Now this was premium tea! Most Boba places have good tea, but this was really premium good stuff ! you can taste the quality! I got an unsweetened black tea with milk. You can definitely taste a difference in this versus other tea spots! This was a lovely little spot on my trip to Toronto. I remember being drawn in by the decor that looked like a classic Japanese tea house and falling in love almost immediately ! read more

Welcomed by the aroma of freshly brewed tea, I was impressed by the variety of tea bases (six in total) to choose from. I tried their Queen Taro and the Farmosa fruit tea (Black tea, pineapple, passion fruit, apple and lemon), and both drinks had a strong black tea profile that paired well with the toppings that come with. I especially loved the chewiness of the taro bubbles, which are freshly made in-house every day. The staff were very nice and the drinks came out fast. I would definitely come back again. The interior is bright, clean, and a very relaxing spot to hang out. read more

Chicha San Chen - Farmosa fruit tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Came across this place while going for a walk. Formosa Fruit Tea was the best thing to get. It's refreshing. Service was great. This was actually a recommendation by the staff. Ambiance felt great. The place was clean too read more

See all

The tea base was good but I wasn't wowed by the drink. I got their bubble milk tea at their recommended levels for sugar and ice. Was nice and not too sweet but I would probably try something else if I went again. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This bubble tea spot has a nice vibe and a fresh area for hanging out. It's a great place to enjoy some tea with friends. The staff were patient while I smelled the tea samples before ordering. I've had ChiCha San Chen in Hong Kong, so I was excited to try it in Toronto. My friend and I got the Oolong tea with cream and a taro ball, & passionfruit with green tea and bubbles. The Oolong tea smelled great, but not great when mixed with the cream, I couldn't really taste the tea. The taro ball was chewy and delicious though. The passionfruit with green tea was good, fresh and fruity. Overall, it was a nice experience, and I'd come back to try the other combinations! read more

See all

Came here as we were in the neighbourhood. Had to try it because it has gained so many awards previously. The way that they brew the tea is really interesting, similar to how you would brew espresso. The tea itself didn't taste dark or bitter, it is a smooth and highly fragrant scent. The bubble tea itself tastes really different, and the tapioca doesn't taste hard at all. The drink got made really fast and they were quick with everything. The only down fall is that you are paying about $9 for a regular size drink. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Probably one of my favourite bubble tea places at the moment. My go-to is definitely the taro queen! The flavour of the taro pairs so well with the tea they use. I'm usually not a fan of taro actually, but they do it so well here. What I love about all the drinks here is that they are all very tea forward.. as opposed to some other places which are very milk forward. The process they use to make the drinks is also very unique.. I believe it's a patented process and it's similar to how espresso shots are pulled for coffee. Their machine is pretty cool! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

My friends recommended this boba spot and I had to try it. The place is small but very cute and it has decent outdoor seating. It was a little chilly the night I went so we didn't bother staying for too long. I had the Taro King and it was really nice. The taro wasn't too heavy and the boba was very soft and chewy. I can't wait to go back to Toronto and try more of their flavors in the future. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Of course, dessert was a must after the meal, so I stopped by this shop that seems to have plenty of rave reviews. Their tea is brewed under pressure, similar to how espresso is pulled, resulting in an aroma and taste that lean on the subtle and bright side. They proudly claim to have won awards for their teas, but to be honest, I was not entirely convinced. While the overall quality was good, I did not find it to be on a level that truly stood out or felt worthy of the hype. I have had better elsewhere. The mousse foam I added brought a light creaminess to each sip, but once again, everything leaned toward subtle and delicate flavors. Since I usually prefer something with a bit more of a kick, this might not be my go-to spot. That said, I would still keep it as an option for when I am in the mood for something lighter. :) read more

See all

Neat ordering system instead of yelling out the order number, the number is displayed in a visible location. Every drink was made to order (including the tea brewing) so there is definitely a wait. I have gotten the classic bubble milk tea and taro queen. Both were good, I thought the tea flavour was there but not super strong. For sure on the pricey side, so I would get again when in the area and really wanting to try another flavour. Service was standard and there isn't that much seating inside, mostly on the perimeter of the area where they make the drinks. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Kind of overhyped? I don't know- I'm really into deep and robust tea flavours and I've always found their teas to be very light and airy almost. I haven't figured out my favourite drink here but they're all just good, but not great. read more

I got the taro king, and I've never had a taro bbt made with real taro sooooo well made. I loved how they blended the taro so well that I could have real taro without having trouble enjoying my drink. The quality of this bbt was just so good. The place was very cute, and the workers were so nice. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Ding dong oolong tea + fresh milk - ordered with boba, 70% sweet, and with less ice. strong floral and toasty oolong tea taste - not bitter at all. however it was more on the watery side - would have liked it a bit more creamy. BEST boba I've had - was chewy and slightly sweet, not at all hard or overly soft. Honey osmanthus oolong tea - ordered 30% sweet with less ice and no toppings. not sure how osmanthus flowers taste but drink definitely has strong floral notes - similar to that of jasmine green tea. did not really get much of the oolong flavor but drink was not bitter at all. I think it is perfectly sweetened at 30% but I would opt for full ice nice time for a more subtly sweet beverage. super refreshing! Came for dessert at 9PM on a Friday and shop was busy/pretty full! Wait to order was ~5 minutes and wait for drinks was ~5 minutes. Some seatings inside for those waiting but shop interior is pretty small. Limited seatings outside. Cute minimalistic interior. Staff was friendly :D read more

Chicha San Chen - Ding dong oolong tea + fresh milk + boba topping, osthamus honey oolong tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

A very convenient location for me in Chinatown, near my work! It's on Huron south of Dundas Street West, and a bit hidden. You'd only go if you know it's there. And clearly fans of Chicha San Chen do! I visited last week on a chilly winter afternoon, and there was a steady stream of customers coming in and out. You can preorder via Fantuan app or via the CSC website. I ordered in person. They had 4 staff behind the counter, but the still had to wait a bit for my drink. They do make teas fresh here, so not too surprising. But the space inside is small, so it got croweded quickly. There is a nice patio space outside for warmer weather! I got the Taro Party -- which I've had before at the Markville location. The texture was off at this experience, unfortunately... the flavour was good, but there were these tiny crunchy bits at the bottom that were distinctly different from the taro paste or taro ball textures... So am disappointed for a drink that cost more than $10! Hopefully just a one-time issue... One other disappointment I witnessed: one of the girls MAKING the drinks was coughing and NOT wearing a mask. Gross. read more

See all

I wish they had this boba shop in socal :( they brew their teas in house. The drinks are all so yummy and the flavor combos are so creative! Prepare to wait a while though since the place is pretty busy! Highly recommend the taro party! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

4.5 The fruit tea was very fresh, and the natural flavors of the fruit came out rather than just sweet tea. Fruit included passion fruit, pineapple, apple and lemon. Boba in milk tea was warm, nice and chewy, on par with the best in New York, Hawaii or San Francisco. We got it at 30% sweet which was a good level of not too sweet. They seem to be very serious about the actual tea, so their selection is not large or wildly creative, but very good overall. read more

Chicha San Chen - Milk tea and Formosa fruit tea - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The location and the shop is really cute (very modern and clean) with cute little sitting area outside the shop. It's a very popular place since we have to wait a bit to order and to get our drinks. I got the standard milk tea with boba and it was just alright (didn't stand out) so think people really come here for the aesthetic. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Cute decor and lively atmosphere! The tea is brewed fresh to order. I got the bubble volcano and even though the sugar was fixed - it wasn't too sweet. I enjoyed the freshness and creaminess from the fresh milk; not usually a fan of tapioca but these ones were decent - had flavour and not too chewy read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble volcano - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This new Taiwanese bubble tea brand has landed in Toronto, known for their bubble teas that use fresh, made-to-order tea and their Michelin star reputation. It's quite a unique concept where they carefully weigh out the tea and brew it using a machine like an espresso machine. I tried their original bubble milk tea which was ready within 10 minutes on a weekday afternoon. The tea flavour was distinct and aromatic, while maintaining a smooth and silky milk tea feel. The bubbles were the right texture though I personally prefer for tapioca pearls to take on more of that malty, red sugar flavour. The space is clean and they have friendly and helpful staff working. Other reviews say the wait is excessive but I think it's worth trying when the hype dies down or you go during the quieter hours. My order was ready in 5ish minutes around 1pm on a weekday. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

This is a Taiwanese bubble tea brand that has 200+ locations in many countries (like Singapore and Cambodia). They have been in business since 1998. It expanded to Canada in the Vancouver area in 2022. This is the first Ontario location. There is no indoor seating, but the outdoor patio is amazing! My pictures will show their esthetic. I came on their soft opening on 2023-07-07. Their grand opening will be 2023-07-10. I'm impressed with the quality of their drinks, the quality of their tea leaves, the precision in the way each cup of tea is made, the brewed-to-order feature, and the customer service. All 6 tea flavours are sent yearly to the International Tasting Institution in Brussels for a worldwide competition. Teas are rated 0 to 3 stars. They usually get a 2 or 3 star rating. In 2023, 5 of their teas received 2 stars, and their green tea received 3 stars. This location is currently serving only 6 tea flavours, with plans to expand to more. The teas are in small vacuum sealed packages, enough for exactly 10 servings. Unused tea is put in a vacuum sealing glass jar. All of this is to maintain the freshness, exposing as little tea as possible. They have little jars where you can smell the tea leaves. I liked the smell of the Cassia Black Tea (with notes of chocolate) and Osmanthus Oolong Tea (with notes of honey). Other Chicha locations are bigger, and so they have space to sample brewed teas. I ordered the following: 1. Cassia Black Tea ($5.95), with Cream (+$1) and Grass Jelly (+$1). 2. Taro King ($8.95). You can choose black or green tea (I chose green tea). It comes with Taro Paste and Bubble (tapioca). Both drinks are impressively tasty. They say that part of your taste interpretation includes what you smell. That is definitely true of both drinks. The tea quality is quite good, including the Grass Jelly, Tapioca, and Taro. The Ding Dong Oolong Tea is grown on Lishan mountain at 2000-2200 metres altitude. It holds a prestigious Highest International Authority iTQi certification for quality. The tea is rare and is also very expensive! Everything is precisely measured to the gram. They use a see-through coffee brewer so that customers can see what is happening. There is a control that you can specify which tea, the sugar level, and which toppings, so that the precise amount of tea is brewed. They even use a thermometer to confirm the exact temperature (must be above 65C)! Every customer gets a freshly brewed tea instead of the tea being in a ready-made pot. Toppings are 125g, instead of the usual 50g from other vendors. You can customize with light sugar (30%), less ice, or no ice. Customers are skeptical about bubble tea vendors in that with more ice, it means less tea used. That is true if they brewed the tea ahead of time into a big pot; more ice uses up the cup volume, resulting in less tea volume. However, every customer gets individually brewed tea. Their brewing computer is told how much toppings and ice will be in the cup. The computer then calculates the amount of water to brew the same amount of tea. So even if you have less tea volume, you get the same amount of tea. Obviously, with less volume of tea, it is more bitter. But the taste is offset by the sweeter toppings and melting ice. Together, the tea will taste the same no matter whether you have toppings or the amount of ice. It is recommended that you choose "less ice" with your drinks. Sanchen means 3000 in Mandarin, which is a very high number in ancient times; it was the equivalent of infinity. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible,  but there is no door-open button. There are no customer washrooms. There is free and paid neighbourhood street parking. Review 2023-219 read more

See all

Slightly pricey but definitely good bubble tea that came from Taiwan! They brew their tea fresh and make the tapioca in-house and you can definitely taste the freshness between this and other bubble tea shops. The wait can be long from 15 - 30 mins depending on when you go in the day. Space is not too big so can be crowded. read more

Chicha San Chen - Tea maker - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I think we have a winner for the best bubble tea. Almost every place offers regular tapioca boba, but Chicha San Chen also has taro boba! They used to be my favorite at Coco Fresh Juice until they stopped having it, and I miss taro boba! I came here several times during my visit to Toronto and loved their freshly brewed teas as well. Now I need to search for a store in Texas. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We waited over 20 minutes in line and over an hour for our drinks this past Saturday afternoon. This experience is a whole commitment, and we wanted to try it since this tea shop has received high praise from real food/drink critics. I'd recommend getting food/snacks and walking around while you wait for your drink. HIGH MOUNTAIN POUCHONG TEA + FRESH MILK + BUBBLE - 7.95 Man, we are getting to the times where $8 for a boba is supposedly normal. While ordering, the server let me smell some of the teas and I thought the high mountain pouchong tea smelled the most pleasant. I got this as a milk tea with light sugar and no ice. I thought the milk tea was OK. The tea was very fragrant and deep, but it's light and mellow. I personally would have enjoyed this tea by itself, but the milk only dilutes its soft flavors. The boba was good, but overall the milk tea didn't have a good balance of tea and milk. I did enjoy it more as I continued to drink it though. One of my friends got the milk tea with Dong-Ding Oolong Tea and I thought that was really good! The tea flavor was super strong and if you want a strong tea flavor for your milk tea, I'd recommend this one. I don't know if I'll wait an hour and half for boba again, but it was for sure better with a group of friends! read more

See all

I ordered the classic bubble milk tea. I think it tastes different from coco milk tea. Feel it tastes with more tea flavor than the milk flavor. But I think it's a little bit expensive. read more

CHICHA San Chen is a famous bubble tea chain from Taiwan where they specialize in freshly brewing your tea right in front of you. Their tapioca is also made fresh. This chain has won multiple awards for their tea and drinks. This location of CHICHA San Chen is located along Huron St. near Dundas in the heart of Chinatown. I went to the shop a few min before they opened and was their first customer of the day. I ordered a classic bubble milk tea with 30% sugar and less ice. My order only took 5 min to make and the tea and tapioca was still hot and fresh when I picked up my drink from the counter. Staff were friendly as well. Overall, great fresh bubble tea, however, on the pricier side. A special treat if you are looking for high quality bubble tea! read more

See all

This is a store with hype. We came here several times but we didn't buy tea because the line was too long! Finally, we happened to pass by there at 4:00 pm so there wasn't so many people. We ONLY needed to wait for 20 minutes, lol. Still, we bought pearl tea because we really wanted to know what did it taste like. I think this yet another Taiwanese bubble tea shop does live up to the hype. The tea had strong aroma that spreaded in the mouth and the topping were also chewy. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

This place looks small from the outside but the drinks are top-tier . I had the grape green tea and the flavor was super refreshing. The fruit tasted natural, not artificial. Staff were quick even though there was a long line. The shop is clean and nicely decorated. I love the lighting perfect for selfies . Definitely a hidden gem! read more

This is the only place with Taro balls that I actually like. The place smelled pretty and looked nice inside. The TEA --- probably shouldn't've made it green tea. The tea tastes like how it smells inside the store LOL. Idk if it's award winning but overall pretty good. Might come back but it's a bit too out of the way. Service was OK. I don't like how their lining system is set up. You order and pick up the drink on the same side. The waiting chairs are also on that same side, and it's not exactly spacious. The drink pickup is on the deep corner of the wall. It works if there's no line, but of course, there was a line. It took me about 5 minutes to get my drink. I came on a Thursday at 12pm, and there were already about 10 people ahead of me, ordering, waiting, and picking up their drinks. I recommend others try this spot out. read more

See all

You cannot add many different toppings /options here but you can always get something decent and consistently tasty good bubble tea.

Came here when it first open and finally back a second time! Honestly, it wasn't a bad wait compared to the first time when they had just open. All in total probably waited less than 10 mins since I just got the regular milk tea with tapioca. The tapioca is probably my favorite, milk tea was nice as I went with the recommended less ice and sugar. Only one size and the price was $8+ which is kinda steep but for the quality it's a must try if you don't mind paying the price. The shop is very cozy, from limited patio seating in the outside to a few bench seats inside. It's clean, pretty and bright. read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

New 'Michelin' star rated bubble tea place from Taiwan that is located in Chinatown on a side street off Dundas St.. We waited in line for up to 10 minutes to place our order and then were told it would be up to another 20-25 minutes to get our drinks. Drinks only come in one size (starting at $6.95 and up) and you have your regular light ice, sugar etc. Regular sugar level is considered 'Perfect'. Menu options (pictured) is on the smaller side and comes with your standard milk tea and there is a fruit tea option as well. There is also the option of creating your own drink (starts at $5.95) and you can sub oat milk for an extra dollar. This is mainly a takeout place. There is nowhere to sit inside but there is seating on the patio outside. The tea base of the milk tea was very good. The pearls (bubbles) are warm when you get your drink so it's important to stir when you get your drink. read more

See all

I visited this "award winning" bubble tea shop a few weeks ago. Given that a bit of time as passed since their opening we were expecting less of a line, but still ended up waiting about half an hour before placing our order, and another 10 to 15 minutes before our drinks were ready. One thing that stood out with their service was that one of the workers came out and gave everyone in line outside a sample sized cup of their passionfruit tea to cool off since it was quite hot and sunny out that day. When we finally made it inside, the shop had a simplistic design, with white walls and countertops, and minimalistic wall art. The Toronto location didn't have any indoor seating except for a bench by the window which could fit 4 to 5 people. I got the classic milk tea give so it would be easier to compare it to other shops. The milk tea itself was good. It had a nice flavour and the level of creaminess was just right. However, I don't think it was worth the wait, and I personally think the tapioca served at many other chains are better in terms of both texture and taste. read more

See all

This came highly recommended if you like boba tea. My friend said it's usually very busy but when we walked in it was kind of slow. We actually lucked out because after we paid for our drinks, there was a sudden rush of people that walked in. This is more of a grab and go kind of place. There is an area outside of the place where you can chill and enjoy your drink. If not, there are parks around. We got the peach series with mousse and taro queen. Less ice and less sugar. I enjoyed the taste of both. The boba pieces in the taro queen were fresh and chewy. Both drinks were smooth in texture. They were delicious but not overly sweet. I recommend coming at non peak times. read more

See all

Drinks: 5/5 Service: 3.5/5 Vibe: 5/5 Check our my tiktok #spiritedlaway for video content If you are a strong tea-base bubble tea or tea lover this will be your next favourite bbt spot or cafe spot Service is relatively slow comparing to all other places, which is kinda sad. Mines wasn't that bad - like 6 minutes, but my friend waited for more then 30 minutes. So choose your time wisely Overall great spot, and its 3 Michelin star bbt, so high expectations and it did not fail. Their outdoor patio are TO DIE FOR! Super cute and cozy~ so take your pics or vids before winter hits. read more

Chicha San Chen - Black tea + cream (classic but fav) 5/5 - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

For food, the quality of the teas are noticeably better than most tea shop but I don't think it was worth the giant Lino and the price. It's pricier than most other tea shops and the service was slightly slower too. Ambiance is relaxing but there are very limited seating areas. I think it's good to try once in a while when you were to treat yourself but imo, it's a little over hyped. read more

This bubble tea place is very popular and I can see why! Their teas are Michelin approved and each cup is brewed fresh. I ordered the taro queen, less sugar, less ice. It was smooth, not too sweet and the taro balls were so soft and chewy! The staff were patient and very knowledgeable of their drinks. Really nice and clean interior. They also have a big patio, great for sunny days. Excited to go back to try other flavours! read more

Chicha San Chen - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I stopped by here last night after dinner in Chinatown for a Bubble Tea/Ice Tea. I was recently in Hong Kong and China so still had the urge for Bubble Tea/Ice Tea, and happened upon Chicha San Chen's sign which shows its from Taiwan since 1998, which is basically where Bubble Tea was born, so I decided to try it out. It's a nice little place with a modern feel inside and an outdoor lounge area for people to sit, chat and savor their Bubble Tea. I had a Peach Green Tea Ice Tea and my friend had a standard Bubble Tea. Mine was excellent with real Peach fruit pieces inside and my friend really enjoyed her's as well. If I am in the area I will definitely be back for more read more

See all

Nice little bubble tea shop near downtown Chinatown. They use espresso-like machines to make their tea. I tried the Green tea (cold) with pearls and it's a refreshing and 'clean' tasting tea. Limited seating (outdoors only). Can get busy at times as well. Paid around $7 for the drink. read more

Chicha San Chen - Green tea with pearls - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Benefits of coming here is that you don't have to wait the 2 hour lines like in LA haha. Its quite small, so more of a grab and go as very limited seating, but the workers are so chill, they play soft canto pop music, and it's quite calming to just watch the workers make tea/clean, etc. They do get a ton of delivery orders. I quite like the aesthetic of the place, boba cup size is pretty average for toronto I feel. It is on the pricier side, but you are paying for fresh non astringent tea. The boba is quite soft (compared to other places, almost mochi like) and it was a refreshing experience. I don't know if I'd wait for it, but definitely higher than your typical share tea boba chain exp. read more

See all

Delicious bubble tea and good customer service! Every cup is brewed fresh to order so it always tastes amazing, and the system they have in place for serving customers is really efficient despite the long wait times due to its popularity. If you are going at busy times, I would be prepared to wait 30-45 minutes. They accidentally gave me the wrong type of tea in my drink and immediately offered to remake it at no cost read more

Chicha San Chen - Taro Ball Milk Tea (black tea +cream + taro balls) - Bubble Tea Near Me - Toronto, Ontario