What is bubble tea?

Bubble tea is a cold drink made from tea mixed with milk or cream. It can also be sweetened with other flavorings, and it has many variations according to the ingredients used. The most unique feature of bubble tea is the sweet balls or "pearls" of tapioca at the bottom.

Bubble tea is usually served in a vacuum-sealed or a dome-top plastic container with a wide straw. The wide straw is needed so that the tapioca pearls can travel through the straw. The drink first became popular in Taiwan in the 1980s. It also may be called pearl milk tea or boba milk tea.