Star Snow Ice

"For a quick, fully customizable bubble tea fix, go to Star Snow Ice. Everything here is utilitarian, delicious, and cheaper than other boba spots (around $4 per drink). The original location—the second one is in the corner of Dun Huang plaza—has been serving boba tea and flavored shaved ice in Chinatown for over 20 years. With classic flavors from the standard jasmine milk tea to honeydew tea with rainbow jelly, you can get just about any kind of bubble tea combination under the sun." - gianni greene

"Without sticking your head under a soft serve machine, the quickest way to get a giant dose of something cold is by going to Star Snow Ice. The original location—the second one is in the corner of Dun Huang plaza—has been serving boba tea and flavored shaved ice in Chinatown for over 20 years. Massive plates of mango or green tea fluffy ice get drizzled with condensed milk and decorated with heaps of egg custard and tapioca. And even though the ice pile looks hefty, like an overstuffed suitcase, it’s nearly weightless on the spoon. The entire plate only costs around $10, so you may as well throw in a few milk teas and an extra scoop of fruit. photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen" - Chelsea Thomas