Gong Cha Bubble Tea Singapore

August 19, 2010 | 75 Comments

Gong Cha Bubble Tea

Here’s the ultimate question that all bubble tea lovers want to know: is KOI Cafe really the best bubble tea in Singapore, or is Gong Cha Bubble Tea better?

After much persuasion from many of you, I finally made my way down to City Square Mall just for the Gong Cha Bubble Tea.

“Who the hell comes to City Square Mall?” That was the first question on my mind. There are actually quite a few City Square Mall restaurants like Pu Tien, Nanxiang steamed restaurant, Pasta Stylo, Paradise Inn and Sushi Tei.

Since I only tried Koi cafe’s Original pearl milk tea before, it’s only fair to order the same thing from Gong Cha for comparison. I heard that Gong Cha at City Square Mall has very long queues during lunch time. Fortunately, there wasn’t any queue when I was there at 3pm.

To be honest, I couldn’t really taste the difference between Gong Cha and KOI. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but Gong Cha’s black pearls seem to be slightly smaller than KOI bubble tea’s. But if it comes down to the best bubble tea in Singapore, I’d probably choose KOI cafe over Gong Cha Bubble tea.

Gong Cha Bubble Tea Singapore

KOI cafe currently has 7 outlets at Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Chinatown, Clementi, Iluma, Marine Parade, and Toa Payoh, while Gong Cha is catching up with 9 branches at Novena square, City square mall, Plaza Singapura, Vivocity, Raffles City, Orchard Central, Bedok Point & The Central. Even though KOI has long queues, they have a better queuing system which is more systematic.

What do you think? Is KOI, I love Taimei or Gong Cha the best bubble tea in Singapore?

List of Gong Cha Singapore Outlets

// Updated with Gong Cha VivoCity, Gong Cha Plaza Singapura, Gong Cha Raffles City, Gong Cha Orchard Central, Gong Cha Bedok Point, Gong Cha The Central, Gong Cha Bedok Point, Gong Cha Ang Mo Kio, Gong Cha Bishan Junction 8, Gong Cha Scape

Gong Cha City Square Mall
180 Kitchener Road #B2-k3/k4
City Square Mall Singapore
Tel: +65 6509 3803

Gong Cha Novena Square
10 Sinaran Drive #01-172
Novena Square 2 Singapore
Tel: +65 6397 6816

Gong Cha Plaza Singapura
68 Orchard road
#01-k1 Plaza Singapura

Gong Cha VivoCity
1 HarbourFront Walk #01-111
VivoCity Singapore

Gong Cha Raffles City
252 North Bridge Road B1-71
Raffles City Shopping Centre Singapore
(Near Paper Market & That CD Shop)

Gong Cha Orchard Central
181 Orchard Road
#B1-02 Orchard Central

Gong Cha The Central
6 Eu Tong Sen Street #B1-15/16
The Central @ Clarke Quay Singapore

Gong Cha Bedok Point
795 New Upper Changi Road #02-30

Gong Cha Ang Mo Kio
Julibee Entertainment Complex  #01-14
Ang Mo Kio Ave8
Tel:+65 64566476

Gong Cha Bishan Junction 8
9 Bishan Place Junction 8 Shopping Centre
Tel: +65 62599938

Gong Cha Scape
2 Orchard Link #02-39

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Category: # Restaurant Review, * Central Singapore, Dining Guide Singapore, Food Photography, Singapore Food Blog
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Comments

75 Responses to “Gong Cha Bubble Tea Singapore”

  1. vanillasugar
    August 19th, 2010 @ 7:40 am

    never heard of that? please tell whats in there? what are those black thingees at bottom?

  2. jenny
    August 19th, 2010 @ 9:57 am

    seriously.. i dont see gong cha in tw before. unless like koi, they didnt use their original name in sg.
    koi definitely has more variety than gong cha.. :)
    i am still waiting for koi to come out with “yakult green”! love to drink that in tw.

  3. japa
    August 19th, 2010 @ 11:12 am

    hi, u shld try the gong cha milk tea instead of bubble tea…it’s the best!

  4. Chew
    August 19th, 2010 @ 11:26 am

    You left out Eskimo! It’s comparable to Koi but I have not tried Gong Cha so I’m not sure about it.

  5. xiaoxin
    August 19th, 2010 @ 12:16 pm

    KOI!!! :)

  6. stefanie
    August 19th, 2010 @ 1:53 pm

    It will be Koi.
    The people at my office(TYP)orders their bubble tea on a daily basis.

  7. kampungboycitygal
    August 19th, 2010 @ 3:56 pm

    i love gong cha! tried it in mongkok, hk before. koi is nice (love the hazelnut bubble tea) but i love gong cha’s tea with milk foam more. :)

  8. beckybecks
    August 19th, 2010 @ 5:38 pm

    ohs.there is one more
    i love taimei at bugis village there!

    awesome bubble tea and chicken!! even the sides are yummy.

  9. Raine C
    August 19th, 2010 @ 11:48 pm

    Wad “who the hell goes to Citysq!” LOL – It is a nice mall okay, with everything you need.. HAHAHA.. Oh nooo this post so bias!!

    I am Gong Cha supporter! Many outlets not equal good! Should ask Clara here to comment! Hahaha.

    But I agree on the queuing system..

    Nice post!

  10. Raine C
    August 19th, 2010 @ 11:48 pm

    Oh and your new blog pic sooo nice! Makes this blog such a happy place and yummy place!!!

  11. Eileen :)
    August 20th, 2010 @ 12:39 am

    heehe.there is always a long que at Gong cha’s novena outlet..

    their best seller is their milk tea… there is a layer of milk on top and has a salty taste to it. i love the milk. goes well with the tea…

    i kinda reviewed it… http://providence1974.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-love-gong-cha.html

  12. JunieMunie
    August 20th, 2010 @ 1:22 am

    Gong Cha!

    Personally i find KOI alil to sweet even at lower sugar %.

    Try Gong Cha’s Alisan Tea with the frothy milk on top. Tea is very fragrant and milk is an interesting twist. Go with 80% sugar, or 50% if you add pearls. All my colleagues love the white pearls.

    =))

  13. nah
    August 20th, 2010 @ 10:31 am

    KOI is highly overrated, at best, average, definitely not worth the queue

  14. Life for Beginners
    August 20th, 2010 @ 11:28 am

    Hmm, not a big fan of bubble tea but sometimes they can be fun to have, trying to suck the little globes of gooey goodness through the larger-than-normal straws… :D

  15. Matilda
    August 20th, 2010 @ 3:57 pm

    I had Gong Cha in HK . It was one of those long Q bubble tea stall in HK prob due to the publicity in openrice.com. But I didn’t order the milk tea so can’t really make a comparision between Koi and Gong Cha.

  16. Arkar
    August 20th, 2010 @ 4:00 pm

    Gong Cha’s Milk Teas’re the best!!!
    And try the Taro Milk tea. its seriously DAMN awesome (if you like yam xD)

    Go to Novena’s Gong Cha, cause I NEVER have to queue there! but it’s a “hidden find” (which makes you feel quite cool as a foodie to find it) so ask the concierge if you cant find it (it’s outside the exit juz beside the ice cream shop Geladiso :D )

  17. Am
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 12:21 am

    They’re both crap because they don’t offer almond milk! Hehehe…

  18. bonbon~~
    August 24th, 2010 @ 3:10 pm

    Gong Cha (tried both in Taiwan and HK) is simply the best. Prob they do not have the kind of variety they offer in these countries compared to SG coz there is no 4 seasons in sg. But the tea is juz simply fragrant and addictive.

    I frequent Koi too. I feel that the pearl from Koi has not been keeping up to their standard for the recent 1 yr although their tea is not too bad.

    If you really do travel to Taiwan, try the bubble tea ard!! It’s absoulutely nothing compared to what we have in SG.

  19. Nimo
    August 24th, 2010 @ 7:16 pm

    Gong Cha’s Milk Tea is lot better, I Think is the BEST Cold milk tea, oh the black pearls from Gong Cha, Soper, every week i must have once.

  20. J
    August 25th, 2010 @ 12:14 am

    KOI is really overrated. Good at hiring staff though…seemed to have picked young and gd lookers

  21. I
    August 25th, 2010 @ 4:21 pm

    gong cha milk black tea is the best! never tried koi before but nothing rly beats the frothy milk on top of the tea.

  22. witchest
    August 25th, 2010 @ 6:56 pm

    All of you should try “honey Lemon” at ION, B4. the bubble tea there is so much better than Koi! Try it and You will know it;)

  23. orbiter
    August 26th, 2010 @ 8:58 am

    Neither do they offer green bean ice blended!

  24. heenim
    August 26th, 2010 @ 10:22 am

    i tried Gong Cha in HongKong. the Taro milk tea was superb! but compare to here.. the cups there are way bigger. never tried in SG’s though

  25. Melissa Tan
    August 26th, 2010 @ 2:23 pm

    Hello, I actually prefer Eskimo Cafe to Koi! They’ve two types of pearls, Super Bubble and the other smaller one. The super bubble pearls are swollen to perfection and it’s how the real pearl size should be. I feel Koi’s pearls are too small :/ but anyway, the tea there seems to be richer and the 100% sugar level there seems to be bout Koi’s 50 :/

    haha I don’t know!! :D you should totally try Eskimo’s bubble tea, located at Dhoby Ghaut mrt station!!

  26. Hui ching
    August 30th, 2010 @ 6:54 pm

    OMG There’s GONG CHA IN SINGAPORE ALREADY??? I had it in Hongkong and I LOVE IT. Especially their Caramel Milk Tea (????)! Plus, GONG CHA has good proportion of tea : pearl. Whereas for KOI, finishing with lots of ice and lots of pearls left is a :( for me. Definitely gonna go City Square Mall soon! Thanks for the info! :)

  27. Eat and Eat
    August 31st, 2010 @ 7:46 am

    I tried both the Oolong Milk Tea at Koi And GC.

    Koi wins hands down. Pearls more al dente and flavourful than Koi’s. I can actually taste the oolong tea. GCs version was juz milk milk and milk ( the thick frothy milk cream ).

    GC has inconsistent quality. I like their Alisan Milk Tea from City Sq, but the same version tastes bland fr Sq 2

  28. Bbt lover
    September 4th, 2010 @ 6:31 pm

    I work in raffles plc. Kawa at china square is the best. Beats eskimo n koi! Haven tried or heard of gong cha though..

  29. Erick
    September 12th, 2010 @ 3:59 pm

    Koiii for suree :D DD

  30. alvin
    September 12th, 2010 @ 11:21 pm

    Koi is seriously over-rated…i live near ToaPayoh and i always see an horrendous long queue. I have tried once, and i would say for the price its not worth the wait. Gong Cha reminds me of the TaiPei style milk tea (where any simple NS20 milk tea you get is Koi’s standard at the very least).

  31. rahrahrah
    September 28th, 2010 @ 9:41 am

    you should try their white pearls

  32. dodo
    October 4th, 2010 @ 5:26 pm

    i love gong cha! the gongcha milk tea is good.. i always go for gongcha alisan tea. the cream is so goooooood.

    theres gonna be an outlet right outside Plaza Singapura! its gonna replace rocky master (: wheeeeee!!

  33. Tee Ming
    October 8th, 2010 @ 10:28 pm

    I think Gong Cha Ali Shan Milk Tea is quite unique!

  34. amantha yeong
    October 12th, 2010 @ 1:09 am

    eskimo!!

  35. Grace
    October 12th, 2010 @ 1:45 pm

    Try eskimo! Comparable or maybe even nicer than koi imo… the mini bubble green milk tea is nice~~

  36. jennifer
    October 18th, 2010 @ 12:47 am

    Gong Cha’s Black tea with milk is super. Try it with the Brown crystal jelly. It is sweet and QQ. Nicer than the pearls. I’m craving one now!

  37. steph
    October 20th, 2010 @ 5:56 pm

    they shd haf pudding milk tea.. it’s nice and i had tt daily while i was in tw!

  38. jeny
    October 28th, 2010 @ 11:47 am

    Guys.. there is a new 1 called COME BUY @ tpy leh..stetch of shops b4 KOI..the Q slowly forming up oso! OSo frm TW le..nt bad i tried! =D

  39. S
    November 15th, 2010 @ 10:53 pm

    For those who drink Gong Cha Alisan Tea, is the frothy milk supposed to be mixed into the tea and drank together or what? Haha a bit blur here, had it the other time and realised I finished the tea with all the froth still around.

  40. Tomboy
    November 16th, 2010 @ 5:16 pm

    Hey guys/Girls

    One thing you have forgotten the more establish brand which was 11 years ago. Each a cup has been established in Sg 11 years ago. In fact, I’ve tasted their drinks and I find that each a cup is more superior than Koi & Gong Cha. This two brands are new but each a cup has a long history in SG. Try now, in fact each a cup has improved its quality tremendously. Try 1 @ any outlet in SG.

  41. k
    November 19th, 2010 @ 5:21 pm

    Opp bugis OG there also got one bubble tea shop. The milk tea is not bad, you guys can try it out one day

  42. catherine
    November 20th, 2010 @ 5:34 pm

    Another GongCha outlet at Raffles City. Good except queue management was terrible.

  43. ling
    November 24th, 2010 @ 4:33 pm

    It has to be GongCha.

    I was SO excited at my second cup (alishan + snow pearls) that I bit my tongue at the first pearl. And it bled.

    I still feel silly thinking about it lol but yeah, I like it THAT much (:

    50 Gang (i.e. KOI) in TW is like zzzzzzzzz compared to their myriad of bbtea establishments there.

    Just my two cents, heh.

  44. Jolin
    November 25th, 2010 @ 9:37 am

    yeah, talk about biting my tongue on the bubbles! The cup of bubble milk tea i had at gungcha in Square 2 Novena were so hard and so NOT yummy that i nearly did bit on my tongue! And when i went back to tell them about it, the rude girl at the counter told me to show her the bubble thats hard. I mean, com’on, its either in my belly or mixed in my drinks already rite??? Sooooo un-cool! I aint going to take another cup of that yucky stuff again! Better stick to Each-a-cup bubbles, as least they are consistent at being yummy!!

  45. ocence
    November 28th, 2010 @ 2:52 am

    Hey! You can probably try Cup Walker too! I think it’s better than Each-a-cup & Sweet Talk but still not as fantastic as Koi. But definitely no queue. And I love their pudding milk tea! It’s only ard $1.50 or $1.80 (can’t remember) for the size of the large-sized Koi bubble tea. Pasir Ris MRT, Heartland Mall & Suntec has it.

  46. Happy00Foodie
    December 3rd, 2010 @ 9:43 pm

    i dont know about you guys but i am so happy Sharetea is going to be in Spore soon!Saw the picture on Wisma Atria basement, dont know when its opening, should be soon i hope. i had it in taipei when i went there in april and they have amazing menu! spent the week there and i tried as many and of course the crispy fried chicken next door was a complement. they seem to have flavors which koi and e rest do not have, my mum loved their fresh yam drink, my bro crazy about their mango ice blended with ice cream, me i went for just pearl milk tea, its alot more fragrant than the brands in spore. Also tried this fruit tea that was very refreshing, dun know the name, too “chim” but salesgirl said its with fresh passionfruit, orange juice and something else, cant remember, love it…cant wait!

  47. AH
    December 10th, 2010 @ 10:58 am

    Sharetea just opened its first outlet at wisma basement 1 on the 6 Dec 2010 and my fav is Ice Blended Mango with ice cream… go try!

  48. bubble tea lover
    December 11th, 2010 @ 11:04 pm

    I tried ShareTea @ Wisma. There was a bit of queue but I got my drink after waiting for 5mins so it was ok. I just looovveeeee the grass jelly milk tea. It’s a must try!

  49. Angie Applepie
    December 12th, 2010 @ 1:36 am

    I think that it’s different , because of the taste. I feel that Gongcha is more creamy than Koi . But for the pearls , i feel that koi is better. the size is like just nice. Both are good in its own way .For what I heard was that , gongcha’s from hongkong , while koi is from taiwan ! So maybe its one’s perferences that makes the different ! :D

  50. Gogirlbobo
    January 17th, 2011 @ 9:14 pm

    KOI’s pearl standard has dropped. Gongcha tastes better now.

  51. Billy
    January 18th, 2011 @ 6:59 pm

    Hey guys. Gong Cha will be coming to Malaysia. Watch out people!

  52. Pluie
    January 21st, 2011 @ 11:10 am

    Still gonna vote for koi!
    But i’ve tried one more recently, and its pretty decent, its the one at NEX with the pink pearls *-*

  53. bubble tea lover
    January 22nd, 2011 @ 3:06 pm

    cup walker is better

  54. Billy
    January 25th, 2011 @ 2:36 pm

    For me. Gong Cha milk tea has more tea taste, and KOI’s tase milkier. Depends on the preference too.

  55. Tea Lover
    January 26th, 2011 @ 3:31 pm

    Koi in Taiwan is really better in quality. I think it has got to do with the water and the freshness of the tea leaves there. I’ve tried 2 other bubble tea stalls while I’m there too (one from market in taipei and another brand from just 2 shops away from koi in Kaosiong at 12midnight while koi closed at 11.30pm). Koi is simply the best.

    I’ve tried GongCha camelia green tea and it is not bad too. So far, Koi & Gongcha are provbably the two brands that I’ll get the tea from in sg. Most other brands give sour taste in their tea. Try drinking tea without milk at quarter sugar level and you’ll know which is the best.

  56. Ling
    January 27th, 2011 @ 1:13 am

    GongCha is the BEST !
    I’ve tried Koi once . But it somehow taste weird .. :/ Although Koi has much more choices then GongCha , but GongCha is much healthier & nicer . You guys should try the GongCha MilkTea with different tea base . There are 4 tea bases – OoLong , Alisan , Greean Tea & Black tea . It’s great . The Taro Milk & Lemon Juice with AiYu Jelly is super nice too ! :D

    But well , it still depends on one’s preference . To me , it’s not really fair to compare the drinks like that . So , ya .

  57. Billy
    February 8th, 2011 @ 12:21 pm

    Well Koi in Taiwan is called 50 Lan. They are ‘the Starbucks’ of Taiwan. I guess Koi recognize the speicality of Gong Cha signature drink ( House Special) as 50 Lan themseleves have launcehd a similar drink in Taiwan. LOL. But the taste is no way near to Gong Cha’s house special.

  58. Pete
    February 9th, 2011 @ 9:38 pm

    Tried both koi & gongcha in AMK. Not too bad.
    Was there today, come across a new bubble tea shop. Was recomended to a drink (winter melon with hantein/seaweed jelly), its really refreshing & yummy. Like the qq taste of their pearls. End up buying another cup to bring back.
    Bubble tea lovers should try it out.

  59. Billy
    February 11th, 2011 @ 4:12 pm

    Pete: You’re talking about Gong Cha or Koi? Saw from the Gong Cha Singapore facebook, the new outlets in S’pore comments are not that good. THey need some control or start to lose some loyal fans to Koi.
    WOndering is Koi going to Malaysia, since Gong Cha will be opening in KL in April.

  60. Summer
    February 11th, 2011 @ 5:36 pm

    I prefer KOI! Tried Gong Cha once and that’s the last. :)

  61. pete
    February 14th, 2011 @ 5:19 pm

    Hi Billy, its not the Koi outlet. Was there just now to buy another one of the Winter Melon with Hantein. Get a loyalty program card which gives you a free cup of drink of your choice after 10 purchases. The shop name is Cafe Cuppa.

  62. Billy
    February 19th, 2011 @ 11:42 am

    Ohh not sure of Cafe Cuppa. Cause in Malaysia only have Cha Time. heard that Gong Cha and Koi are the main competitors in S’pore with the craqzy queues. Well at least Gong Cha is coming to Malaysi according to their facebook. Cn atry it in KL then

  63. Fion
    March 2nd, 2011 @ 10:57 am

    frankly speaking, or maybe i’m really a bit slow. :X till two months ago, i finally got to know gong cha through my collegues. hahaha. and only until last month where i decided to give it a try to compare the bubble tea. my bf and i also feel that koi is better than gong cha. :X maybe you can give it a try at arttease or wannabe at tanjong pagar. it created long quee too. hahahhaha.

  64. ameliacolfer
    March 18th, 2011 @ 4:01 pm

    I so prefer gong cha over many of the other bubble tea shops:D but I still think Taiwan bubble tea beats all the SG ones hands down…I had a cheap roadside bubble tea and it was already like gong cha standard…

  65. abdul
    April 14th, 2011 @ 3:44 pm

    Heard that it is good.. Does the black bubbles are made of vegetables or gelatin ? Please let me know whether it is halal certified or not..

    Thanks..

  66. Bonbonlicious
    April 26th, 2011 @ 4:49 pm

    Gong Cha of coz! their signature Alisan Tea is fantabulous! frothy milk is tad saltish (like cheese)… blends in well with the tea towards the ending ..

    i always love my alisan tea with white pearl jelly.. chewy but not sticky like normal pearls. must try!!!!

  67. Linna
    May 4th, 2011 @ 6:05 am

    Do try “Bean In A Cup” organic soya tea with pearls!
    Very nice and healthier option for the health conscious. It’s value for money for organic soya tea. Price is comparative to other bubble tea that use cow’s milk.
    There’s 4 outlets:
    Chinatown (Maxwell Food center)
    Bugis (Opposite Guangying temple)
    Toa Payoh (Beside Watsons near the library)
    AMK (AMK Ave 10)

  68. KEI
    May 16th, 2011 @ 9:48 pm

    Just went to gong cha bedok branch. The service was so bad. I ordered two cups of beverage. The person at the counter gave me one cup. Then I stood there for like 8-10 minutes like an idiot before I asked the person where was my other cup of beverage. He then showed bad attitude and just passed me a drink that was ready for quite some time rudely. I’m so not going back to gong cha.

  69. ??
    June 12th, 2011 @ 11:27 pm

    I tried my first cup of gong cha oolong milk tea last week. It tasted really unique. I LOVED IT. I just had to get a second cup on the same day. I went to vivo and the queue was so long. I agree their queuing system could be improved.

    I’ve also been a fan of koi. Their ice cream with milk tea are great. And they have a wider variety of choices compared to gong cha. Plus their cups are bigger. But if you’re talking about comparing tastes, I’d prefer gong cha. Hands down.

    Overall I think these two outlets are special in their own ways and it really depends on ones taste. If I were you, each a cup isn’t a shabby choice as well. The queue ain’t that long and their prices are somewhat cheaper. LOL (:

  70. Josephyn
    July 24th, 2011 @ 7:49 pm

    Vote for GONG CHA :)

  71. Adeline
    July 30th, 2011 @ 11:02 pm

    The Manager and staff of the Gong cha outlet next to Tampines MRT are extremely rude. Don’t believe me go check it out yourself. Geez…

  72. urzrmi
    September 28th, 2011 @ 2:14 pm

    heyyy i love the minimalistic feel of your blog:D very simple yet nice design!

    im quite a bubble lover frankly speaking. HAHA at least everytime if i have a chance getting near to places w gongcha or koi i will most probably wont let the chance goes.

    i love koi and gong cha but my preference goes slightly more towards gongcha, both due to the price and taste! gongcha has a more unique taste w the milk foam covered tea. the tea itself is great as well.

    koi has a very enriching taste (personal feel(: ) and i love drinking it but not so often.

    perhaps it is not fair to compare gongcha’s milk tea w koi cos that is not their house’s special.

    nice post anyway(:

  73. Mary
    October 9th, 2011 @ 11:05 am

    Noooo……!!! -.- Gong chas pearls r bigger n chewier lorh… Your tongue must have something wrong lorh. R u just trying to gain popularity or what…

  74. Martin
    October 28th, 2011 @ 10:31 am

    I heard that Gong Cha is coming to Korea soon, very excited!!!! You can find out more here http://www.facebook.com/gongcha.korea

  75. Susan
    December 7th, 2011 @ 8:13 am

    One more Gong Cha outlet just opened at Suntec City, next to Pasta Mania at Basement 1.

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