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New York is getting its first-ever bubble tea spot serving booze this month. Bubbleology, the boba company hailing from London, will bring its alcohol-infused concoctions with floating boba—of the tapioca and jelly variety—to the East Village, starting on September 16th.
Here, the Taiwanese favorite is infused with vodka, gin, bourbon, or rum in drinks such as the “The Majestic Butterfly” (with butterfly pea flowers and lychee bobas), “City of Dreams Float” (strawberry gelato, rose cider and lychee boba), “The Blushing Duchess” (Jasmine tea and cranberry juice with pearls of lychee boba, “laced with edible shimmer”) and “The Duke of New York” (Tequila and lime infused with mango and strawberry boba).
While $13.95 is becoming standard for a cocktail in New York, you may balk at the price by comparison to a regular bubble tea; boba shot drinks with Baileys and whipped cream will cost you $6.95. Overall, the cocktail menu seems to take a much more westernized approach to flavors. We'd like to see an alcoholic Thai tea boba or lavender taro root version, but we can only hope that's to come.
The atmosphere seems loosely inspired by a science lab and is set-up more like a regular shop than a bar. Due to the city’s public drinking laws, the alcohol-infused versions will not be available to take on the go. And, though the drinks are not served in the traditional bubble tea rounded containers (instead in martini, tumbler and shot glasses) they are still offered with a custom Bubbleology reusable straw for purchase.
“These alcohol-infused beverages will definitely change the bubble tea landscape, and we can’t wait to debut our innovative drinks in New York City,” shares Bubbleology founder, Assad Khan in a press release shared with Time Out New York.
Photograph: Courtesy of Bubbleology
Bubbleology also offers booze-free tea or fruit-based drinks with flavors like honeydew, jasmine and milk coffee, which are already available during their soft launch (and, yes, there is an oat milk version). In addition, the shop will offer waffles with ingredients like banana, Nutella and lemon curd.
The company, which was founded in 2011, also has U.S. Bubbleology locations in Arizona, Florida, Virginia and Michigan. The new location sits beside restaurants like The Tang and MáLà Project.
If you're looking for other late night bubble tea options head just a few blocks away to Mace, named one of our best bars in NYC. The bar has been offering its own bubble tea cocktail for the past few years, currently with the "Sakura" ($16) using honeydew, lemon juice, spices, clarified milk, sakura tapioca pearls and tonic.
Bubbleology is located at 120 1/2 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009.
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Photograph: Courtesy of Bubbleology