By: Rut Labrada, staff writer

As we approach the summer season, the sun’s rays continue to shine down on us more and more, and I’m sure we’ve all felt the sticky discomfort of sweat attacking us at every second, leaving us craving a refreshing drink. 

These days, I’ve turned to drinking boba a lot more often — there’s fruity options, milky options, and a variety of boba pearls for everyone to enjoy. 

With this in mind, I took inspiration from The Spectator’s recent chicken rankings, and I set out to find the best boba places in the City of Valdosta so that everyone can look forward to a fun summer season full of bright and bursting flavors. 

In my search, I judged the three different locations based on flavor, price, and overall experience. 

Here are the results: 

3. The Tea Bar, 1703 Norman Drive

The Tea Bar may not be a conventional location for boba, but it is a good fit for anyone who needs an energy boost, as the restaurant features loaded teas made with energy drinks. All the drinks are also made with collagen, perfect for those looking to stay in shape. 

I found the experience to be a bit lacking at The Tea Bar. The top of the boba cups don’t feature the classic, plastic film that most boba places use, so I did not get the satisfaction of poking my straw through the film into the cup.  

The drink I ordered was a small Golden Hour tea with strawberry popping boba, which was priced at $9. The tea itself was a vibrant red color, appropriately reminiscent of a sunset. 

When I first took a sip, I was immediately overwhelmed by artificial, sugary sweetness, to the point where it almost overwhelmed the fruit flavor entirely.  

This made it a bit hard to finish the drink, but sipping on it was a nice wake-up call for my sleep-deprived body.  

Overall, I rate The Tea Bar 5/10 stars.  

2. Asahi Express, 1211 Baytree Road

Out of all the restaurants in Valdosta that sell boba, Asahi Express has the widest variety, offering over 20 different flavors of milk and fruit teas, as well as plenty of pearl options. 

At the restaurant, I ordered mango flavored tea with mango popping boba, which was priced at about $7.50. 

The cup was a classic boba cup with a plastic film top that had an adorable panda on it, so I almost felt a little guilty to poke my straw through the cup. Nevertheless, I summoned my courage and did it. There were also different variations of the panda on different cups, so it added a bit of whimsy to the boba experience. 

The drink was wonderfully refreshing, and the sweetness was well-balanced, not overwhelming or lacking in sugar. However, what caught my attention was that I could not pick out much of a natural mango flavor. 

It had a good taste, but the flavor tasted a bit like generic artificial fruit flavor, which was a little disappointing, since I expected something fresh and fruity. 

I rate Asahi 7/10 stars. 

1. Saigon Corner, 1707 Norman Drive 

The city’s newest Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Corner, did not have as wide of a variety of options as Asahi Express. It does not stock popping boba pearls, focusing only on crystal and tapioca pearls, as well as a larger selection of various jellies. 

However, Saigon Corner made up for this through the drink’s crisp, fruity taste and the energetic employees who created a pleasant environment for anyone stopping by. 

When I went to the restaurant, I ordered lychee green tea with crystal boba, which was priced at $8.50. 

The tea was a golden orange color, and the film top featured a design of orange and green waves, which worked cohesively to make an aesthetically pleasing cup. 

As I tried the drink, I was greeted by a strong lychee flavor that burst through every sip, as well as small pieces of lychee in the drink, which worked together to transport me to a tropical paradise.  

The drink did leave a very slight bitter aftertaste, which is common in lychee flavored products, but the aftertaste did not stick around for very long, so I could still enjoy the refreshing experience. 

Overall, I rate it 8.5/10 stars. 

For those who are looking for a fruity, refreshing drink to get them through the hot summer months, Saigon Corner is an option worth exploring. While it is not the cheapest option, the price is reasonable for the exquisite taste and pleasant environment.