14 Popular Boba Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

If there were a drink of the moment, what would it be right now? Well, if you live in certain parts of the country, you know that bubble tea, also known as boba, has reached whole new heights on the popularity scale. It's tea, yes, but it's also kind of a dessert. And whether you prefer your tea with tapioca pearls, grass jelly, or any of the other amazing toppings you can choose from, you know this drink is a hit.

But here's the thing: Too many of us have a standard boba order we always get when we're at a tea shop, and we totally forget about the other options. While it's not a bad thing to have a favorite, it doesn't hurt to mix things up every once in a while.

If you do want to order something different but don't know what to get, have no fear. Here at Mashed, we've decided to take a look at some of the most popular boba flavors — and then rank them. We're going to start with the worst flavors, the ones we try to avoid when we get bubble tea. But we'll slowly make our way to the best bobas of the bunch. Are you ready to find a new boba flavor for your next order? Let's take a closer look!

If you've spent much time eating at Asian restaurants, then you've probably had your fair share of red bean paste before. It's often found in desserts and pastries, and it has a soft, subtle flavor that's a nice alternative to the ultra-sweetened, chocolaty desserts you find in the West. But have you ever heard of red bean paste in milk tea? Well, some boba places do it, and we have to admit: We're not big fans.

It's not just the texture of the red bean paste that ends up being strange and kind of undesirable. After all, texture is something you might be able to overlook. It also comes down to the flavor. Since red bean paste isn't super flavorful, it really gets lost in the milk tea. You'll be able to taste a hint of it, but that's probably about it. And when you order boba, you want a drink that's actually flavorful, right? That's why we're just not huge fans of red bean milk tea.

There's one type of boba that has been gaining in popularity recently, and that's brown sugar tea. This stuff looks like your average black milk tea but with a twist: There's a syrup-y addition of brown sugar that adds a little interest to the look of this drink. Take one glance at it, and you'll immediately notice that it looks pretty appetizing, especially if you're the kind of person who really likes sweets. For our tastes, though, this one ends up being way too saccharine, which is why it doesn't come in near the top of our list.

A reviewer who tried different brown sugar teas described one of them like this: "It's really, really sweet — as though there was additional sugar syrup added on top of caramelised brown sugar syrup, though the brown sugar doesn't taste quite fragrant enough, and the milk not all that creamy."

While the creaminess of the milk probably depends on where you're getting your boba from, if you don't want a drink that's overwhelmingly sweet, we think you should choose something else.

If you're on the lookout for a fruitier variety of boba, you've found it in pineapple tea. As you can imagine, this one tastes strongly of tropical fruit, and it's very sweet with a slight tartness to it. At a lot of bubble tea shops, you can find this flavor in either a milk variety or as a fruitier tea. Regardless of which one you order (we prefer the fruitier version), you're going to be whacked in the face by a strong pineapple flavor.

For those who absolutely love pineapple, then this is a dream come true. However, for those of us who aren't as fanatical about pineapple, this flavor is just too much. The tropical sweetness of it can be almost sickly. Of course, this is less of a problem if you ask for less sugar, but the pineapple scent is still going to be there regardless.

Therefore, whether you enjoy this drink is really going to come down to how you feel about pineapple as a whole. Give it a try if you think it sounds appealing. If you're like us, though, and could take or leave the pineapple flavoring, then you may want to look for something else.

Calling all matcha lovers! There's a drink out there just waiting for you, and you're not going to want to miss out on it. That's because it combines two of your favorite beverages into one delicious, easy-to-drink concoction that will likely have you going back for more. It's matcha milk tea, and it's no wonder why this one is such a hit. These days, people absolutely love matcha, and boba is all the rage too. It just makes sense that they would come together in one drink.

The matcha pairs very well with the milk, since it's a combo you find in many matcha drinks regardless. Our only complaint here is that matcha isn't a very strong flavor. You can add flavor to your drink by asking for more sugar, but all that gives you is a touch of sweetness — not much else. If you're looking for an intensely flavored drink, this one is not for you. On the other hand, if you want a drink that's pretty light with just a touch of matcha green tea flavoring, then you should give it a try the next time you're ordering boba.

What is taro, you ask? It's a root vegetable that has a potato-like texture to it. It's thick and creamy, and it's a bit less starchy than your average potato. It might seem strange to add this food to a drink, but we can guarantee you that it's actually really tasty. Taro isn't very strongly flavored. Rather, it has a light, nutty taste to it that's enhanced by the milk in the classic boba drink. It's subtle, yes, but it's still got enough flavor that we'd keep going back for more.

The thing we love about this flavor is the fact that you don't have to add in a bunch of sweetener for it to taste good. Though taro might be subtle, it provides a surprising amount of flavor even when you decide to leave the sugar out. Therefore, if you're the kind of person who doesn't want to add a ton of sugar to their boba, then taro milk tea may just be what you're looking for at your local bubble tea joint.

For those of you who are constantly on the lookout for a delicious, fruity tea, you can't go wrong with lychee boba. Seriously, this stuff is delicious, and it's our absolute favorite drink to have on a hot day. While this drink is fruity, we don't think the flavor is as intense as what you would get if you were to order a pineapple or mango boba. Instead, the lychee is nice and light, which makes this drink taste less sweet and more refreshing.

One boba enthusiast wrote about why they loved lychee boba so much: "Lychee bubble tea is fragrant, sweet, and smooth ... Tea flavor gives the depth, lychee gives the sweet fragrant taste, milk imparts smoothness, boba balls give a texture, and the bubbles give ... a unique [mouthfeel] to this drink."

We couldn't agree more. The taste of lychee is absolutely lovely — think of it like a grape, but somehow lighter. So, what are you waiting for? You should be on your way to your local bubble tea shop by now.

Finally, we're at the end of the list, and we've saved the best for last. Black milk tea is probably the most well-known boba flavor. If you've had boba before, there's a good chance that this was the first kind you tried. It's widely available at bubble tea shops around the world, and it has an instant appeal to it. Plus, once you take a sip, you'll realize it's got a flavor that just about everyone will love, regardless of whether or not they drink tea on a regular basis.

Eater described it this way: "[I]n its most basic form, the drink consists of black tea, milk, ice, and chewy tapioca pearls, all shaken together like a martini and served with that famously fat straw to accommodate the marbles of tapioca that cluster at the bottom of the cup." We think that sums it up nicely. It's classic, it's essential, and it's the kind of treat that doesn't get old. And if you've yet to try boba, this is a fantastic place to start.