On October 1st, forms IV, V and VI received off-campus privileges for the first time in over 18 months. Since that fateful Friday, a new drink has become an accessory around the halls: bubble tea.
With origins in Taiwan, bubble tea, a drink with tapioca pearls in it, became popular in the 1980s. The pearls are chewy and are often sweetened with brown sugar. Since its creation, the drink has become dominant around the world, first becoming popular in the United States in the 1990s. It spread around the world through Asian immigrants opening shops in their communities. Throughout the 21st century, the bubble tea industry has grown massively with the opening of franchises such as Kung Fu Tea.
About two months ago, Riverdale Avenue welcomed a new independent business: Pearl Dynastea. The shop has a wide selection of various types of teas and toppings. According to the shop’s manager, “This area does not have many bubble tea places. We heard that a lot of people in this neighborhood were saying that they wanted a bubble tea store around here. We wanted to open up a place for people to have bubble tea near here.”
Paulina Woods (V) was of the many excited members of the neighborhood. “As a Riverdalian, I walked past the bubble tea place before it opened and was filled with so much excitement. My sister and I were sending pictures to each other because there has never been a bubble tea place in Riverdale.”
For some students, seeing a new backdrop at 3702 Riverdale Avenue is as bittersweet as some of the shop’s teas. Angie Wong (V) said that upon learning that a new business had entered the space, “it was a bit sad that something was replacing our beloved Buunni, but I was excited that I would have such easy access to boba at school.” She also added that there is a great variety of options, from milk teas to fruit teas to slushies.
In addition to the different teas and flavors, there is also a diverse selection of toppings beyond the tapioca pearls (also known as boba). One of their menu items is a Grass Jelly Tea Latte which contains a grass jelly, and their Fresh Fruit Teas consist of fruit chunks in addition to the tea itself.
According to the manager, “Some bestsellers have been the Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte, Thai Milk Tea, Passion Fruit Black Tea, and Mango Slush.” The staff typically recommends these drinks to any new customers or those trying bubble tea for the first time.
Aiasha Siddiqui (V) is a Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte enthusiast. “I ordered the Brown Sugar Tea Latte. I would 10/10 recommend it. I usually get the same drink from other places but this one is especially good.”
Woods felt slightly different about the quality of her drink but is nonetheless optimistic about its existence. “I thought it was good, but it was not the best bubble tea I’ve ever had.” Despite this initial reaction, Woods plans to continue supporting the business.
Wong also noted that the extent of the menu does not end at beverages. “In the shop, they have a lot of Asian bakery items,” she said. “Notably, they have Pineapple Buns and Egg Tarts. I got the Pineapple Bun, which is a sweet bread baked with a layer of sweet, sugary crust. When I went on the first day of school, I was hungry and overjoyed to see that my childhood after-school snack was right before my eyes.”
Pearl Dynastea is located in a spacious, high ceiling room with a second floor featuring tables and chairs. Their bottom floor has a comfortable seating area as well. The manager said they chose this particular location because after looking around, “we found a random spot to start renting. All of the neighbors and people coming in have been very nice.”
As a startup business, making these connections with customers is essential. She noted that they have seen a lot of high school and college students, likely from Fieldston and Manhattan College, as well as some younger students, potentially from Fieldston Middle and Lower. With so many eager to taste bubble tea after a long day, lines can be out the door during the after-school rush.
Pictured: Taro Milk Tea with Boba
The Fieldston community is looking forward to a future of delicious bubble tea and more from Pearl Dynastea as we return into a year of in-person learning and off-campus experiences!
