It’s a well-known fact that Cape Bretoners love their tea - hot, strong, and boiled on the stove all day long. 

But bubble tea is a different type of brew. It is a tea-based, dessert drink that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, and quickly spread throughout the world.

Bubble tea is usually served cold, sweet, and with lots of bobas - small, tapioca or jelly balls (i.e. the bubbles) that sit on the bottom of the cup and are slurped up through large straws. Although bubble tea is commonly found in most Canadian urban centres, it is still fairly new to Cape Breton. 

Local entrepreneur Megan MacKenzie first encountered bubble tea in Japan about 10 years ago. She makes many different flavours of bubble tea in her shop, The Brew and Bubble, located in downtown Sydney.

“It can be a challenge introducing a new product into a market,” said Megan. “So to bring in customers, I also offer high-quality black teas and pour-over coffee, along with fresh-baked snacks. And once they are in the shop, I have an opportunity to educate them about bubble tea.” 

Megan also creates new recipes for bubble tea, one of which is the decadent S’mores Cupcake Bubble Tea which contains chocolate and vanilla marshmallow tea, with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and graham cracker crumbs, all topped with a s’mores cupcake. And of course, bobas!

S'mores Cupcake Bubble Tea

The Brew and Bubble also imports and sells loose-leaf teas, including Megan's original blend - Cape Breton Breakfast tea.

For more information and hours of operation, check out The Brew and Bubble's Facebook page below. 

The Brew and Bubble Tea Shop

76 Townsend Street, Sydney, NS B1P 5C8

T: (902) 500-0526