With nearly 30 locations in the greater New York area, Vivi Bubble Tea has established a presence in the Big Apple.
Now, the franchise known for its large variety of bubble teas, milk teas, fruit teas and more is taking on the Red Stick, opening its first Louisiana location in Baton Rouge, 225 Dine reports in its latest e-newsletter.
Nestled in the same shopping center at the corner of Florida and Sherwood Forest boulevards as the Asian Supermarket, this Taiwanese bubble tea shop’s exterior is nothing out of the ordinary.
But when you get inside, the walls of the shop’s interior are painted off-white and pastel pink with images of Vivi’s icons—animated skeletons wearing crowns—a staple of Vivi locations throughout the country. A few booths line the wall opposite the counter.
While normal pricing began Monday, the rush doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon, says owner Jack Chen.
It’s thanks in part to one non-tea item: popcorn chicken. The dark meat of the chicken is lined in a soft batter and seasoned with one of five options: pepper salt, spicy, garlic, curry or basil. Other eats on the menu include barbecue sausage, fries and fried octopus.
As for the teas, those who aren’t familiar with boba tea might want to order the 3Q Milk Tea, the shop’s most popular. It’s a milk tea complete with tapioca, pudding and herb jelly.
Chen says they hope to open a location in New Orleans in the future and eventually establish a footprint in all 50 states. Vivi Bubble Tea is at 11230 Florida Blvd.
See the full Best of 225 This Week e-newsletter for more on local food and local events on tap for this weekend, and be sure to sign up for the free weekly e-newsletter to stay up to date on local happenings.
