Boba Quest: Xing Fu Tang

As part of Boba Quest 2025 🧋, I'm trying and reviewing a new boba shop each week.

Flushing is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Queens because of how diverse and lively it is. Originally founded by the Dutch in the 1600s, today it's an incredible melting pot, primarily populated by Asian immigrants.

My coworker David Huerta originally recommended Xing Fu Tang to me at least two years ago. I went last year, loved it, and knew I had to review it for Boba Quest.

It's right down the street from the end of the 7 train and right next to the Flushing–Main Street LIRR station.

Even before you walk in, you get the sense you're in for a treat. They keep a giant pot of fresh boba on display and you can see employees scooping it up into cups.

Their speciality is brown sugar boba milk (not tea). So that's exactly what my girlfriend, Kajol, and I got — with light ice and regular sugar.

My review:

• Boba: 4/4 the boba looked fresh and it tasted fresh too. It was as close to perfect as I think you can get.
• Tea: 4/4 it was everything I wanted out of a brown sugar boba milk. Excellent sweetness and they make it special by caramelizing a little bit of the brown sugar so you even have a bit of crunch texture.
• Bonus: 1/1 it's a pretty small store, there's barely enough room for the line. But that ends up making the atmosphere even nicer, because you can tell everyone else is really there for the boba. Also if it's a nice day, you can sit across the street on the steps of the library.

Total: 9/10. Congrats to Xing Fu Tang for earning the second complete score (after Débutea last month). I'm already looking forward to coming back and seeing if they can replicate the same experience to earn the tenth and final point.

Kajol's review:

• Boba: 3/4 - It had a good flavor; it started out with a "melt in your mouth consistency" and then eventually got slightly chewier. I liked it better once it was chewier.
• Tea: 2/4 - it was just milk so there was no tea flavor, but I would've liked the tea flavor! The caramelized bit on the top was wonderful, as it added some great texture.
• Bonus: 1/1 - the ambiance was nice, the menu was clear, and there was a small area in the back where people can pick up a stick and then pick out a fortune based on the number on the stick.

Total: 6/10. Kajol said she would definitely want to go back to try the boba milk tea version of the drink.

Interestingly this is the first time Kajol and I have had our reviews diverge by more than a point. Of course, I think I'm right, but we'll have the opportunity to try it again in the near future.

For our next visit I think I'll be obligated to try Xing Fu Tang's more extravagant option: the gold foil boba milk. Yes, they really put gold leaf on top, and certainly charge you for it!

Shoutout to David for originally recommending Xing Fu Tang to me; if anyone else has tips, please let me know.