Boba has taken Egypt by storm over the last few years, with tea shops popping up in Maadi, New Cairo, Heliopolis, Zamalek, and El-Sheikh Zayed City. The trendy tea concoction, a modern trend in Asia, has made its way into many hearts with its unique flavors, exciting combinations, and surprising textures. Boba is a tea-based drink native to Taiwan, and is characterized by having pearls or ‘bubbles’ made from tapioca starch and brown sugar syrup. The word ‘boba’ actually refers to a myriad of chunky drinks, which can include anything from traditional bubble tea to chunky fruit juice. The basic form of the drink consists of black tea, ice, milk, and black tapioca pearls. The drink is then well shaken, and served with a wide straw – famously known as the boba straw – that allows the pearls to come through. Bubble tea in Egypt comes in many different variations: the classic and most popular one across all shops, being the ‘Tiger Sugar Milk tea’, alternatively known as ‘Brown Sugar Boba’. It can also be served with Japanese Matcha tea, Thai tea, coffee, fruit iced tea, and nearly any other…
