The Best Boba in San Mateo
Downtown 3rd Avenue is basically a boba row. Here is where to get your milk tea.
San Mateo's boba scene is concentrated, one downtown block of 3rd Avenue alone has a handful of shops, plus a couple of spots out toward Los Prados and Mariners Island. Here they are, by location.
San Mateo's boba shops, hand-picked by a local. Nobody pays to be on it.
Downtown 3rd Avenue boba row
Teaspoon
Milk teas and fruit teas, a dependable downtown boba go-to on 3rd Avenue.
Sweet Moment
Asian desserts and boba on 3rd Avenue, from taiyaki to milk tea.
Tiger Tea & Juice
Fresh tea and juice on 3rd Avenue, from fruit teas to boba.
Beyond downtown
Mr. Green Bubble
Taiwanese bubble tea and smoothies in the Los Prados center on South Norfolk. A local tip: the Purple Cloud Tea Latte is a good order.
Inshou Cafe
A Hong Kong-style cafe on the Los Prados corner with milk tea, rice plates, and comfort food.
Little Late Bird
Boba, coffee, and all-day brunch over by Bridgepointe on Mariners Island Boulevard.
Frequently asked
What is the best boba in San Mateo?
Local favorites include Teaspoon, Sweet Moment, Tiger Tea & Juice. Browse the full guide above. Nobody pays to be on it.
How many boba shops does San Mateo Local recommend?
3, all added by hand and refreshed regularly.
Is San Mateo Local a paid directory?
No. Nobody pays to be listed here, and nothing was scraped or bought. A business can sponsor a guide, and if one does, it is clearly marked as a sponsor.
Curated by a born-and-raised local, with no paid placement. Locations are by address, not guesswork. Know a spot we missed? Tell us here.