Boba and bubble tea are the same drink: tea (or a milk blend) with chewy tapioca pearls. “Bubble” refers to the foam from shaking, “boba” is Taiwanese slang for the pearls. That is the whole difference – the rest of this page is about how to make it at home in Switzerland and what you actually need to buy.
Boba tea and bubble tea – two names, one drink
- Bubble Tea – from the foamy bubbles that form when the drink is shaken.
- Boba – Taiwanese slang for the thick, black tapioca balls. Common in the US and increasingly in Europe.
In Switzerland you hear both. Younger people tend to say “boba”, others “bubble tea”. The drink was invented in 1980s Taiwan – a tea house in Taichung is credited with first mixing tapioca pearls into sweetened milk tea.
What you need to make boba at home
Four things. Everything below ships from our warehouse in Basel within 1–3 working days, free from CHF 79.
- Tapioca pearls (boba), 250 g – CHF 12.90. Black, vegan, gluten-free. One pack makes roughly six drinks. Cook according to the pack instructions, toss in sugar syrup, done.
- Popping boba, 240 g – from CHF 14.50. Fruit pearls with a liquid centre that burst when you bite. Ten flavours: raspberry, apricot, passion fruit, salted caramel, lychee, piña colada, blood orange, wild strawberry, peach, mango.
- Powders – Matcha and Ube. For creamy milk teas without brewing tea first. Organic matcha for the Japanese classic, purple ube for the trend drink of the year.
- Accessories. XXL straws from sugar cane or stainless steel, glass cups, spoons. A normal straw will not fit a boba pearl – you need 12 mm.
Or start with a set
Our bubble tea sets contain pearls, tea and syrup for 6–8 servings and cost CHF 32.90–34.90 – around CHF 5 per drink, a good third less than a café bubble tea at CHF 7–9. Five sets to choose from: Brown Sugar (8 servings), Matcha Latte, and three fruit-pearl sets (mango, passion fruit, passion fruit & raspberry).
Which boba for which drink?
- Classic milk tea (black tea + milk): tapioca pearls. The original, and still the most popular.
- Fruit tea / iced tea: popping boba. Light, refreshing, no cooking needed.
- Matcha latte: tapioca pearls at the bottom, matcha layered over cold milk. Recipe in our iced matcha latte guide.
- Ube latte: ube powder with milk and tapioca pearls – naturally purple, tastes of vanilla and sweet potato.
- Brown sugar boba: tapioca pearls simmered in brown sugar syrup, milk poured over – the “tiger stripes” drink.
Where to buy boba in Switzerland
Online at meinbubbletea.ch – the largest Swiss online shop for bubble tea ingredients. Delivery to all of Switzerland and Liechtenstein in 1–3 working days, free shipping from CHF 79.
Read more: Bubble Tea Switzerland guide | How to make bubble tea at home