Boba Bros

Boba Bros is locally owned and are known for their organic milk tea. They are a vendor in the farmers market at Blaisdell Center (Wed. 4pm-7pm), Kakaako (Sat. 8am-12pm) and Kaiser High School (Tues. 330pm-6pm).

The drinks cost between $5-$6, for diary free, it's an extra $.50. Their drinks are photogenic if you get the ones with the walls. I usually go in the evenings, so I get the caffeine-free options like the tiger milk and ladybug. My favorite is the ladybug because it goes well with all the different food, I'm eating at the farmers market. If you go towards the end, they are usually sold out, so I recommend going early if there's a specific drink you want. They accept cash and card payments.

For more information about Boba Bros, visit bobabroshawaii.com or check out their instagram, @boba_bros_hi.

Tiger Milk

Crème Tea

Lady Bug

Tiger Sugar

Tiger Sugar's first Hawaii location is now open in Honolulu. Their signature drink is the black sugar boba and pearl milk with cream mousse. The boba is made in small batches and kept warm so it stays soft and chewy. The black sugar is what sweetens the drink and there is no customizing of the sweetness level like at the other shops. All the ingredients are imported from Taiwan except for the milk. My favorite was the black sugar boba and pudding milk with cream mousse. The pudding is also made fresh and they were generous with the portion. The black sugar milk drinks come in 1 size and it's $6.

They are located at the corner of Nuuanu Ave. and Vineyard Blvd. in the same complex as Papa John's. The parking lot is small and vehicles can enter from both sides so you can get stuck. I suggest parking on the street in the metered parking spaces along Nuuanu Ave.

1365 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817
(808) 376-0648

Black Sugar Boba + Pearl Milk
w/ Cream Mousse

Black Sugar Boba + Pearl Milk +
Chocolate Malt w/ Cream Mousse

Summer Cafe - CLOSED

Summer Cafe has drinks to cool you off during the humid weather. They offer milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, and fresh fruit drinks. You can also add toppings such as boba, fruit jelly, or cheese foams to your drink. I recommend the mixed fruit boom boom. It's a cup of fresh fruit with fruit juice. All the "boom boom" drinks are refreshing so give those try. The signature Thai coconut milk drink reminds me of a dessert I would get at the Chinese dessert shop, the coconut milk is rich and very creamy. I have my favorite spots for milk tea but this one didn't quite make it. Their drinks are priced between $4 - $6 which is about the same as other boba shops in Honolulu.

What I like about this place is their location and the ample parking. There are so many food spots along Kapahulu Ave. that you can stop on each block and grab a snack. This is currently the only boba shop since Honeyboba by Safeway closed. For more information about Summer Cafe, visit their instagram, @summercafe.hawaii.

909 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 888-0188

Jasmine Milk Tea, Mixed Fruit Boom Boom,
Okinawa Brown Sugar Milk Tea w/ boba

Signature Thai Coconut Milk

Watermelon Boom Boom

Milky Way Hawaii Ice

Milky Way Hawaii Ice is a food truck serving up Taiwanese snow ice, boba drinks, and ice teas to go. Their colorful truck is parked near Mother Waldron Playground in Kakaako from Monday to Saturday 10:30am - 5:30pm. The drink prices range from $4.50 - $7. I recommend getting the milk tea shave ice or snowthie (snow ice smoothie). They accept cash and card, they also have contact less payment. For updates or drink specials, check their instagram, @milky_way_hawaii.

710 Pohukaina St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 463-8110

Milk Tea Shave Ice w/ Grass Jelly

Mango Snowthie

Red Bean Snowthie

Amber Boba Milky Tea

Milky Way Hawaii Ice truck

Cowcow's Tea

Cowcow's Tea is open for takeout! This is a new tea shop in the Kaimuki neighborhood located next to Asuka Nabu. Their specialty is the yogurt drink and they also have purple rice as a topping. This makes them a little different from the other tea shops. If you like to drink yakult, try one of their yogurt drinks. The cheesy mango was good; they have fresh mango chunks inside. I enjoyed the brown sugar milk tea most. The drink prices range from $5 to $7.

The interior of the shop is nice and their seating looks very comfortable but it is currently blocked off. They only offer take out right now. They accept phone orders but you need to walk in to pay. I was able to do curbside pickup for my phone order and pay with cash. I used my change as tip so the staff didn't have to run in and back out with my money. It was a quick and easy process. If you happen to be in the area picking up food, swing by for a drink.

3620A Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 888-0708

Brown Sugar Milk Tea w/ Boba

Cowcow's Rice Yogurt

Cheesy Mango

Cloud Nine Cafe

Cloud Nine Cafe is known for their moist and fluffy souffle pancakes. Each order of pancakes is made fresh and it could take between 20 to 30 minutes. While you're waiting for pancakes, you can order a drink or snack on some dumplings. I enjoyed the steamed chicken and cabbage dumplings. The pancakes were soft and easy to cut through with a fork, the mango cream had mango taste and was sweet and light. I highly recommend souffle pancakes.

They have a big space and can seat a lot of people but on weekends, they are busy. This place is self-service and you walk to the back to order. If you're eating there, just find an open table after you've placed an order. The staff will call your receipt number when your order is ready. It's best come when they open at 10am or in the late afternoon when it's less crowded. I saw people ordering take out for the souffle pancakes so that's an option if no tables are available. For parking, it's better to park near Ben Franklin since the stalls in the upper parking lot by Foodland and Walgreens are very small.

For more information about Cloud Nine Cafe, visit cloud9cafehi.com.

Relocated to:
1221 Kapiolani Blvd Suite 111
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 739-9988

Mango Cream w/ Fruit Souffle Pancakes

Chicken Dumplings w/ Cabbage

Jasmine Green Milk Tea

NIO Snow Ice & Tea

NIO Snow Ice & Tea is a tiny shop near Restaurant Row that offers Taiwanese snow ice, milk teas, and fruit teas with boba. The snow ice is priced between $6-$7 and the drinks are between $5-$6. All the drinks are one size; large. Their boba are softer and chewier compared to the other shops in town. I noticed their drinks are more on the sweet size so it might be best to ask for less sugar and add more as needed. There is a self-serve syrup dispenser on the side of the counter. I recommend the tiger latte boba and matcha lovers. The tiger latte boba has no caffeine and is made with milk and caramel. The matcha lovers tasted like a Japanese dessert. It's a green tea latte with sweeten azuki beans and condensed milk walls.

The seating is limited; there are 6 bar stools. The parking is also tough. If you drive into the alley most of the spaces are reserved or coned off for the other businesses. It is best to find street parking or have someone else get the drinks while you wait in the car in front of the shop.

550 Halekauwila St., Ste 101
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 548-2431

Tiger Latte Boba, Matcha Lovers, Tiger Amber Boba

Cheese Tea

Cheese Tea is a boba tea shop by Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ that offers cheese cap as a topping in your drink. I know the sound of cheese in a drink sounds odd but once you've tried it, you may find yourself wanting more. It's a thick foam made with milk, cream cheese, and salt. It stays at the top of your drink until you mix it in. I recommend the cheese cap with the brown sugar milk tea. If the cheese cap is too adventurous, you can get a milk tea, fruit tea or a smoothie instead.

The inside of the store is spacious and is themed with cat decor. It's a nice spot to hang out in because they provide parking validation when you park in the building. They don't have a line to order but it does take them a while to prepare the drink(s) so be patient. The drink prices range from $3 - $7 and they accept cash and credit.

1221 Kapiolani Blvd.
Ste 112A
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 591-2888

Relocated to:
94-300 Farrington Hwy Ste G-15
Waipahu, HI 96797
(808) 671-3288

Milk Tea w/ Cheese Cap

Messy Mango (seasonal)

Messy Strawberry w/ Boba

Brown Sugar Milk Tea w/ Cheese Cap

Dragon Tea

Dragon Tea is a Taiwanese tea shop that specializes in bubble tea drinks. Most of their drinks are made with green tea and blended with fruit. There are a few drinks on the menu that don't have tea in them. Their milk tea selection is small but the honey milk tea is really good and it's under $4 (if you don't add toppings). You can customize your drink by telling them how much sugar to add; no sugar, half sweet, regular. If you don't tell them, they just make it regular which ends up being really sweet for some people. You can also add toppings (boba, coffee jelly, pudding, etc...) but this can make your drink expensive. Their boba is soft in the center so it's worth adding. The regular size drinks run from $4 to $5 which is reasonable. I highly recommend the pineapple green tea slush because it reminded me of a plantation ice tea.

They have 3 locations on the island but the best one for locals to go to is Market City because it has parking. The locations inside Waikiki do not offer parking. If you get lucky, you might find a spot on the street. If you find yourself coming here quite often, you should ask them for a stamp card so you can earn a free drink. Sometimes, they post offers on their Facebook page so keep an eye out for the specials.

Market City
2919 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 739-9988

Waikiki
423 Nahua St.
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 921-9988 

2443 Kuhio Ave.
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 922-2042

DT Special Milk Tea w/ Boba & Coffee Jelly

Fresh Watermelon Green Tea

Fresh Mango Green Tea Slush

Anytime Cafe - CLOSED

Anytime Cafe is located in the Market City Shopping Center. The menu is mostly Chinese food but there's some Italian; pasta and risotto. They have a happy hour that runs from 2pm to 4pm which offers HK style snacks for under $5. The items are very limited and the portions are small. If you order items from the regular menu, the portions are much better. For a restaurant in this part of town, I consider their appetizers prices to be affordable. As for the other items, the prices are a bit high.

I recommend coming in the afternoon when you've already had lunch but you need a place to hang out. You can order a few appetizers to nibble on while you talk story. The parking lot is usually empty on this side of the shopping center but the stalls are small.

For more information about Anytime Cafe, visit www.anytimecafehawaii.com.

2919 Kapiolani Blvd
Ste 218
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 735-3888

Look Funn Roll

Sweet Potato Fries

Fried Calamari

Baked Garlic Chili Wings

Garlic Bread

Fresh Clam Spaghetti w/ White Wine Sauce

Fish Ball Noodle Soup

Fried Dumpling

Puffettes Egg Puff - CLOSED

Puffettes were the first ones on the island to make and sell egg puffs in a food truck. Their truck used to be parked on Ward Ave near Sports Authority. They've ditched the truck and opened a cafe in the Kaimuki area. They still have the regular egg puff flavors (vanilla, chocolate) but they also have a special flavor that changes weekly. My favorite so far has been the bacon egg puff. That sounds really odd but the hint of salt from the bacon works well with the sweetness of the egg puff batter. Coffee is also another one that works well. If you don't feel like eating egg puffs, they have milk tea, fruit smoothies, crepes, and sandwiches.

The cafe has about 5 tables inside so if you want to sit there and eat, you can. I've gone in the afternoons on weekdays and early evenings on the weekend and it's usually empty. I don't think a lot of people know about this place but if you drive down Waialae Ave, I'm pretty sure you will see their huge black, white, and yellow logo on the glass. They're located between 9th and 10th Ave across from Central Pacific Bank. I believe they only accept cash and it's street parking only.

For more information about Puffettes Egg Puff, visit www.puffettes.com.

3476 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
(808) 232-7701

Sesame Egg Puff

Coffee Egg Puff

Bacon Egg Puff

Milk Tea

Coffee or Tea?

Don't be confused by their name, they offer more than just coffee and tea. They also have Taiwanese shave ice and Chinese style snacks. The staff and the owners here are constantly experimenting so you'll always find something new on the menu.

The drinks here are customizable. You can choose as many topping as you want in your cup. The down side is that the price goes up as you add. You also get less coffee/tea because those toppings are taking up space at the bottom.

If you come here after 9pm on any day, you'll probably see groups of Chinese people hanging out in the front of the shop. They're not going to bite if you don't look Asian, just walk in and get your drink. If you decide you want to sit in, make sure you don't bring any outside food. They're super strict and the staff will yell at you. This place is cash only and the average drink costs around $3.50.

McCully Shopping Center
1960 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 942-4357

Watermelon Milk Tea w/ Boba

Lemon Ice Green Tea

Shave Ice w/ Grass Jelly, Pudding & Boba

Shave Ice w/ Condensed Milk, Pineapple,
Strawberry, Vanilla Ice Cream & Boba

Green Tea Shake

Papaya Milk