In a city with no shortage of boba shops, it’s easy to wonder if Evanston has hit peak tapioca quantities.
With some students feeling overwhelmed with options, The Daily has crunched the numbers on cost and convenience to help residents select the boba spot for their next fix.
Even with the sizable amount of competition, Hokkaido Ramen server Jack Sin estimated that the restaurant sees between 30 and 50 customers daily. There are many boba shops serving a population that seems to love the treat.
Weinberg junior Bella Lake recalled some of her friends saying that Evanston has too many boba shops and a noticeable absence of other “sweet treats” like frozen yogurt. However, Lake and other students still view the beverage as a fun indulgence during the school year.
McCormick junior Rachel Silverman said that boba is her favorite study treat.
“If you’re eating a bag of chips or something, then you get distracted, and I find myself just snacking instead of focusing on studying,” she said. “But whenever I have boba, it’s easy to just grab it and take a sip.”
When craving boba in Evanston, choosing where to buy the drink is the hardest part. If cost is the most important factor, Möge Tee or Happy Lemon might be the most effective picks.
Silverman said she frequents either Ume Tea or Happy Lemon about once a week. Meanwhile, Lake said she prefers Joy Yee for their smoothie boba selection. Each shop has its own unique offerings, such as Happy Lemon’s waffles or Ume Tea’s cups with surprise plushies inside.
While budget is a key factor, convenience is also a necessary consideration, given a Northwestern student’s busy schedule.
Silverman said that when she first started drinking boba in middle school, she used to make it at home from grocery store packets.
“Now I’m lazier and just get it out,” she said.
For a place to stop during a short break between classes on South campus, the closest spots are Ume Tea or Kung Fu Tea, both just a few minutes from the Weber Arch.
For Lake, getting boba is more than just a sweet indulgence — it is also a social outing.
“I often don’t get it alone,” Lake said. “(At) a cafe, sometimes (there’s a) connotation of doing work, but I feel like you’d never work at a boba shop.”
Choosing the right boba shop based on your needs can make the experience all the more enjoyable.
Email: [email protected]
X: @RubyGrisin
Related Stories:
—By The Numbers: 53 years of Dillo Day performers and their careers
—By the Numbers: NU Day at Wrigley
—By the numbers: The Trump administration has frozen millions in federal support for Northwestern. Here’s what it means for science funding on campus.
