Ding Tea

Bubble tea originated in Taiwan and is a tea-based drink often mixed with milk or juice and chewy tapioca pearls mixed in. Ding Tea is the newest installation of this popular drink in Lawrence. On Mass Street, Ding Tea offers a wide array of bubble tea. The traditional approach with black milk tea is done very well. When you order, they let you choose your sweetness level and customize your drink with toppings. Along with the traditional flavors, they also offer a Yakult based drink, which is a Korean yogurt beverage. The traditional color of the tapioca pearls is black, but Ding Tea offers a unique “golden boba,” which has a honey-like taste. The interior is welcoming, and everyone working there is kind and helpful. 

With this new addition of bubble tea in Lawrence, one question must be asked: how does Ding Tea compare to the existing bubble tea locations? To be honest, they are very similar. Hi Tea and House of Cha have both been in Lawrence for a long time, and Ding Tea tastes similar to both of them. They do some things to differentiate themselves, but if you had to decide on which one to go to for a sweet treat, any of them would do. With Hi Tea and House of Cha already finding success, Ding Tea will probably also stay around. 

Overall, Ding Tea provides a solid menu full of drinks from milk tea to fruit tea. They also have some unique takes on bubble tea with their Yakult drinks and golden boba. With similar bubble tea spots in town and the lack of much difference between them, however, Ding Tea is doesn’t stand out from the crowd.