When Jessica Roman, co-owner of Boba Lounge, discovered bubble tea on a trip to California, she encouraged her high school friend Savon Bou to pursue her love of the drink. This past September, the duo, in hopes of creating a place where friends could gather over their shared love of bubble tea, opened Boba Lounge in Downtown Milford. 

Bou moved to Milford in 2018 from California, where she lived as a young child. With the help of Roman, she made the official decision to open a bubble tea cafe. 

“Without her support, Boba Lounge wouldn’t exist. We’ve known each other for 17 years and have always believed in teamwork – lifting each other up when times are tough,” Bou states.

Located at 16 Daniel Street, Boba Lounge offers “something for everyone,” say Connecticut residents Michael and Tina Pecor.  The menu includes various flavors of bubble tea, a tea based drink with chewy tapioca pearls called boba mixed in, as well as hot and iced drinks, and slushes. 

Bou recommends the Thai Milk Tea and Mango Milk Tea, which are her and Roman’s favorite beverages. She states that she hopes to add new menu items in the future, including mochi donuts and horchata. Boba Lounge is open all days except for Tuesday, offering treats from 11:00 to 5:00 on Sunday and 11:00 to 7:00 all other days.

“It’s probably one of the best boba shops I’ve been to,” says first-time Boba Lounge visitor Jillian Vitrano, echoing the sentiment of many Boba Lounge patrons. The warm atmosphere and colorful walls of the Boba Lounge make it a great place to relax with friends. Customers say they love the ambiance of the shop, as well as the variety the menu offers. Many customers enjoy items such as the Brown Sugar Milk Tea, Strawberry Matcha Milk Tea, and Strawberry Lemonade with popping pearls. 

Boba Lounge has one thing no other Milford business has: Cambodian shaved ice. Bou says her Cambodian grandmother introduced her to the dessert, and when she noticed no stores in Milford sold it, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Now she shares a variety of flavors of shaved ice with customers. Topped with sweet syrup, ice cream, lychee jellies, and red beans, it is a unique and well-loved menu item.

 “I enjoyed every sip,” Milford visitor Sienna Scarpelli happily states.

For Bou and Roman, opening Boba Lounge was a way to share a piece of California and Cambodia with their Connecticut neighbors, creating a space where everyone can feel at home.