CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice
CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, a Taiwanese-based operation, claims it's the largest bubble tea chain in the world, with over 2,000 stores worldwide. Before opening at Yonge and Irwin streets, its Toronto footprint was limited to popular spots in North York and Scarborough.
Fans of classic bubble tea should definitely get the excellent Three Guys Tea ($5), a novel take on the conventional milk tea beverage. Brewed with house-made cream and made using brown sugar, the drink is smooth and rich with tapioca and grass jelly transforming it into an indulgent experience.
For those looking for a refreshing fruity drink with a lot of frills, the amusingly-named Bubble GaGa ($4.20) is a must-try. It's a mix of green tea and passionfruit juice topped with coconut jelly and tapioca.
The Lemon King ($4.70) is simple and uncomplicated. It's essentially a lemonade, and a rather refreshing one at that.
The creamy Red Bean Matcha Milk Tea ($4.50) is definitely one for those with a sweet tooth (though every drink can have its level of sweetness and ice customized to taste, as per the norm these days). The matcha flavours mix nicely with the sweetness of the red beans.
The drink that I recommend the most is the Sago Taro Milk Tea ($4.50) - one of the best taro drinks I've ever had. The tiny sago pearls complement the slightly sweet drink, with a nice taro flavour that is not overwhelmingly rich. It's delicious.
CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice doesn't offer food, nor does it offer a lot of gimmicks. The space is small but welcoming enough to hang out in for a while.
Posted by Darren "DKLo" Susilo. When not writing for blogTO he can usually be found tweeting here or pressing words into this blog . Photos by Hector Vasquez.