Boba Tea in Miami: Your Complete Guide to Bubble Tea, Taro & Thai Tea

What Is Boba Tea?

Boba tea — also known as bubble tea, pearl milk tea, or simply boba — is a Taiwanese drink that has taken the world by storm since its invention in the 1980s. The story goes that a teahouse owner in Taichung, Taiwan, experimented by adding sweetened tapioca balls to cold milk tea, and the result was so addictive that it quickly spread across Asia and eventually to every corner of the globe. Today, boba tea is a multi-billion dollar global industry and one of the most popular drinks among young adults, especially here in Miami.

At its core, boba tea is a flavored tea or milk-based drink served with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom. The "boba" specifically refers to those distinctive marble-sized balls made from cassava starch (also called tapioca starch), which are cooked until they achieve a soft, chewy, gummy-like texture. The drink is typically served ice-cold with an oversized straw wide enough to suck up the pearls along with each sip, creating a uniquely fun and satisfying drinking experience that is as much about texture as it is about flavor.

What makes boba tea so appealing is its infinite customizability. You choose your base (tea, milk, fruit, frozen), your flavor, your sweetness level, and your toppings. No two orders need to be the same, and the combination possibilities are genuinely endless.

Types of Boba Toppings

While classic tapioca pearls are the original and most iconic boba topping, the world of boba toppings has expanded dramatically. Here are the main categories you will encounter:

Classic Tapioca Pearls

These are the ones that started it all. Made from tapioca starch derived from the cassava root, classic boba pearls are cooked in a sugar syrup that gives them their signature dark color and subtle sweetness. The texture is chewy, bouncy, and slightly sticky — often described as "QQ" in Taiwanese food culture, which refers to that perfectly springy, pleasantly chewy mouthfeel. Fresh tapioca pearls should be soft but not mushy, with enough resistance to give a satisfying bite.

Popping Boba

Popping boba are small, translucent spheres filled with fruit-flavored juice that literally burst in your mouth when you bite down. They are made using a process called spherification, where a thin gel membrane encases the liquid center. Popular popping boba flavors include blueberry, cantaloupe, lemon, kiwi, strawberry, mango, and passion fruit. They add a playful, refreshing element to any drink and are especially popular with kids and anyone who enjoys a little surprise in every sip.

Fruit Jellies

Jellies offer a different texture entirely — softer and more delicate than tapioca pearls, with a clean, fruity flavor. Common options include passion fruit jelly, lychee jelly, mango jelly, strawberry jelly, and coffee jelly (for those who want a caffeinated topping). Coconut jelly, made from fermented coconut water, has a unique translucent appearance and a mildly sweet, chewy texture that pairs beautifully with both milk-based and fruit-based drinks.

Popular Boba Drink Styles

Not all boba drinks are created equal. The world of bubble tea encompasses several distinct drink styles, each offering a completely different experience:

• Milk Tea: The classic. A base of brewed black or green tea combined with milk (dairy or non-dairy) and sweetener, served over ice with tapioca pearls. This is where boba began, and it remains the most popular style worldwide. The tea flavor comes through clearly, balanced by creamy richness.
• Fruit Tea: No milk, no dairy — just brewed tea combined with real fruit flavors, fruit syrups, or fresh fruit pieces. These are lighter, more refreshing, and perfect for Miami's warm weather. Popular options include passion fruit green tea, mango black tea, and lychee oolong.
• Slushies: Blended frozen drinks that are dairy-free and tea-free — essentially a fruit-forward frozen treat. Think of them as the boba equivalent of a smoothie. They are thick, icy, and incredibly refreshing on a hot day. Mango, strawberry, and peach are perennial favorites.
• Cremes: Rich, creamy blended drinks that do not contain tea. These are all about indulgent flavor. Honeydew creme and taro creme are the stars of this category — think thick, sweet, and milkshake-like in consistency. They are dessert in a cup.
• Tea Lattes with Boba: Specialty tea lattes like chai, thai tea, or matcha, served with your choice of boba topping. These bridge the gap between traditional tea culture and the boba world, offering familiar latte flavors with that added textural element.

What Is Taro Boba?

If you have ever seen a beautiful purple drink on someone's Instagram feed, chances are it was a taro boba. Taro is a starchy root vegetable widely cultivated across Asia and the Pacific Islands, where it has been a dietary staple for thousands of years. When used in boba drinks, taro is typically prepared as a powder or paste that dissolves into milk or cream to produce a distinctively purple-hued, thick, and creamy beverage.

The flavor of taro is subtle and complex — naturally sweet with a nutty, almost vanilla-like quality that does not taste quite like anything else. It is mellow and comforting, never overpowering, which is part of why it has become one of the single most popular boba flavors in the world. If you enjoy flavors like sweet potato, vanilla, or coconut, there is a strong chance you will love taro.

Taro boba is one of those drinks that converts skeptics into regulars. The flavor is impossible to describe and impossible to forget.

Try it as an iced taro creme for maximum richness, or as a frozen taro slushie on a hot Miami afternoon. Add tapioca pearls or popping boba for the full experience.

What Is Thai Tea?

Thai tea — known as "cha yen" in Thailand — is a vibrant, bold drink made from strongly brewed Ceylon black tea blended with star anise and sometimes other spices like tamarind, cardamom, or vanilla. Its signature bright orange color comes from food coloring that has been part of the traditional recipe for decades. The tea is sweetened with sugar and condensed milk, then served over ice, resulting in a drink that is deeply flavorful, aromatic, and satisfyingly sweet.

In the boba world, Thai tea has become a staple flavor. The strong, spiced tea base pairs perfectly with creamy milk and chewy tapioca pearls. You can enjoy it as a classic iced Thai tea with condensed milk, as a Thai tea latte with steamed milk, or blended into a frozen Thai tea slushie. The combination of that bold, slightly spicy tea flavor with the chewiness of boba pearls is one of the most beloved pairings in the bubble tea universe. If you have never tried it, Thai tea boba is an essential experience.

Where to Get the Best Boba in Miami

specialTEA Lounge & Cafe on Coral Way in Miami offers one of the most extensive boba menus you will find in the area. Since 2009, they have been serving handcrafted boba drinks with a level of quality and variety that sets them apart from the chain boba shops that have popped up across South Florida.

The boba menu at specialTEA Lounge features over 10 distinct flavors, including taro, thai tea, matcha, honeydew, blood orange, lychee, mango, passion fruit, strawberry, and classic milk tea. Every drink is available in regular or large sizes, and all drinks can be customized with your choice of toppings: classic tapioca pearls, popping boba in a variety of fruit flavors, or fruit jellies. Whether you want a traditional milk tea with pearls, a frozen taro slushie with popping boba, or a Thai tea latte with tapioca, you can build exactly the drink you are craving.

Located near FIU in the heart of Miami's Westchester neighborhood at 10766 SW 24th Street, specialTEA Lounge is a favorite hangout for boba lovers, students, and anyone looking for a fun and delicious drink in a cozy, welcoming environment. With board games, free WiFi, and late-night hours, it is the kind of place where one boba turns into two and an hour turns into an evening. Come in, try a taro creme with pearls, and find out what the boba buzz is all about.