Bubble tea. It’s taken the world by storm.

When most New Yorkers want to head out for bubble tea, chances are you are most likely to be recommended going to places like Gong Cha, Kung Fu Tea, Coco, Vivi’s, and more, with most of them being located around Manhattan’s China Town or Queen’s Flushing.

However, there are many other bubble tea shops and cafes that are either relatively unknown or underrated that deserve just as much attention as the mainstream shops. Sweet Cats Cafe, located along Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows, Queens, is no exception! “The cafe was really cute and very aesthetically pleasing,” said Tashfia Haidar ’19, describing her first thoughts when she first walked into the cafe.

“I think that was the best bubble teas I’ve had actually; I did like the bubble tea a lot,” said Onuva Yusuf ’19.

Bubble tea, also known as boba, is a very popular Asian beverage of milk tea with tapioca pearls that originates from Taiwan. The story goes that in a certain Taiwanese tea shop, someone decided to put tapioca pearls into tea on a whim and liked it. The drink became extremely popular rapidly; to this day, two of the oldest tea shops in Taiwan still debate on claiming ownership of the first bubble tea. Modern tapioca pearls are made by combining tapioca starch with brown sugar water. They’re then submerged in a mix of tea and milk or non-dairy milk creamer, as well as other potential flavors like taro or matcha.

Bubble tea is one of the most popular items on the menu for Sweet Cats Cafe. While the flavors available are just like what you would find in most bubble tea shops, the major difference is the firmness and chewiness of the tapioca pearls within the bubble tea. While some shops provide soft, chewy pearls in their drinks, Sweet Cats Cafe makes their pearls slightly firmer than usual, which has a huge impact on the overall experience of the drink. When asked about how the Sweet Cats Cafe’s Bubble Tea compares to other mainstream bubble tea shops, Onuva Yusuf ’19 said, “I think that was the best bubble teas I’ve had actually; I did like the bubble tea a lot.”

Of course, though it may be the most popular item on the menu, bubble tea is not the only thing that the Sweet Cats Cafe is well known for. Their menu ranges from a wide variety of sweets and desserts, such as the layered crepe cake, the chocolate puppy mousse, tiramisu, lava cakes, egg waffle crepes, and more! The Sweet Cats Cafe’s menu also offers a handful of savory items as well, such as fried chicken and takoyaki, a ball-shaped Japanese snack made with a wheat flour-based batter and is typically filled with minced or diced octopus and mayo, and garnished with tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.

Along with many food items, Sweet Cats Cafe is known for its aesthetically pleasing decor, where customers can take pictures before, during, or after getting their food. Some of the many places where customers can take photos by themselves or with friends are the flower wall, the Paris-themed tea party area, the pair of Angel Wings, and more! “The cafe is really pink, almost too pink. But it was a lot of fun taking pictures with friends,” said Jordan Sanchez ’19.

Along with the food and an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, Sweet Cats Cafe also sells a wide variety of trendy merchandise, such as coffee mugs, plushies, and reusable bubble tea cups. They even have a claw machine that customers can play with to win a plushie or stuffed animal, depending on what is available each day!

As someone who enjoys the refreshing taste and texture of bubble tea, as well as hanging out with friends, this cafe is definitely one of my top favorite hotspots to grabbing a quick bite and posting on Instagram. Sweet Cats Cafe is a truly unique experience, from its dessert and beverages with reasonable pricing, to the eye-catching decor and display, and it has easily captivated the hearts of all its customers.