Words by Kelly Punzalan
Asians love bubble milk tea and Filipinos are no exception. With new milk tea places popping up left and right all over the Philippines, milk tea brands have to constantly come up with new twists on this popular drink. While classic teas such as Taro and Wintermelon are great, we want to treat our taste buds to different flavors every once in a while. Brown sugar milk tea is the latest in the milk tea craze and a bunch of shops have added their own unique spin on it.
Here we have nine places in Manila where you can try one yourself!
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9. Serenitea
Photo by Serenitea Facebook Page
Serenitea is a beloved milk tea chain here in the Philippines. They launched their Brown Sugar Series last September 2018 and now offer their own version of Chilled Taho with their Soy Brown Sugar Drink. Serenitea also has other must-try brown sugar drinks such as the Brown Sugar Grassjelly and Brown Sugar with Holly’s Fresh Milk.
Location: Various branches
8. Chatime
Photo by Chatime Philippines Facebook Page
Chatime highlights the distinct aesthetic brown sugar milk tea with their Marble Collection. Those black pearls combined with the golden brown syrup and creamy milk makes a beautiful drink, and it also makes a perfect shot for your Instagram feed! The Marble Collection includes Marble Pearl Black Tea Latte, Marble Pearl Fresh Milk, and Marble Pearl Milk Tea.
Location: Various branches
7. Happy Lemon
Photo by Happy Lemon Facebook Page
Best known for their rock salt and cheese drinks, Happy Lemon now offers the black, white, and regular brown sugar milk tea as part of their Tiger Milk Tea Series. The swirled brown sugar syrup in the drink creates vertical brown tiger stripes, hence the name of the drink.
The Tiger Drinks are available in all Happy Lemon stores in Metro Manila.
Location: Various branches
6. Chachago
Photo by Chachago Facebook Page
Chachago is a renowned milk tea brand in Taiwan and Vietnam. Now finally in the Philippines, their brown sugar milk tea is definitely a must-try. Their Brown Sugar Series offers various options, like the Roasted Brown Sugar Cacao with Salted Whipped Cream and Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea.
Location: 53 Scout Tobias St. (Near Scout Gandia), Quezon City
5. Sun Tea
Photo by Sun Tea Facebook Page
Relatively a newcomer in the milk tea scene, Sun Tea is known for their creamy cheese teas, but they also make great brown sugar milk tea drinks topped with their classic cheese cap and a dash of Oreo bits. Doesn’t that just sound delicious?
There is a limited daily serving for this particular drink, so make sure to get there early if you want to give it a try!
Location: SM Mall of Asia PUV Terminal, Pasay City
4. Black Scoop Café
Photo by Black Scoop Café Facebook Page
Home of the Milk Tea Ice Cream, Black Scoop Café is now also home to a variety of brown sugar drinks. You should definitely try the Original Brown Sugar Latte, Matcha Brown Sugar Latte with Cream Cheese, and the Original Brown Sugar Latte with Cream Cheese. Yum!
Location: Various branches
3. Oh My Tea!
Photo by Oh My Tea! Facebook Page
This milk tea brand specializes in Thai milk tea as well as Taiwanese-inspired drinks. Oh My Tea! now also boasts Golden Sugar Milk Tea which uses brown sugar imported from Taiwan! How sweet is that? (Pun intended).
Location: Maginhawa, Quezon City
2. Yi Fang
Photo by Yi Fang Facebook Page
One of Taiwan’s best milk tea places has already gained a huge following in Manila because of their signature fruit teas and premium brown sugar pearl drinks! Their pearls are made in-house, giving them a distinct taste. Made with fresh milk, premium Sun Moon Lake Black Tea, and luscious brown sugar pearls, Yi Fang’s Brown Sugar is very aesthetically pleasing.
Locations: Ayala Malls The 30th, BGC High Street, TriNoma, Tomas Morato
1. Tiger Sugar
Photo by Tiger Sugar Facebook Page
If you’ve walked around in BGC lately, you might have noticed the extremely long lines for Tiger Sugar. Originating from Taiwan, Tiger Sugar has made quite a splash here in Manila with the introduction of their Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cream Mousse. If you want to try one of their mouth-watering drinks, you have to be ready to wait for a while but it will surely be worth it!
Location: 11th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street
Which milk tea shop will you try first? Let us know!
