Looking for a satisfying cold treat that’ll give you that refreshing fix in this summer heat? My favorite spot for an ice cold fix is at VaniTea Cafe, just off the 805 freeway on Telegraph Canyon Road in Chula Vista.
VaniTea has an expansive menu of cold drinks, known as snow bubbles, bubble tea and milk tea (coffee, too!). If you’re unfamiliar with this drink concept, let the following be your crash course guide to snow bubbles, milk tea and boba.
Snow bubbles are frozen and finely blended creamy drinks with milk/almond/soy. Think of a very thin milkshake. The flavors range from common fresh fruit juices to more exotic flavors like taro, green tea Kit-Kat, Ferraro Rocher and lavender. Slushies are similar but don’t contain dairy. Since all the drinks can be modified with a variance of sweetness, the drinks can be adjusted to suit one’s taste.
Milk teas (also known as bubble tea) are teas mixed with milk/almond/soy and served over ice. Hokkaido, three shades of grey and chai are my favorites. Some milk teas are mixed with flavorings like hazelnut or caramel. Regular teas are also served here as well as juices and a variety of coffees. Add boba to any drink if you wish.
Enter boba. What exactly is it? Boba are chewy round marble-sized balls, slightly sweet, that have an addictive texture. They are tapioca pearls, derived from cassava, that are boiled/cooked in sugar water, which adds a fun dimension to these treats.
And speaking of treats, look for the chalkboard near the counter for some special additions to your beverage, like my favorite — adding a cotton candy cloud to the top of any drink.
Besides the fun drinks, there are some fun desserts and additions, too. Grab some macarons, ice cream macarons or a raindrop cake. See you here when the heat strikes!
VaniTea Café is located at 525 Telegraph Canyon Road, Chula Vista.
Business hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call (619) 421-2622 for more information.
Contact Kris Galicia Brown at:
Email: kris@krisgaliciabrown.com
Instagram: @krisgaliciabrown
Twitter: @krisgaliciabrwn
www.krisgaliciabrown.com
