Cha Community: Bubble Tea, Taiwanese Eats, Great Vibes
Cha Community wasn’t really on my radar in the Waco coffee shop scene until recently, and I’m so glad I finally stopped in. If you’re a big tapioca Boba tea person, you’ve no doubt already been here multiple times. But as someone who doesn’t drink a lot of bubble tea, I ignored this place until someone adamantly told me it’s one of the best little lunch and coffee shop spaces in ALL of Waco. And it really is!
Cha Community: Born Out Of A Desire For Connection
Like many small businesses in Waco, Cha Community was born out of a desire to create community and connection. The two owners, who have Taiwanese and Chinese backgrounds, wanted to create an inclusive space to represent their cultural backgrounds and the greater Asian American community in central Texas. And they wanted to serve outstanding Vietnamese and Chinese food and Boba tea in Waco, too.
So it started as a Boba tea pop-up at the Waco Farmers Market back in 2017, and then quickly grew to a storefront in downtown Waco. (There are also a few other pop-up locations around Austin, and a storefront in Temple TX.)
Fast-Casual Vietnamese + Boba Tea
The menu at Cha Community is small, but it’s DELICIOUS. This is an excellent place to get a quick solo lunch or a to-go meal when you need something hearty, delicious, and quick.
They have a variety of steamed buns, dumplings, and curry over rice. The menu is a mix of the owners Chinese and Taiwanese heritages, plus it’s served in central Texas so it has a bit of that mixed in as well.
I ordered the Chinese BBQ pork over rice, which comes with two sides (I picked kimchi and cucumber salad.) Holy flavor deliciousness! The pork was a bit sweet and savory and the rice was all kinds of fluffy and wonderful, and they both tasted amazing with that sour kimchi and sweet cucumber salad. I was kind of shocked that there’s a lunch gem like this just sitting in the middle of downtown Waco, and I didn’t know about it!
Boba Tea at Cha Community
If you’re not familiar with boba tea (or bubble milk tea), it’s a Taiwanese drink that originated in the 1980s and was introduced to the United States in the 1990s. It’s a sweet, milky tea (usually black or green tea, but other types can be used) served with tapioca pearls in the base. You drink it through a thick straw that’s able to slurp up the chewy tapioca bubbles in addition to the sweet tea. It’s insanely popular these days and there are bubble tea shops all over the place.
Cha Community serves traditional Boba tea in creating “Waco” names like the Waco Cha (black tea with sweetener and cream) and the Waco (black coconut tea with house sweetener and oat milk).
Every tea on the menu can be customized to your own sweetness preferences, which I personally love as someone who doesn’t want my drink to be too sweet.
There are lots of other bright, vibrant drinks on the menu too, like the rainbow-hued caffeine-free Galaxy Lemonade or the fun Strawberries and Cream drink.
Cha Community Is An Awesome Coffee Shop Space
There are a handful of coffee shops in Waco that are great for studying, and Cha Community is on that list. They have a really welcoming ambiance with friendly folks who work there. There’s fast and free Wifi for those who want to get a Vietnamese coffee or an earl grey latte and work for a few hours. And there are plenty of tables, both large and small so you can hunker down with your laptop for some solo studying or meet up with a study group.
And have I mentioned that the food is so good here? Easily one of the top places to get lunch in Waco.
WEBSITE | 1001 Franklin Avenue Waco, Texas 76701
So whether you’re just looking for a Boba tea shop in Waco or you want a really cool coffee shop for studying, or maybe you need an amazing place to grab a quick lunch in downtown Waco, Cha Community is an absolute hidden treasure in this central Texas city. I’m obsessed with it and I hope you check it out, too.
About me: I’m Kelsey, a bestselling travel book author and the creator of 3 Texas travel websites. As a native Texan, I spend my own time and money exploring this state to help millions of readers find the best food, things to do, places to stay in Austin and beyond. Check out my other sites: TheSanAntonioThings.com and TheAustinThings.com!
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