Best Milk Tea in the Philippines for Your Cravings

Milk tea is the new frappe in the Philippines. We don't just love milk tea—we're addicted to it!

Shops serving milk tea (also called bubble tea or boba tea) have been around in the country for quite some time. But lately, their popularity exploded as new milk tea trends and brands from Taiwan and other Asian countries arrived.

Many bubble tea shops have also become more accessible to consumers through delivery services such as Foodpanda and GrabFood.

If this beverage is your guilty pleasure, you're probably looking for the best milk tea that's worth your money. Let's take a look at the top places to get your milk tea fix.

14 Best Milk Tea Brands in the Philippines

Just talking about milk tea is enough to create a craving! Here are some of the best and most popular milk tea shops in the Philippines.

NOTE: The prices below are subject to change without prior notice. We encourage you to get in touch with the milk tea shop of your choice via its social media pages for the updated price list.

Macao Imperial Tea

Macao Imperial Tea best seller and price:

Cream Cheese Milk Tea - 16oz: ₱135 / 23oz: ₱155

Most of the best milk tea shops in the Philippines come from Taiwan, but Macao Imperial Tea is an exception. Apparently, it's from Macau, the Las Vegas of China, so it creates its milk tea differently.

Macao Imperial Tea uses jasmine tea that adds a floral scent and sublime taste to its drinks. Generous swirls of cream cheese provide the richness that perfectly complements the tea. If creamy drinks are your cup of tea, the Cream Cheese Milk Tea is a must-try.

Macao Imperial Tea branches: Anonas, Banawe, BF Homes, Gateway Mall, Lucky Chinatown Mall, select SM Malls, Timog, and more locations nationwide^[1]

Serenitea

Serenitea best sellers and prices:

Medium: ₱115.50 / Large: ₱131.25

Okinawa Milk Tea
Wintermelon Milk Tea
Hokkaido Milk Tea

Serenitea started the local milk tea craze when it opened the country's first milk tea shop in late 2008. Back then, Filipinos were mostly addicted to frappuccinos. Today, milk tea has taken over the beverage addiction, and Serenitea takes the credit for being its pioneer.

Considered one of the best milk tea brands in the Philippines, Serenitea takes pride in being the first one to use an espresso machine to brew tea and give customization options for the sweetness level and sinkers (pearls/pudding/crystals/panna cotta/grass jelly).

Serenitea’s best-selling milk tea variants include Okinawa (brown sugar-flavored milk), Wintermelon (winter melon with caramel flavor and milk), and Hokkaido (butter toffee caramel-flavored milk).

Not a fan of sugar? You can ditch it altogether and choose pudding as your sinker instead to add texture and sweetness to your drinks.

Tea-pid tip: If you want to save, Serenitea offers a good deal via Booky. Order via Booky and get a discount, starting from 20% to 50%. For instance, two large Traditional Milk Teas are only ₱201.60. Three cups of the same milk tea and size are only ₱264.60. Five cups of the same order are priced at only ₱315. Its hash brown is priced at ₱37.80 from ₱47.25.

Serenitea branches: Alabang Town Center, Eastwood, Glorietta 3, Greenbelt 3, Greenhills, Robinsons Place Manila, select SM Malls, Tomas Morato, U.P. Town Center, and more locations nationwide^[2]

Happy Lemon

Happy Lemon best seller and price:

Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese - Regular: ₱119 / Large: ₱139

Happy Lemon is famous for its rock salt and cheese with saltiness, richness, and cheesiness that complement its chocolate, matcha, green tea, milk tea, and jasmine green tea-based drinks. Its smaller yet soft and chewy pearls also set Happy Lemon apart from other best milk tea brands in the Philippines.

Happy Lemon's Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese is a crowd favorite. If you want to have an extra chocolatey crunch, just add ₱10 to get Oreo crumbs.

Tea-pid tip: Always be on the lookout for milk tea promos during anniversaries and holidays. Happy Lemon may offer a free upsize.

Happy Lemon branches: Bonifacio High Street, Greenbelt 1, Robinson's Magnolia, Robinson's Place Manila, Shangri-La Plaza, select SM Malls, TriNoma, U.P. Town Center, and more locations nationwide

Gong Cha

Gong Cha best sellers and prices:

House Special Milk Wintermelon - Medium: ₱95 / Large: ₱110
Milk Tea with Pearl Jelly - Medium: ₱90 / Large: ₱100
Wintermelon Milk Tea - Medium: ₱90 / Large: ₱105

The fastest-growing milk tea brand in Asia, Gong Cha enjoys huge popularity in the Philippines, with numerous branches around the country. It's the best milk tea shop for anyone who loves wintermelon. Customers rave about the Milk Wintermelon, Gong Cha's signature blend with sweet, cheesy, and salty cream on top.

Tea-pid tip: Heads up, BTS Army! Order via Messenger to get BTS-branded merch. A minimum purchase of two Gong Cha drinks allows you to avail a maximum of two BTS tumblers or bottles for ₱2,300 each. This is available for pick-up and delivery.

Gong Cha branches: Alabang Town Center, Araneta Center, Eastwood Mall, Glorietta 1, Greenbelt 3, select Robinsons malls, select SM Malls, Timog, TriNoma, and more locations nationwide^[3]

CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice

Best Milk Tea in the Philippines - Coco Milk Tea

CoCo best sellers and prices:

Panda Milk Tea - Regular: ₱90 / Large: ₱100
Salty Cream Milk Tea - Regular: ₱90 / Large: ₱100
3-Buddies Milk Tea - Regular: ₱100 / Large: ₱110

The long snake-like lines at CoCo branches give anyone the impression that the brand is a hit among milk tea fans in the Philippines.

What's not to love about this Taiwanese milk tea joint? Its milk tea with boba is to die for. Panda Milk Tea, CoCo's most ordered drink, offers a unique experience with its delightful mix of big chewy black pearls and smaller crisp white pearls in a base of black tea and velvety milk.

CoCo's Salty Cream Milk Tea is just as innovative. While other milk tea shops use cream cheese as a topping, CoCo uses Himalayan salt and fresh milk that enhance rather than overpower the milk tea's light floral taste.

For those who can't get enough of sinkers, the 3-Buddies Milk Tea will surely satisfy. It's a crowd-pleaser with its combination of black tapioca, pudding, and grass jelly toppings.

A bonus feature of this bubble tea brand is that its shops are designed for the 'gram. Its minimalistic and modern café-inspired space is the perfect venue for your friends' weekend get-togethers.

Tea-pid tip: If you're planning to sip on your tea at home, you may score discounts when you have it delivered to your doorstep via your food delivery app. From time to time, CoCo releases free delivery promo codes, so you better catch them.

CoCo branches: Chinatown, Cyberpark Tower One, Eastwood, Fairview Terraces, Fisher Mall, Gateway Tower, Katipunan, select SM Malls, TriNoma, and U.P Town Center

Chatime

Chatime best sellers and prices:

Chatime Milk Tea - Regular: ₱95 / Large: ₱105
Pearl Milk Tea - Regular: ₱100 / Large: ₱110
Grass Jelly with Fresh Milk - Regular: ₱105 / Large: ₱115

One of the largest international bubble tea brands today, Chatime is practically in every mall in the metro (plus a delivery option via GrabFood and Booky), so you can satisfy your milk tea craving anytime.

Chatime serves freshly brewed tea mixed with a variety of natural flavors. The classic Chatime Milk Tea is a stand out with its simple blend of milk and black tea. In addition to milk tea, Chatime has a large selection of drinks that include smoothies, fruit tea, coffee, tea-based latte, and chocolate drinks.

You can customize your favorite Chatime drink. Sweetness levels can be adjusted from 0% to extra sugar, and you may also ask not to include ice or add extra ice. In short, there's something for everyone at Chatime.

Tea-pid tip: Chatime has an ongoing promo on Booky called Pearl Madness Bundle in which you can save ₱45 on your group purchase. The said bundle includes four large Pearl Milk Teas for only ₱395.

If you're a BTS fan, you'll giggle in kilig when you shop at Chatime's portal on Booky. This is because you can collect BT21 face masks at ₱160 each!

Chatime branches: Alabang Town Center, Alimall, BGC, Eastwood, Eton Centris Walk, Gateway Mall, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Shangri-la Plaza, select Robinsons malls, select SM Malls, TriNoma, and more locations nationwide^[4]

Tiger Sugar

Tiger Sugar best seller and price:

Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cream Mousse - ₱120

Tiger Sugar carries the tagline "Brave as a Tiger" because of the tiger-like stripes that its brown sugar swirls form on a cup. It could also mean braving long lines—and waiting for up to two hours during peak times—just to get a sip of the famous Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cream Mousse.

Some say it's just hype. But for people who hate the bitter taste of tea, Tiger Sugar is heaven-sent. While its menu has tea-based brown sugar milk, you can order a non-tea-based drink, too. What you'll get is the creamiest brown sugar-flavored drink ever. The chewy black pearls complete the one-of-a-kind experience. It's well worth the wait.

Tea-pid tip: Be on the lookout for new Tiger Sugar branches opening near you. The brand usually offers Buy 5 Get 1 promos during new shop launches. Similarly, Tiger Sugar has flash sales and special occasion deals.

Tiger Sugar branches: Bonifacio High Street, Eastwood Mall, Glorietta 4, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, and TriNoma

Alishan at The Alley

Alishan best seller and price:

Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cheese Brûlée - Medium: ₱120 / Large: ₱140

Are brown sugar drinks too sweet for your liking? Alishan's Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cheese Brûlée might change your mind. The brown sugar is not too sweet because it's an unprocessed high mountain variety with no artificial flavor or color. It's also gluten-free and nut-free. The pearls are perfectly cooked with just the right chewiness.

Alishan at The Alley is located at hidden spots in BGC, Makati, and Quezon City, but long lines greet customers on weekdays. Patience is needed when you want to get your milk tea fix.

Aside from brown sugar drinks, Alishan also serves milk tea, fruit tea, and cheese tea for take-out only.

Alishan branches: Rockwell Center, Eton Tower Makati, Ore Central BGC, and Quezon City

Dakasi

Dakasi best sellers and prices:

Bubble Milk Tea - Regular: ₱120 / Large: ₱130
Okinawa Milk Tea - Regular: ₱120 / Large: ₱130
Creme Okinawa - Large: ₱150

Dakasi offers some of the best milk teas in the Philippines. Its offerings are diverse, ranging from signature milk teas to iced teas and creme-based drinks. This Taiwanese brand uses medium-sized pearls and fresh ingredients for all its drinks, without any artificial flavor and additive.

Such quality you can experience especially with best-selling Dakasi products. The Dakasi Bubble Milk Tea is a no-frills drink made of low-fat and low-calorie black tea. Its Okinawa Milk Tea is also popular because this creamy black tea-based drink has just the right sweetness. For wintermelon lovers, the Creme Okinawa gives a creamy twist to its favorite flavor minus the tea.

Dakasi branches: Select Ayala Malls, Banawe, select SM Malls, Tutuban, and more locations nationwide^[5]

Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea

Best Milk Tea in the Philippines - Yi Fang

Yi Fang best sellers and prices:

Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte - Regular: ₱130 / Large: ₱150
Yi Fang Signature Fruit Tea - Regular: ₱140 / Large: ₱160

Yi Fang isn't touted as Taiwan’s best milk tea for nothing. Its refreshing drinks are perfect during hot, humid days and even when it's gloomy and rainy.

Specializing in fruit tea, Yi Fang uses real fruits—apple, orange, and passion fruit—combined with fresh mountain tea and pineapple jelly sauce for its signature drink.

The Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte is another best-selling Yi Fang product. Black pearls are cooked in brown sugar and mixed with fresh milk and premium Sun Moon Lake black tea. The resulting drink is both sweet and toasty. If you're on a vegan diet, you can change its milk base into soy milk by adding ₱15.

Tea-pid tip: Join Yi Fang's loyalty program to get a 5% cash back on your drinks. There's no need to sign up. Each purchase earns you points, which you can use to purchase your next tea.

Yi Fang branches: Ayala Malls the 30th, Banawe, Binondo, BGC High Street, Bonifacio Stopover Corporate Center, Easton Place Makati, Price Plaza II Makati, M. Paterno, SM Mall of Asia, SM Southmall, Taft, Tomas Morato, and TriNoma

D'Cream Coffee & Tea

Best Milk Tea in the Philippines - D'Cream Coffee and Tea

D'Cream best seller and price:

Golden Sun - Regular: ₱55 / Large: ₱65 / Giant: ₱75

D'Cream is an underrated milk tea place but extremely popular with students in the University Belt where most of its branches are located.

It's also an affordable option not just for students but also adult milk tea fans with a limited budget. For less than ₱100, you can already order the biggest size of milk tea from D'Cream.

Despite its cheap prices, D'Cream doesn't scrimp on quality and milk tea flavor. In fact, many customers say that its best-selling Golden Sun (made of black tea, creamy milk, and chewy pearls) is the best milk tea they've tried.

D'Cream branches: Asturias, España, Fatima Valenzuela, FEU, Gastambide, Intramuros, Madrid Binondo, P. Noval, Pedro Gil, PNU, select SM Malls, and and Vito Cruz

Cha Tuk Chak

Cha Tuk Chak best sellers and prices:

Nom Yen: Regular: ₱110 / Large: ₱125
Cha Yen: Regular: ₱110 / Large: ₱120
Signature Milk Tea with Black & Honey Pearls: Regular: ₱95 / Large: ₱105

Taiwan doesn’t have the monopoly on milk teas. Thailand also has a reputation for concocting such deliciously creamy beverages.

If you want to try the Thai variety, just head over to Cha Tuk Chak. Running counter to sometimes cloyingly sugary milk teas, this shop’s offerings are not too sweet. Nevertheless, the tea taste is prominent but not overpowering.

Try Cha Yen or the authentic Thailand milk tea, which comes in the iconic milky orange color. You can also taste its take on the usual bubble tea with the Signature Milk Tea mixed with black and honey pearls.

If you’re feeling cute and perky, Nom Yen will surely suit you. This pink drink is flavored with strawberries, but you’ll be surprised by how balanced its sweetness is.

Tea-pid tip: From time to time, Cha Tuk Chak releases promo codes that you can use to score discounts and freebies on Grab. Also, watch out for special occasions to get bundled drinks at a discounted price.

Cha Tuk Chak branches: Monumento, Poblacion-Makati, Taft, Binondo, Ayala Malls Marikina, Starmall Alabang, and Greenhills

Moonleaf Tea Shop

best milk tea in the philippines - moonleaf

Moonleaf Tea Shop best sellers and prices:

Wintermelon Milk Tea: Regular: ₱95 / Large: ₱105
Hakka Milk tea: Regular: ₱95 / Large: ₱105
Caramel Milk Tea: Regular: ₱120 / Large: ₱130

Milk tea enthusiasts know that Moonleaf is one of the OG shops back when bubble teas were just a bourgeoning food niche in the country. It’s also worth noting that this is a Filipino brand.

Moonleaf’s beverages and mixes are made using tea leaves of premium quality sourced from the best tea-growing regions of Taiwan. The shop strictly follows the Taiwanese method of brewing and steeping tea leaves to make sure that the resulting taste is authentic.

Moonleaf’s offerings are perfect for those who want a strong tea flavor in their cups. One of its most popular drinks is the Hakka Milk Tea. This is made with dark roasted sugar, which gives the drink a toasted punch that perfectly complements the natural taste of the tea. The experience is made unique with the creaminess of the drink.

Moonleaf branches: Loyola Heights, Intramuros, JP Morgan, Katipunan-White Plains, Marikina-Lilac, Binondo, select Robinsons malls, select provinces outside the metro

Tea-pid tip: Instead of buying individual cups, get Moonleaf’s Gallon Milk Tea that can serve up to 10 people. This is perfect for watch parties or hang-out sessions with friends at home. Available in Wintermelon (₱950), Hakka (₱950), and House Milk Tea (₱850). Just add ₱120 to for your choice of add-on.

7 Eleven

7-Eleven best sellers and prices:

Mineshine Milk Tea: ₱59
Mineshine Assam Black Tea: ₱55

Two years ago, 7-Eleven offered DIY Milk Tea pack for ₱190 at its select branches. While it’s gone now, you can still find worthy milk teas at this shop in the form of Mineshine drinks.

Mineshine is a popular 7-Eleven milk tea product, so you’ll always find it in the shop’s fridge. Because it’s made by a Taiwanese company, you can expect that it maintains the authentic bubble tea taste.

Stick to the classics with Mineshine Milk Tea, which is not too sweet and not too strong. But if you’re the type who favors bolder flavors, try Mineshine Assam Black Tea. This is made of high-quality black tea leaves blended with Barley.

Read more:

How Much Milk Tea is Too Much?

There's no harm in treating yourself to milk tea sometimes. After all, you deserve it after a stressful work week! However, too much of anything (yes, milk tea included) is bad—both for your budget and health.

The price of milk tea in the Philippines is not exactly cheap. Drinking milk tea daily will cost you at least ₱2,000 to ₱3,000+ per month. A hundred bucks don't seem like a splurge, but the cost does add up. Imagine spending more than ₱20,000 in a year for milk tea.

Consider also the health effects of excessive milk tea consumption.^[6] While drinking tea in itself is healthy, its benefits are easily wiped out by milk, sugar, and other high-calorie ingredients with no nutritional value.

Moderation is the key. Dietitians recommend limiting yourself to just one serving of milk tea per week, or avoiding it altogether if you have health issues like diabetes, insomnia, or acid reflux.

Final Thoughts

If drinking your favorite milk tea brings you joy, go for it! Take your pick from the best milk tea brands in the Philippines listed above. Just remember to be mindful of how much and how often you consume milk tea for your own benefit.

Sources:

^[1] Macao Imperial Tea branches
^[2] Serenitea branches
^[3] Gong Cha
^[4] Cha Time locations
^[5] Dakasi
^[6] The risks of drinking too much milk tea (GMA News Online, 2019)

Best Milk Tea in the Philippines: Where to Go for the Most Refreshing Milk Tea

Moneymax Editorial Team