Chun Shui Tang Xinyi Branch — Restaurant in Xinyi District

Oh wow! I have no idea why I only ever heard about the fame of their original bubble milk tea—because their food deserves just as much hype! Every dish is not only delicious but also has a unique touch, capturing that authentic local taste. The restaurant itself has a casual yet classy vibe—no reservations needed, just walk in and enjoy the easygoing atmosphere.

I tried one of their à la carte dishes a long time ago and was already quite impressed, but this time, I went for a mix of sharing plates and snack dishes. It was a fantastic choice! This place is great for locals looking for a simple yet satisfying meal, but it’s also perfect for introducing foreign friends to local flavors beyond the usual beef noodle soup, xiao long bao, or dumplings. More people should be raving about this!

Even the more common dishes, like turnip cake (蘿蔔糕) and wontons in red chili oil (红油抄手), have their own unique twist here! They stay true to local flavors but with a little extra flair—familiar yet unexpectedly exciting. It’s not your typical, predictable version; instead, each bite feels like a fresh take on a classic. I love how they manage to keep it authentic yet intriguing at the same time!

The food came out super quick, which was a pleasant surprise! This branch is located underground, but somehow, the shop’s design feels open and airy, not stuffy at all. They also have an in-store restroom, which is quite clean—a nice bonus!

The staff were efficient, quick on their feet, and very polite. I also loved the convenience of ordering via QR code and paying at the counter before the food arrived. It made the whole experience smooth and hassle-free.

Oh, and the honey lemon tea was light, refreshing, and a perfect balance of flavors. I’m already looking forward to coming back and trying more from...

Chun Shui Tang is the alleged birthplace of boba so it was necessary as a boba connoisseur to visit and give my hot take.

The good news? Boba was good and the food items was better than I thought!

You order from a sheet of paper and then take it outside to pay at the cashier. Only then will you receive a number to take back to your table for food and drinks.

I ordered a Passion-Guava smoothie with boba along with some veggie friendly options including braised tofu skin and soy-meat dan dan noodles. They forgot the tapioca boba at first but after asking, they gave me an entire small container which was fun to pour into my drink. The boba was very soft and warm, so while different from the larger ones here in the States, still delicious. Food was also on point and I'm glad there were options I could enjoy.

Only thing I wish they could offer would be non-dairy milk options for boba. I couldn't experience a classic milk tea since I don't consume dairy. If they could offer oat or soy milk, then it would've been a no-brainer to try them to see...

This is supposed to be the 'best' bubble tea in Taiwan? I passed by this shop at the basement of the mall and was quite surprised it was empty. I didn't know it was a restaurant thought it was just a shop specializing in selling teas. As I turned into the counter I saw the other section of the restaurant was rather crowded. I thought maybe the food was good and decided to have a look at the menu. Sadly, it didn't get my interest to try so I just decided to order a bubble tea to go. Ordered the pearl milk tea and had to wait for about 10 minutes before it was ready. The original price of the big cup of pearl milk tea was 190 TWD but there was a discount so I paid 161 TWD for it. I think the drink was rather expensive in bubble tea standards. Tried the tea it was just average, there was a tinge of the tea flavour and frankly my expectations were higher than this. The pearls were also nothing to shout about and was nothing different from a normal cup of bubble tea. With the quality and the price, I think I might be able to find better...