SAN JOSE, CALIF. — A top tier list for Silver Creek’s boba enthusiasts! As drinking these tapioca filled drinks is a great form of self care after a long day. Enjoy!

By Jasmine Sessoms

(Photo above) Silver Creek High School junior, Megan Obis, enjoying Tastea’s delicacies after a study session. Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

1. Tastea

Living up to its name, putting the taste in their tea, you can never go wrong with Tastea’s sweet refreshing drinks. I especially enjoy their Peach Me Sweetea and would recommend it to individuals who love the taste of sweet peaches paired with a nice neutralizer of black tea. And for those who prefer more of a fresh and creamy milk tea, I strongly approve of their Wintermelon Milk Tea! This specific shop is somewhere I frequently enjoy going to after study sessions with my friends or even by myself if I need a place to decompress. So in reading this brief review I hope you all can also find enjoyment being at Tastea.

(Photo above) One of the final boba runs with my favorite seniors at R&B Tea last summer! Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

2. R&B Tea

One of the best parts about R&B is its distance! This newer boba shop is close to Silver Creek. And what I can highlight from this place is their wide variety of drinks, ranging from their basic Milk Tea series to creative beverages like their Yakult and Stormy series. From R&B I strongly urge individuals to try the unique Stormies they offer, however, most preferably during the summer to really feel its energizing effects. For this winter weather, something from their Coffee or Yakult series sounds much more fitting!

(Photo above) The bubble tea place where Creek society commonly is found, Tea Society! Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

3. Tea Society

Tea Society, a popular hangout spot after school because it’s in the plaza right across from Creek! Its menu provides options for their signature drinks and to even build and customize your own. With Tea Society I definitely appreciate that it’s just a few blocks away from Silver Creek High School so if you’re ever craving for some boba after school, it’s just right there! An all time favorite of mine would be their peach oolong fruit tea because of its equal ratios of peachiness and oolong together. And when dropping by there, I recommend trying their mozzarella cheese sticks because of its crispy outer and its satisfying cheese pull!

(Photo above) iTea’s lively atmosphere and quick customer service always sets a mood to sit and enjoy a cool bubble tea. Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

4. iTea

An appreciated feature about iTea is their lower cost drinks compared to other bubble tea shops in the area. With their cheapest at $4.75 and the highest at $6.50, while many others I’ve experienced charged close to $8-$10! And while their cheap, but high quality drinks are great, what I also enjoy about this place is the different people you see in iTea due to its farther location from Creek. Instead of seeing just your peers after school here, you see couples after their afternoon workouts, students from other schools like Evergreen High, even families after their Ross shopping runs. A lovely spot for the many people watchers and appreciaters.

(Photo above) Le Creme Cafe with their lovely modern aesthetic and its memorable altar offering a stack of mochi donuts. Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

5. Le Creme Cafe

With Le Creme Cafe, this store always makes me feel a little nostalgic walking in. During pre-covid, when my martial arts dojo was in the plaza, I remember right after my sessions I’d sprint across the street, excited for a nice little treat after a hard sweat. I enjoy how their beverages always left me feeling satisfied and hydrated even until now, as well as their shrimp fried rice that I could never get enough of is still one of my go-to orders. Hopefully you readers have come to Le Creme during their days of making crepes! And if not, I’m looking forward to when they put it back because their crepes always made you want seconds. Especially since there are few places to buy freshly made crepes, Le Creme fulfilled my appetite for desserts. Although now they seem to have removed it from their menu, it continues to remain one of my highlights for this spot.

(Photo above) Happy Lemon wants a happy you! Showcasing its lemony charm and tasty teas. Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

6. Happy Lemon

When I first heard of Happy Lemon I knew of it for its cheese foam drinks, since at the time it was a new concept and at first I thought it was kind of bizarre. And although I’m not a person keen on trying lots of new things right away, I tried their regular milk tea with salted cheese from the Salted Cheese section. And surprisingly it wasn’t as weird as I thought it would be. I would say the cheese tasting foam complimented the milk’s creamy sweetness, but if you’re not a huge fan of cheese or milk there are Happy Lemon’s delightful light fruit teas available as well! And not to mention their innovative bubble waffles that have a crispy outside and a soft, warm inside (absolute heaven).

(Photo above) N7’s ambient space is perfect for studying or somewhere for you to unwind after school! Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

7. N7 Draft Tea + Coffee

N7 in my opinion is the perfect place to be at if you prefer a quieter place to hang around after school. Its low lighting and clean space sets a calm mood along with the ordering devices that make taking orders easier; a benefit especially for those who don’t have the social battery to interact with others. I would recommend if you need a fresh fruit tea this is one of the shops to go to! Recently I have tried their matcha series, like their mango matcha tea, but I felt the mango syrup overpowered too much of the matcha. Despite this, I do heavily enjoy their fruit teas like their Grape Gatsby drink, mixed with grapes and jasmine tea! And even though there is somewhat of a limited selection for bubble teas, there’s bound to be something for everyone!

(Photo above) A cozy little matcha focused shop that sells high quality matcha powders, beverages, and hot and ready snacks! Photo Credit: Jasmine Sessoms

8. Izumi Matcha

Although it’s known for its savory taiyaki treats, Izumi Matcha also includes, of course, primarily matcha based bubble teas. With its compact space it includes a long bench where customers can take a quick sit down to enjoy their sugary purchase. But since this place isn’t so busy, you’re almost guaranteed a seat! Typically at Izumi Matcha I would get a red bean filled taiyaki with matcha ice cream. But in trying a few of their matcha drinks, I think their Strawberry Yuzu Matcha tea would be one of their best flavors. Strawberry and matcha are already a good combination, but adding the citrusy taste yuzu brings gives the beverage a surprising little tang in it! This mashup is a fresh combination with matcha that I definitely recommend.