CHICHA San Chen - San Gabriel

"San Gabriel’s Valley Boulevard is lined with dozens of boba spots and Chi Cha San Chen is, without a doubt, the most famous one along the road. They’re well known for winning an award from the International Taste Institute, leading some to call it “Michelin star boba.” But what keeps me coming back here is the high-quality tea and super chewy pearls. Another thing that makes their drinks stand out is that you can order their tea with condensed milk, cream, or milk, giving you way more control over their drink. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation

"Originally from Taichung in Taiwan, the birthplace of boba, Chicha San Chen is the first US branch of the shop. Every drink is freshly brewed to order with a special “Teapresso” machine. Expect to wait anywhere between 20 to 40 minutes for drinks, which can only be ordered online. Drinks are categorized by mousse, cream, fresh milk, condensed milk, latte, honey, fruit sweeteners (mango, passionfruit), or pure tea.  Some of the most popular drinks are dong ding oolong tea with mousse and boba, cassia black tea with mousse and grass jelly, high mountain pouchong tea, and osmanthus oolong with mango. The focus at Chicha San Chen is the tea, but it also has many popular toppings like Konjac jelly, grass jelly, and cheese foam. The boba is soft, warm, and chewy. Also, the shop uses milk from Taiwan, which is creamier than American milk." - Kristie Hang

"San Gabriel’s Valley Boulevard is lined with dozens of boba spots and Chi Cha San Chen is, without a doubt, the most famous one along the road. They’re well known for winning an award from the International Taste Institute, leading some to call it “Michelin star boba.” But what keeps me coming back here is the high-quality tea and super chewy pearls. Another thing that makes their drinks stand out is that you can order their tea with condensed milk, cream, or milk, giving you way more control over their drink." - audrey fong