Years of Starbucks had me used to the strong flavor of their Frappucinos (I haven't had the new "formula" yet). I loved them, even when Starbucks baristas gave me a cup with far too many ice chunks. When my hometown finally got a Starbucks, I was pretty excited. Seriously, I loved Frappucinos.
Then came college, and the discovery of bubble tea.
I swear, it all began innocently, at an intramural basketball game between two fraternities. I was with my best friend and her fiance, sitting quietly in the stands. A woman sat down in front of us, in her hand a beverage cup holder with four very interesting cups. Liquid of an interesting color, ice, and little black tapioca pearls resided in the cups, each of which were sealed with a circle of plastic featuring a small vaguely anime-ish girl.
The question: "Excuse me, where did those come from?
The amazing answer: "Ocha Tea Bar, downtown."
And that was all we needed to seek out the beverage that totally outranked the Frappucino.
Ocha Tea Bar is located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, near to the Peace Center. The exact address is 300 River Street Suite 122, Greenville SC. The phone number to this amazing place if business is 864-283-6702. They were at one time located on Main Street, but they have moved to a smaller suite, and it's more tucked away. At one time, I would have recommended the Chocolate Snow Cream bubble tea (I was strangely obsessed with it) but it has since disappeared from the menu. It would take quite a lot of time to list everything they have, so check out Ocha's website to see a PDF of the complete menu and some more information on the place. Seek out this little tea bar. The staff are friendly, and the bubble tea is great.
The Tea Junction has two locations. One is in Haywood Mall, Haywood Road, Greenville, South Carolina, the other in Paramus, New Jersey (I have never been to that one). They are similar to Ocha, and I also drink bubble tea exclusively from this store. My personal recommendation is either Green Dragon or Red Thai bubble tea. This store also offers hot tea, tea lattes, kid--friendly drinks, and some free samples around the store. Besides the beverages, they also sell loose-leaf teas and teas in pyramid bags on the shelves, all with small sample tins so you can smell the product (and they do smell good...). The music that plays in the store is always pretty cool, and the staff is very friendly. I loved going there in college with my friends and family. Check out Tea Junction's website to get more of an idea of what they sell. It's a bit easier to find than Ocha if you're not a Greenville native. At both places, you will have the option of tapoica pearls in your bubble tea. They feel a little gooey and chewy, but they are soaked in brown sugar water, and are quite sweet. I love them.
Both of these places are a great alternative to Starbucks. They offer a wider variety of product and are definitely far from being a corporation. So stop by Ocha Tea Bar and the Tea Junction and try the best bubble tea ever.
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