Shaka Shaka Tea House — Restaurant in Winter Park

This place is the best. Everything except the toppings/popping boba (the tapioca boba is made in the store though) is produced/prepared fresh in the store. They use fresh fruits and real taro. Some roots closely related to taro is purple. There are different varieties and colours. Most purple taro bobas use powder dyed with purple the imitate the colour most people associate with taro. But Shaka Shaka Tea House’s taro is just the white kind, and they use the actual root. It even comes as a sweet topping in little chunks. The owner is so generous and kind, the chips are 1$ if you want to buy them in addition to your order, but if you tip 1$, she gives a chip for every dollar tipped, because the tip covers the cost of the chips anyways.

This is what makes Shaka different from other boba places and my favourite things about it: — they use fresh real ingredients

— all the drinks are sweetened with a natural brown sugar syrup, made in the store like everything else. You can adjust the sweetness for every drink from 25% to 125%

— every drink is so customizable, and they are very friendly and accommodating to suit your preferences. The owner doesn’t speak perfect english but she goes above and beyond in getting your customized order just how you want it. They have non-dairy options. You can ask for more fruit and less ice in a smoothie. A special fruit combination in a fruity milk tea. Boba on the bottom. Less sweet, more sweet. You can ask for the teas to be warm, idk about the milk teas though. Some smoothies they don’t and won’t add milk for some reason, like the Passion Fruit. But I’m other smoothies they don’t make with milk like the strawberry banana, if you ask for them to use milk they will.

— you can mix any fruits. This can result in a normal Strawberry Banana or Blueberry Banana, but the amazing flavours you don’t typically get anywhere else, like Avocado Taro (it’s sweet and creamy, like icecream), Coconut Strawberry, Peach Mango, Mango Papaya, or even three fruits like Strawberry Papaya Mango!

— the fruity milk teas. They’re just amazing. Such a cool and fun drink that you can only get at a boba place

— you can order from any place online. Grub hub, uber, door dash, yelp, post mates, their own website. They’re everywhere, I’ve checked since I was comparing the different companys’ delivery fee pricing.

— they’re always open. For all holidays, always the same hours 10-11. All year. I came on Christmas.

On top of it all, sometimes I come and the owner is by herself, handling everything. Sometimes I come by and it’s not busy, the lady is by herself in the back seeming to be cutting the fruit as she waits for customers. At those times my order comes fast. Other times I come by and there might be only one other person and it doesn’t seem busy, but the orders take a long time. I think it’s because of the online orders she is handling by herself. Other times I come and there is a friendly employee who is equally as accommodating to answer any questions about the drinks or anything else and she actually speaks English so the communication is great. Then the drinks comes a lot quicker, unless there is a long line.

Bottom line, the drinks come either really fast or you’re going to have to wait a bit. There is a little cement flower bed wall that people...

The epitome of food utilizing fresh ingredients for a great price made by the kindest people!

FOOD - HOLY that taro is the real deal! I was a little apprehensive against the idea of a taro drink not being purple. Turns out the taro I've been drinking is just powder product that turns the drink purple... T^T My taro milk tea was super refreshing and at 50% sweetness, I found this level of sweetness to be just right. This shop has forever changed my perspective on what a good and fresh taro milk tea should look like.

SERVICE - The lady working didn't speak much English but went above and beyond to make sure I my questions were answered. I ordered 4 drinks and she gave me pringles as a snack I can take to-go!

LOCATION - Plenty of free parking in the area as it's located in a shopping center.

I've been back several times since my first check-in and can confirm all their drinks legitimately have real fruits (honeydew, cantaloupe, avocado, etc..) and wholesome ingredients. I seriously have a hard time drinking powdered based drinks nowadays.

PRO TIP: Bring CASH and buy their gift cards. You get a sweet 10% discount. And sign-up with their rewards by inputting your phone number! The more you go, the sweeter...

This is my go-to place typically. I’ve written a review here already and I come at least once a week most days. There’s a wide selection, fast service and the fruit and milk they use is always fresh. However, ever since there have been two new workers the consistency and quality of service has gone drastically down. These are two college aged kids, both with a “not my problem attitude”. Had done a website order (paid for already) and my boyfriend went in to get the items. They told him they didn’t have a website, and that we had the location wrong. This is my go-to place because it is less than 5 minutes from me, and I go all the time. He had to argue with them, even after showing the email confirmation as well as their own website. They made the drinks, but only after arguing and saying bad things about the owner, Mrs Lee (who I’ve never had an issue with when ordering). We got the drinks, and both of us got exactly halfway, before the drinks were no longer edible. Both of us were violently ill all night after this. I’m not saying something was done on purpose, but it sure looks like it. Will not be going to this location as long as those two workers...