Bring on the bubbles… Mother Pearl, a new healthy vegan bubble tea joint, has just opened in Hong Kong.

All the drinks on Mother Pearl’s menu are made in-house entirely from scratch, with vegan milks, natural sugar alternatives and homemade boba starring superfood ingredients like turmeric, acai and moringa ruling the roost. 

When it comes to all things plant-based in Hong Kong, you know it’s a sign of quality if Peggy Chan, the trailblazing vegan chef-owner behind Grassroots Pantry and Nectar, is involved; as a consultant for Mother Pearl, Peggy helped develop their whole menu, spending hundreds of hours creating, testing and fine-tuning all their recipes. Many of the drinks also feature artisanal teas sourced from Nana Chan’s Teakha – another mark of quality.

The results are delicious, with creative and innovative offerings that stand out amidst the myriad of bubble tea shops already in Hong Kong. Our personal favourite was Pot Of Gold, an anti-inflammatory blend of turmeric, masala chai tea, oat cashew milk, and turmeric and activated charcoal tapioca pearls, topped with coconut foam. Rich without being too heavy, it had all the lovely comforting qualities of a great chai latte, except in refreshing bubble tea form.

Meanwhile, True East, an antioxidant-loaded mix of matcha, black sesame paste, almond milk and moringa tapioca, is a must for matcha maniacs; those looking for something fabulously floral should try Lychee Rose, a dreamy blend of strawberry, lychee, Keemun rose tea, chia seeds, nata de coco and coconut foam. Overall, we loved how everything felt lighter and less sweet than your average bubble tea – these are bubble teas with a real feelgood factor.

It’s not just bubble teas either; there’s also a small menu of TCM-inspired blended teas available either hot or cold, such as Black Ginger Ginseng and Citrus Hawthorn, plus vegan snacks like matcha granola bars, spinach and lentil empanadas, and smoked pepper cheese scones – ideal for a quick grab ‘n’ go option, alongside your takeaway tea (FYI there’s no seating at Mother Pearl).

Mother Pearl is the first concept to launch from eco-conscious lifestyle platform Po House. They’ve also got a sustainable fashion line and beauty brand in the works – and if they’re as good as Mother Pearl, then they’re definitely worth keeping an eye on!

Mother Pearl, 25 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong, +852 3596 5100, motherpearl.world