Oakland’s bustling Fifth Avenue has welcomed a new addition to its dining scene: TAPILAB, a bubble tea café offering a unique twist on traditional boba drinks. The new shop, which opened in late December 2024 with a soft launch, has taken over the space formerly occupied by Gussy’s Bagels & Pizzeria. Officially celebrating its grand opening this week, TAPILAB enters a competitive market with over a dozen other bubble tea spots in the area, including Fuku Tea and Tsaocaa.
Owned by Aaron Chen, who has spent 30 years in the restaurant business, TAPILAB represents the culmination of his lifelong dream of owning a bubble tea shop. Chen, who first envisioned opening a boba shop during high school when bubble tea was scarce, has now brought his vision to life in Oakland.
The name TAPILAB highlights the shop’s signature handmade tapioca pearls. Unlike most bubble tea shops, TAPILAB makes its tapioca pearls in-store using a caramelization process involving water, tapioca starch, and brown sugar. “The more you chew, the more brown sugar flavor comes out,” says Chen, setting TAPILAB apart from its competitors, whose tapioca pearls often lack this depth of flavor.
Despite Oakland’s saturated bubble tea market, TAPILAB’s homemade approach and distinct flavors have drawn attention. Julie McGaughey, a team member at Fuku Tea, notes that the bubble tea industry remains robust due to its low cost and the fact that many consumers prefer to buy boba instead of making it at home. “It’s really hard for people to make boba at home, so they’ll seek it out,” McGaughey explains.
Bubble tea also serves as a social experience, making it popular among college students in Oakland. Kasey Hawk, a first-year biology major, mentions that boba provides a fun alternative to traditional coffee drinks like those at Starbucks. “It’s pretty popular with the younger generation,” Hawk adds, noting that college areas like Oakland are prime spots for new boba shops.
For some customers like Sydney Haydu, a junior law major, the appeal of bubble tea lies in the unique combination of drink and snack. “I’m a big fan of mango milk tea, and Fuku has the best one,” she shares, highlighting the personal preferences that make each bubble tea shop a local favorite.
Though TAPILAB has already found its niche with homemade drinks, Chen is keen on adapting the menu to local tastes. “I’ve learned from our soft launch what people like,” he says, explaining that the shop now offers drinks without toppings for those who prefer not to chew while drinking. TAPILAB’s grand opening aims to encourage people to try bubble tea, even if they are hesitant about the chewy pearls.
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