Jacob Avedian reviews first local bubble tea cafe
Lollicup is a Taiwanese bubble tea cafe located on the corner of First and Herndon. The first of its kind in Fresno, this location has been serving the local area for over 15 years. Their mission is to provide high-quality food and beverages made with only the freshest ingredients in a fun and welcoming environment.
Lollicup USA was first founded by Alan Yu and Marvin Ceng in 2000. With their first store location in San Gabriel, CA, the business quickly expanded. By 2006, they had over 60 stores open across the nation. Today, this growth continues as the company’s goals expand.
Now, for those who do not know what Taiwanese bubble tea is, or commonly known as boba, it is a brewed ice tea typically mixed with flavored syrups and served with large tapioca pearls called boba. While this serves as just a basic vessel, your beverage can further be customized with additional toppings and be converted into milk tea or a slush.
When I first stepped into the small but adequately sized store, the atmosphere immediately caught my attention. Bright colors made the room pop, modern decoration caught my eye and a throwback radio station was playing – a nice break from the repetitive and overplayed nature of today’s radio. There was plenty of seating available, even with other customers coming and going and it felt like a welcoming place to hang out. My favorite part, however, was the rack of board games they had available to place as you enjoyed your tea.
The staff were very helpful and inviting. When I was interviewing an employee about the store itself and she did not know the answer, without hesitation she ran a grabbed another employee who knew more about the topic. Both employees were happy to share their favorite boba creations which were a helpful tool in comprehending Lollicup’s expansive menu.
While this was far from the first time I have enjoyed bubble tea, this was my first at Lollicup. Their menu was far larger than I expected and made my decision take quite a long time. Eventually, I settled on the mango milk tea with boba and lychee jellies. Even though my drink was slightly messed up from them forgetting to add the boba, the employee immediately apologized and quickly made the addition.
With all drinks falling between $4-5, bubble tea makes a great substitute for Starbucks and other coffee places. Personally, I look forward to trying one of their boba slushes next. If you are looking for a quick date location or just a refreshing drink, give Lollicup a try.
For more information on Lollicup USA, check out their website or give them a call at (559) 447-8958.
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This author can be reached via email: Jacob Avedian.