Tiger Sugar

Open for two and a half years in Orange County, Taiwanese boba shop Tiger Sugar specializes in black sugar drinks, including its namesake coffee and tea drinks with milk, creme brulee mousse, and/or pudding in the cup. The chain’s distinctive black stripes come from a thick black sugar syrup that’s painted on the insides of the cups, with instructions to shake the cup 15 times after receiving (and photographing) it to mix the drink. Black sugar boba can also be found in many Tiger Sugar drinks. Thanks to the hearty combination of creamy and sugary ingredients, every cup of coffee or tea was like drinking a large dessert – delicious, but over the top.

While the location in Rowland Heights had lines out the door well after its opening, and two other locations in Los Angeles remain open, the Irvine store became increasingly unreliable before shutting down for good in early 2024. Many other chains have copied the look and even the ‘tiger sugar’ name of these drinks, though their other ingredients may not match the original versions.