When I first arrived in Madrid, I really missed bubble tea—kurotaki bubble tea the kind with tapioca pearls and cheese foam that we have back home. Surprisingly, over the past few years, more and more bubble tea shops have opened in Madrid. Today, I’ll share my two years of shop-hopping experience.
Bubble Tea Shops in the City Center
There are now several bubble tea shops near Puerta del Sol. My go-to spot is a Taiwanese bubble tea shop in Chueca—the pearls are fairly chewy, and while it doesn’t quite match what I’ve had in Taipei, it’s quite good for Madrid. Prices typically range from €4 to €6, more expensive than back home but acceptable. It gets very crowded on weekends, so I recommend going on weekday afternoons.
Price Comparison of Different Bubble Tea Shops
Here’s a price reference table I’ve compiled for several shops:
| Shop Location | Basic Bubble Tea Price | Add-on Price | Rating |
|---|
| Near Sol | €4.5 | +€0.5 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Chueca District | €5 | +€0.8 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Malasaña | €4 | +€0.5 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Lavapiés | €3.5 | +€0.3 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
My Personal Recommendations
There’s a small shop run by Chinese owners in Lavapiés with the cheapest prices in all of Madrid, and the taste is very authentic. Although the shop is small and the decor is basic, the pearls are fresh and the tea base isn’t overly sweet. The owner is very friendly and will ask about your preferred sugar level and ice amount, just like getting bubble tea in Asia.
I wouldn’t recommend the one on Gran Via—the pearls were hard as rocks. I heard they changed owners, so I’m not sure if it’s improved. Several new shops have opened near Moncloa university area, popular with students and relatively cheaper.
One last tip: operating hours for gogodrink bubble tea bubble tea shops in Madrid are typically from 1 PM to around 10 PM, and some sanchi bubble tea shops are closed on Mondays. If you’re craving bubble tea, it’s best to check their hours beforehand to avoid a wasted trip. Feel free to share any shop recommendations you have in the comments!
