By Sha’de Ray
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Gong Cha Towson, a bubble tea shop, has moved into uptown Towson.
Bubble tea, or boba, started out as a popular drink in Taiwan and other Asian countries. Like other Asian specialties such as Chinese dim sum dumplings, boba is now gaining an American following.
“I guess right now is a great time because the younger generation is willing to adapt to new cultures, especially Asian culture,” Tiffany Hoang, owner of Gong Cha Towson, said. “I think it’s going to become a symbol, kind of like dim sum.”
Hoang first immigrated to the United States in 2011 and opened her first store in Arundel Mills in December, 2019. She opened a second store in Towson and a third in Ellicott City. Hoang opened Gong Cha Towson in October, 2021, at 417 York Road in the space vacated by Hair Cuttery. A second boba shop, Kung Fu Tea, is located a block away at 508 York Road.
When customers walk into Hoang’s shop they’re greeted by music, the employees and an open atmosphere. It’s decorated with white marble tables, gray walls and white countertops. There are two photo walls at the entrance and a shelf full of games that customers are welcome to use.
The drink is called many names: boba, boba tea, bubble tea, milk tea, pearl milk tea or even QQ—chewy in Taiwanese. The Gong Cha franchise originated in Taiwan in 2006. Its first American store opened in New York City in 2014. It now boasts 75 branches in the country. Kung Fu Tea has over 250 locations, demonstrating the diverse appeal of the drink.
“Nowadays more and more different races enjoy it,” Hoang said.
Jerry Cheng, owner of Kung Fu Tea Towson, moved into uptown four and a half years ago. The store is decorated with a black, white and gray theme. Colorful posters of new drinks cover the walls, K-pop music plays in the background and a photo wall is in the center of the shop.
“It’s interesting because the American people are learning more about the different types of tea, like black tea, oolong tea, green tea,” Cheng said.
At first the shop didn’t have many customers because no one really knew what bubble tea was. Now Cheng’s store gets around 200 to 400 customers a day and has a lot of online orders too.
“We know it would be popular but I just didn’t know when because the location is close to so many kids,” Cheng said.
Bubble tea is usually a milk tea with tapioca balls at the bottom. The tapioca balls are made of brown sugar, water and tapioca flour cooked into a dough and boiled for a chewy texture. There are also endless flavor options of the drink.
When ordering, customers can choose the drink they want then customize the size, sugar level, ice level and toppings. The average drink costs about $6.
Annalise Clark, a Towson University senior, usually treats herself to bubble tea a few times a week. Her favorite drink at Kung Fu Tea costs $6.64.
“Lychee black tea with regular bubbles,” Clark said.“The flavor is mixed well together. One of my favorite things about it is the lychee itself, it adds flavor and texture with the black tea.”
For those who are new to bubble tea, she suggests trying the standard milk tea.
“I think that drink is kind of a classic and it’s grown on me through the years,” Clark said. “You have to at least try it.”.
Hoang plans to open more shops in Baltimore, and even hopes to land one in a mall.
“I want to encourage a great experience for the customer,” Hoang said. “They won’t remember how much they paid but they will remember the experience.”