Top 18+ boba flavors, ranked worst to best

18. Strawberry milk tea

If we're ranking boba based on aesthetics alone, strawberry boba, typically served as a milk tea, would be near the top. The drink is pretty in pink, and great for a social media share, but there's a lot going on beneath the surface — namely, sugar.

It sounds like this one would be refreshing and fruity, but strawberry's natural flavor (if there even is anything natural happening here) is totally lost in the syrupy sweetness. It's reminiscent of Strawberry Nesquik, albeit an inferior version that is slightly watered down and laden with sugar. It'll likely be a hit with kids, whose palates are more accustomed to overly cloying drinks, but the treacly tipple will wear out its welcome pretty quickly — and leave you wanting to take a swig of Listerine. For fruit-centric boba flavors, you can do a lot better than strawberry, as you'll discover further down this list.

14. Lychee

For the ultimate boba quencher, lychee fruit goes down smooth, making it an ideal beverage to combat those warm weather days. One of the lighter boba flavors, it's lightly tart and floral, with just a hint of grape. The addition of lychee also lends a sweet and lovely fragrance to the bubble tea. Depending on what you're thirsting for, though, this might be a tad too tame, like an unsweetened — and dare we say, boring — iced tea. Of the multiple fruit varieties out there, this one is on the extremely mild side. It's basically the opposite of strawberry, lacking excess sugar but also lacking a ton of flavor in general.

Lychee is a subtle fruit to begin with, so it takes a lot to get the dainty ingredient to shine. If it's something cool and refreshing on a hot day that you're after, this'll scratch that itch, but that's likely the only itch it'll be scratching.

13. Black sesame

One of the more underrated sleeper hits on the boba menu (and one of the most surprisingly pretty), black sesame is worth ordering for a photo moment alone. The color and pattern of this rich and creamy drink makes it look like cookies & cream, with its black-and-white tint. 

But if you're expecting a beverage that tastes like an Oreo milkshake, you might be a little disappointed when you take a sip and find that looks can be deceiving. While the creaminess shines through (this a milk tea after all) the flavors diverge from there. Instead of sweet cocoa, black sesame is more nutty, toasty, and mildly savory — but that works just fine for us. It's fun, original, and super cool-looking, but it's definitely one of the more divisive flavors in the world of boba — you either love it or begrudge it for misleading your taste buds.

11. Pineapple milk tea

For a fruit-forward boba that actually packs a wallop of flavor without clobbering you over the head with sugar, pineapple hits all the right notes. It's pretty, vibrant, and photogenic, not to mention its flavors are pronounced and unmistakable. A little tangy, a little tart, and a little sweet, it's everything you love about fresh pineapple, slurped through a huge straw.

Pineapple is fine on its own, but we prefer the milk tea version which has the texture and flavor more like a decadent smoothie. The inherent tang of the fruit helps to cut through and temper the creaminess so it isn't too heavy or milkshake-esque. Be warned, though, that this one is not for folks lukewarm on pineapple, or those looking for something more subtle. It's a ton of pineapple flavor, so tread carefully. But if you're a fan of the fruit, the tropical notes come through tremendously, and the result is like a Hawaiian vacation in a cup.

9. Mango

Tucking into pure mango is to revel in sinking your teeth into thick, sweet, pulpy flesh — which is only enhanced by the textural richness of boba. When mango meets boba, something peculiar happens. The boba — and whatever other mix-ins have piqued your interest that day — actually mimic the mango's texture in a way that's at once familiar and delightfully surprising.

But perhaps the pairing is too seamless. After all, bubble tea is just as much about contrast. The springy quality of the bubbles and surprising explosion of popping boba — plus the softness, silkiness, creaminess, and crunch of a seemingly infinite number of other toppings — make a textural feast the quintessential feature of a top-tier bubble tea-slurping experience. Mango boba probably would be too one-note if it wasn't for the way vibrant, juicy mango is reminiscent of a gorgeous afternoon spent blissing out on a pristine Thai beach. Who wouldn't want to sip on that?

7. Winter melon

Lesser known than its milky counterparts but absolutely deserving of appearing in your cup, pronto, winter melon tastes mighty fine. If you haven't tried winter melon boba yet, hightail it to your local bubble tea shop and right that wrong immediately. Also known as ash gourd, winter melon juice is believed to offer all sorts of healing and enhancing properties in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine (including calming the mind), although the science is still pending. Regardless, winter melon deserves a moment, preferably in a cup near you.

The winter melon sip experience is delightful, especially with a spritz of lemon and a generous serving of pearls (we're ignoring the fact that the latter probably negates some of the purported health benefits). A winter melon-lemon boba blend has a grounding, warming quality. It tastes earthy, but not to the level of beetroot or matcha. The citrus kicks in as you swallow, with a refreshing, lifting quality. While you can opt to muddle winter melon through a milky tea base, winter melon in juice form is equally as charming — the chewy boba makes up for the juice's lack of creaminess and we have no notes. 

3. Avocado

Is there anything avocado can't do? From guacamole to toast, tacos to sushi, the buttery fruit is perfect in practically any form, and this is certainly true of avocado boba. Another prime example of two trendy titans converging with great success, this is one perfect rendition of a drink that refreshes and quenches, while still feeling like an indulgent little treat.

For this one, silky-smooth avocado puree lends a smooth texture and natural richness. Beyond the main fruit attraction, the drink is prepared with ice, sweetened condensed milk, and a splash of regular milk. The avocado also provides a vibrant green hue, which not only gives it a stunning appearance, but also makes it look downright healthy. Though it resembles the honeydew boba, it's a lot more flavorful and pronounced.

Thanks to its smoothie-like quality and the fact that it's not super sweet, this is one you can finish without feeling bloated after a few sips. In fact, you'll feel downright virtuous.