Flavor of the Week: Boba, the tapioca gems of drinks

Boba are small pearl-like jellies made from tapioca starch and are sometimes referred to as tapioca pearls.

The chewy balls are most frequently seen in bubble tea — a fun and playful way to upgrade a tea drink that’s common in all varieties of Asian restaurants, as well as a number of standalone bubble tea bars.

Boba may be an acquired taste for some, but more than one in five Americans have tried it, and exposure to these little starch orbs continues to grow.

Market research firm Datassential reports that boba is found on 1.3% of menus, a 73% increase over the past four years.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using boba on its menu.