The Story of Bubble Tea
by Tsai Wen-hsin · Oct 2026
Have you ever had a cup of bubble tea? If you live in Taiwan, the answer is yes. This sweet drink has become one of the most drinks in the world, but it began in a small tea shop not very long ago.
Bubble tea was first made in Taiwan in the 1980s. Two tea shops, one in Taichung and one in Tainan, both call themselves the home of bubble tea. The story that people tell most often is simple. A worker put some sweet, chewy balls into her cold milk tea, and all the workers in the shop loved it. Soon the new drink was sold in tea shops all over the island. Not long after, it was given its famous name. Some people call it "pearl milk tea," because the dark balls look like pearls.
The balls are made from the root of a plant which grows in hot places. They are cooked in sugar water, so they are soft and sweet. Drinking them through a fat straw is part of the fun.
Since then, bubble tea has traveled around the world and become an hit. , shops have opened in Tokyo, London, New York and many other cities. can choose their own sugar level and ice, and they can add pudding, grass jelly or fruit. In some countries, bubble tea has become a symbol of Taiwan.
Not all people are happy about this , though. Doctors often give a warning: one big cup can have more sugar than a child should eat in a whole day. So enjoy your bubble tea, but maybe not every day. Try "half sugar" next time. It still tastes great, and your body will thank you.