Pink Pink Tea Shoppe is my current favorite boba shop, as someone who lives in this area. I live next to over 20 different boba shops within a 10 minute drive, and this is the one after trying them all. It's a little sad considering they're a small bay boba chain that exists only in malls at the moment, but I don't mind since I'm pretty sure their first location was at Westfield Valley Fair and they are a woman-owned business, so I'm all for supporting local Chinese women! They even now have a location in Vegas, so they got me when I travel! This location at the Hillsdale mall is located on the 2nd floor, a little walk away from the food court and across the Uniqlo.
What separates them from other tea shops in the area? Consistency, aesthetics, and taste. Pink Pink has a commitment to using organic and fresh ingredients, and it shows in their drinks. It's good when menu options are limited as specialization tends to make things taste better, but I do wish there were just a couple more options. I get a sense sometimes that their products are geared towards mall crowds, which tends to be families with children. This brings in the creamier and sweeter drinks along with the slushes - not bad, just not my preference.
My favorite drinks from Pink Pink are the fruit teas. The generous fruit purees always taste fresh, and they make seasonal menu changes from time to time. I tend to like anything with peach, grapefruit, and strawberry. I like how you can get their fruit teas in tea slush form as well, but it does quell the fresh fruit essence as well as make it harder to drink. I do have gripes with the pink peach, and that is with how weak the oolong strength is (I assume they use peach oolong) and that it tastes like artificial Sanrio peach gum. Their green tea is much better for tea strength.
The milk teas are solid, though I prefer other places for milk tea. The new limonada slushes are tasty and pretty looking frozen lemonades. The tornados taste like extra creamy drinks. I do not recommend their matcha drinks because I did not like the quality or strength of it, and it was a bit dull and chalky. Their cheesefo is popular, but not my preference; only get it if you like having cream cheese whip on top of your drinks. The cream tastes a lot better when it's mixed in the drink, such as the strawberry peach, opposed to being a layer on top.
Their boba consistency is typically good with a strong chew -sometimes it's a little harder than I'd like, but it's never been bad. The agar boba is lumpy. The ice cream (soft serve) is alright - maybe a bit subtle. The Hokkaido vanilla tastes like an airy whipped cream, while the peach dream is a sherbet that tastes like Sanrio gum. The cones don't have too much flavor, but they're light and crispy. I actually really like their PINKO-NUT because it's cheaper than a local competitor in a greater serving size. The taste is also just as good - it's a delicious and refreshing coconut pudding with various toppings. I would recommend their original milk & coconut flavor or the mango mochi & coconut.
So if you're wondering whether to go to Sharetea or Pink Pink Tea Shoppe, I'd go Pink Pink all the way. You just need to order the right thing, which can be different based on your taste preferences. They state that they use less sugar than normal, but it's all the same to me - I get 25% sweet anyways. They have a loyalty program if you order using your phone number, but you need Cash App to track it. read more