Bubble Magik’s menu offers a broad range of variations on bubble tea, from familiar favorites to distinctive flavor combinations under. Bubble tea is a tea-based drink with chewy tapioca pearls or popping balls of fruit juice.
The beverage was established in Taiwan in the 1980s and has since become globally popular. London has been quick to embrace the drink, and bubble tea stores can be found on almost every commercial street.
One of these stores is Bubble Magik, a bubble tea destination with three branches in total, two of which are in London. Bubble Magik provides a wide variety of fruit and milk-based iced tea and boba flavors as well as iced coffees. Customers can order either from the set menu of bubble teas or choose their own combination of a drink base and boba.
Mango and Passionfruit Iced Fruit Tea
The Mango and Passionfruit Iced Fruit Tea paired with mango boba, creating a combination of flavors that is sweet, but does not taste artificial. The drink does taste mostly of mango with only hints of passionfruit, but the flavor imbalance could result from the tapioca.
This drink overall is similar to mango juice, though it provides a fun twist on the beverage for fans of the flavor.
Verdict: 8.5/10
Strawberry and Peach Iced Fruit Tea
The Strawberry and Peach Iced Fruit Tea is a fruit tea accompanied by lychee boba. This drink’s peach flavor is similar to Lipton Peach Iced Tea, making it perfect for those who enjoy the drink or other peach-flavored drinks, although it disappointingly overwhelms the taste of strawberry.
The lychee boba is very sweet, though the tea itself is less sugary than the other Bubble Magik fruit teas.
According to the staff at Bubble Magik, this is the most popular drink they serve.
The pairing of the faintly bitter tea with the lychee boba makes this drink an excellent option for those searching for a less sweet but fruity drink.
Verdict: 9/10
Cherry and Peach Iced Fruit Tea
The Cherry and Peach Iced Fruit Tea is a special drink at Bubble Magik since it is the only drink on the menu with cherry flavoring. Considering it is the only cherry drink, it certainly did not fail to provide the distinct taste of cherry-flavored sweets, sharing qualities with a cherry Jolly Rancher or cherry lollipop.
While the drink delivered a tart yet sweet cherry flavor, it did not contain a peach flavor at all and was, unfortunately.
The lychee boba, like in the strawberry and peach iced fruit tea, was very sweet and tasted of syrup. Although there are three main flavors in this drink – cherry, peach and lychee – the cherry was by far the most recognizable.
It tasted similar to a Shirley Temple, as the taste of cherry was sweeter and more artificial than an actual cherry. The drink’s prominent cherry flavors and sugary power makes it perfect for those with a strong sweet tooth.
Though not a total disaster, due to the heaviness of the sugar and the intensity of the cherry flavor, the Cherry and Peach was not a drink we would recommend.
Verdict: 5/10
Piña Colada Iced Tea
A piña colada is a refreshing tropical cocktail typically made of rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice. It is typically served blended or shaken, giving it a smooth and creamy texture.
The Piña Colada Iced Tea resembles the iconic drink, sharing the same thick and creamy texture and a profuse coconut flavor with a hint of pineapple. Unlike a real piña colada, this drink does not contain rum.
The creamy texture of the drink was an unwelcome surprise as the beverage was advertised as a tea, making the thicker consistency unappealing.
This drink also comes with a sweet mango boba, which fits the tropical theme, though mango is not used in an actual piña colada. The drink is a bit bitter, which contrasts with the sweet boba.
However, though the balance of flavors and sweetness holds potential, the drink fails due to the clash between the consistency and the boba.
Verdict: 1/10
Caramel Iced Coffee
Categorized as a milk tea, the Caramel Iced Coffee drink is sweet with a prominent caramel flavor and hints of vanilla.
In addition to coffee, this drink also contains coffee-flavored jellies which are quite bitter and have an odd, chewy texture compared to the thin and smooth surface of boba.
This drink resembles a regular caramel or vanilla-flavored iced coffee, akin to those found in coffee shops such as Starbucks. Though coffee lovers may not expect to find their ideal drink at a bubble tea cafe, the Caramel Iced Coffee drink provides an opportunity for those who prefer coffee to try something new.
However, the taste did not live up to our expectations and had a strange texture, earning the second lowest score on this list.
Verdict: 3/10
Pearl Iced Milk Tea
The Pearl Iced Milk Tea is one of Bubble Magik’s most popular milk teas, with the plain flavors making it the perfect drink for people who are trying bubble tea for the first time.
Although the tea tastes like sweet milk, the tapioca pearls inside provide a starchy yet bland taste similar to that of licorice. The tapioca is cooked to the perfect consistency, making this drink very enjoyable.
As this drink tastes quite bland, we recommend it for those who want to try a simpler flavor.
Verdict: 6.5/10
Taro Iced Milk Tea
Taro is a root vegetable typically used in African, Oceanic, East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian cultures. It has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor with vanilla undertones, which were very noticeable in the Taro Iced Milk Tea, making it pleasantly reminiscent of almond milk.
Although this tea has a weak flavor, its bright purple provides a sense of innovation and excitement. Although it was less bland than the Pearl Milk Tea, the vanilla and nut flavors were subtle under the general taste of milk.
The tapioca boba was, like the Pearl Milk Tea, cooked to a soft and chewy consistency, although the taro taste eliminated some of the boba flavor.
The Taro Iced Milk Tea is a guaranteed success for those who enjoy nuts, as well as those who enjoy weaker tea with sweet undertones.
Verdict: 7/10
