping fee.

http://www.ichatime.com/webe/html/stores/index2.php?kind=136

Rate: 6/7

Ding Tea

Although Ding Tea landed in the Hanoi market after Chatime, the brand has grown rapidly within a short amount of time. While the Taiwanese brand has opened over 14 stores across Hanoi, Chatime remains small with only 5 stores. The bubble tea store provides all the services that its rival does and more.  Its shop is well – decorated with light and comfortable furniture. The only minus is the shop is quite small. The price for Ding tea is 25 – 35 thousand dong/cup, excluding shipping fee.

http://www.dingtea.vn/

Rate 6/7

Daily Tea

Located in 27 Hang Giay street, Daily tea is a cozy and hipster bubble tea shop. Although the menu is limited to only 10 flavors, the thorough preparation process is sophisticated and hygienic which worths every second of your waiting time.   The shop does not have delivery service but the atmosphere that it brings up is great with vintage style. There are 2 floors designed to fit 25 people.

Rate: 5.5/7

Xing Cha

Xing Cha is located in 14, Gia Ngu, Hang Bac street. Having operated in Hanoi for only about a year,  Xing Cha possesses a special identity that makes it stand out without any attempt for shop decoration and delivery service.

Unlike Chatime and Ding tea, which use prepared powder for their tea, Xing Tea is freshly done from tea leafs. It definitely takes more than 2 minutes to prepare one cup of bubble tea. Ingredients such as extra toppings and sago are imported directly from Taiwan, which ensures that every cup of tea gives out a signature Xing Tea taste.

http://xingcha.com.my/contact1.html

Rate: 6/7