$ - Boba - Greenwich Village
189 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10012
When I was in Bangkok, my friend introduced me to KOI Thé and I was so happy she did. I love bubble tea and especially since I moved to San Francisco, I’ve had a lot of it. Of all I’ve had in the US and in Asia, Koi Thé is my favorite thus far (but to be fair, I’ve never been to the birthplace of bubble tea Taiwan). On the other hand, Koi Thé is the international brand of one of the biggest Taiwanese chains, 50 LAN. Beyond Thailand, KOI has franchises in Singapore, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, Vietnam, and summer 2019 they opened their first non-Asian branch in New York City, USA. I visited KOI 5 times in Bangkok, Hong Kong, & New York in the space of 1 month and I can't get enough.
Hong Kong (Jordan) Bangkok (Central Embassy) NYC (Washington Square Park)
What I love about KOI Thé is that it has certain unique offerings which are soo good and upgrade the boba experience. For one, they have a caramel milk tea which can be made with hazelnut, which is great if you want something on the sweet side. I had never seen this at another boba shop and the flavor is delicious. (Note: at time of writing Boba Guys has an Autumn seasonal caramel milk tea which is ok, not super caramelly).
In addition, KOI has golden bubbles - they taste like traditional black tapioca (made with brown sugar) but they're a little lighter and they're very yummy.
The brand has a sleek, light pink décor and ranges from street stalls to seated restaurants. The NYC location near Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village retains the iconic decor and has plenty of seating space, including benches outside.
The NYC location is not cheap but pretty in keeping with trendy boba places in the US.
Definitely check it out if you're in any of the many Asian locations or in New York and please try the salted caramel/golden bubbles!
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