If you think bubble teas are a thing of the past, then we're happy to say they're not! Gone are the days that boba pearls were the only option as an add-on or common flavors are the only ones available on the menu. The renaissance of these well beloved, flavored teas have evolved over the years, leading the way are some boba purveyors who have set themselves apart by brewing teas fresh when ordered rather than the old way of using flavored syrups or powder. Other alternatives that cater to health-obsessed citizens, including non-dairy drinks, fresh pressed juices, or if you're not in the mood for a drink, rolled ice cream. Intriguing ingredients, such as activated charcoal, are helping these new-breed shops reinvigorate the love for boba teas especially in San Francisco.

Boba Bunni
@bobabunni
Boba Guys
@bobaguys
Redefining what it means to be a boba shop, Boba Guys have done everything right since they first offered their small store in the Mission district. Now with a bigger location in Hayes Valley, the Boba Guys even publish their own lookbook complete with their classic and seasonal drinks! They've even expanded their boba craft to include teas called Tea People for the most discerning tea connoisseurs.

Enjoy some great food, great coffee and some friendly 'Banter' at this cute Greenwich spot by Nick and Josh. Featuring the iconic golden latte is a staple alongside other lattes and tasty bites.

Aptly called the Golden State, the turmeric latte from this vegan staple has freshly pressed turmeric, maple syrup, black pepper extract and is typically made with steamed almond milk. A perfect dose of sunshine for the sunny side in us all!

A modern day apothecary for skin care, edibles and a shopper's dream, cozy inside into a tiny, secret cafe. With proprietary ingredients Chillhouse Powders, Adaptogenic Powders, and other chill ingredients, sip up turmeric alongside ingredients like Ashwaganda, Reishi, Mucuna Puriens, Lavandin, Dandelion Root, Astragalus, Maca, Lion’s Mane, Shalajit, Gingko... and so much more. 

One of our favorite eateries in town, Dr Smood has turmeric in everything from juices, chicken salad, boosters, and as desired, in the Golden Mylk Latte with turmeric, black pepper, raw honey elixir. Also available is a ginger turmeric immunity booster pack for those in love with gold and good health!

Elks? A Canadian favorite! Claire Chan has  a Vancouver, Canada vibe at this cozy coffee shop with cortados, cappuccinos, and all sorts of interesting coffee choices. The  for a fine cup of cortado and single-origin pour-overs. The turmeric latte with black pepper is available iced or golden, perfect for all year round.

You can savor the Yellow cold ninja juice or the turmeric shot on a hot or sweaty day, but our heart lies with the Golden Power apothecary blend tea (also available in bags to go!) - turmeric root, orange peel, ginger, black pepper and cardamom.

Sharing the rich rituals of Australian coffee with New York is this sweet (and salty!) spot with an array of luscious coffees to pick from. From matcha to chai to charcoal and more, the favorite is the golden latte with turmeric and black pepper, with customizable milks aplenty.

A sweet little coffeeshop with farm-to-table, healthy, yummy eats, which doubles up as a plant/flower shop. With a golden milk latte with pink peppercorn, what?! 6 oz. of Dona turmeric concentrate with ginger, pink peppercorn, allspice, and lemongrass, with 6 oz. of milk. Hell yes!

Our favorite laid back spot that takes inspiration from Australia's forward-thinking culinary scene and relaxed beachside lifestyle, A community focused coffee shop with a turmeric chai latte, available iced at some spots!

... because turmeric not only boosts immune health, but is the golden child that is poised to replace pumpkin spice ;). Note that many turmeric lattes add black pepper since this amplifies it's antioxidant properties by up to 2000%. Perfect to float around La La Land.

The Assembly

The Assembly is a specialty coffee shop and community space, their version of the golden latte is their honey turmeric latte and the black pepper honey turmeric latte: a shot of espresso in steamed milk with sweet balancing the spice. Also try their ginger cardamom coffee for spirited goodness.

Cafe Gratitude
@cafegratitude
The “I am golden” takes from the golden history of the latte. Turmeric juice is extracted from the hydraulic juice press, and then wildflower honey and a milk mixture is added, made of almonds, pink Himalayan salt and California dates. Turmeric powder, black pepper essential oil are added, and for caffeine drinkers, there's an optional shot of espresso to shoot the gold out of the mind.

Go Get Em Tiger
@ggetla
Known as 'tumi', this is a rockstar seller with vegan almond macadamia nut milk. Raw turmeric, raw ginger and honey are the concentrate, with black pepper and fresh almond macadamia milk steamed and poured on top. The sweet finish to a spicy yellow is the stuff legends are made from.

M Café
@welovemcafe
M Café has what is known as macrobiotic cuisine, which fits well with the health benefits of turmeric. The turmeric refresher is a cold-pressed turmeric and ginger juice, lemon juice, brown rice syrup, mint and water. The turmeric latte is a mix of ground turmeric with ginger juice, cinnamon, brown rice nectar and latte-fied with almond, coconut or soy milk. Spicy, creamy, and diabolically delicious.

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Wanna piz-za me? Cure the cravings with cheeses and tomatoes on pizza alright... but how about fennel, pistachio, vegan, pizza pot pie or Brooklyn inspired? An elevated list that departs from the classics list with wild creativity in the home city of pizza, Chicago. 

@theartofpizza_inc 

Treating it like an art, and Voted Chicago’s #1 Deep Dish Pizza, the whiff of herby, golden brown crust is topped with Wisconsin cheese and tasty tomato sauce. Where it get's quirky is to have it stuffed as a pan pie or in combinations with a variety of meats! 

Ships nationwide, and pronounced bahn-chi. Made by craftsman Gabriele Bonci, this Roman-style pizza al taglio is sold by weight! For those indulging guiltlessly, it is baked in rectangular trays and as an authentic focaccia crust with an array of seasonally changing topping that will make you crave for more. 

A unique dining experience featuring the one of a kind pizza pot pie! Get ready for a pizza performance with these pizza pot pies that are made grounds up in ramekin and baked with the crust on top. When brought table side, the pie is turned upside down and the fillings slide into the bread bowl, which acts as a golden crispy crust. The favorite part is the lava of sauce and melting cheese!

There's eccentric specials and there's fusion foods, but our heart is set on one particular mac and cheese pizza, the original found only here. There's other wheels and games of pies that you can go wild over... in house or takeout! 

Guess what, there is a thing called VPN-certification which is given to places that follow the strict regulations on making Neapolitan pizzas!  Savor the thin crusts with fresh ingredients that pay a tribute to Italy... and don't miss the dessert pizza topped with Nutella and bananas!

Come home homie! The electrifying menu is just too much fun with pizzas named like cocktails, divided into curious sections like The Chickens (with blackened chicken served on Mr Sanchez and The Mercernery) or the Meats (with Alo Hot packing in jalapenos and pineapples)... plus a lot more fun and a neon sign to match.

@nellapizzaepasta 

Nella Grassano serves up some authentic and incredibly tasty Neapolitan pies from a blazing 900-degree. The result is a balanced char and chew, which is topped with a variety of classic and spunky options, like Organica with mushrooms and arugula, Pescatore with calamari, shrimp, mussels and clams, or the Bombe (stuffed) varieties, like Vesuvio, exploding with prosciutto, spicy salami, cheeses, mushrooms, sauce and basil!

Pistachio in pizza? And what about honey? Perry Hendrix has wood burning pizza served with fewer options and super-inventive tastes. Think pizza with pesto or summer squash or pistachios! So Cali, in Chicago!

@pauliegeeslogansquare 

Exported from Brooklyn with Neapolitan-inspired offerings has vegan options and gigantic ice cream sandwiches. But it's their funky flavors that make the day, with options like Hellboy with mozzarella, Mike's Hot honey, Berkshire soppressata piccante, and a host of Italian cheeses and tomatoes. Also popular are the Detroit-style Logan Squares, your densest rectangular cuboids of heaven with a caramelized crust.

Thin-crust pizzas aside, check out these gourmet pies with a delectable char and a host of inventive combinations and high end ingredients. Think pizza with  duck prosciutto, whipped goat cheese and chorizo, dates and brussels sprouts, braised fennel with fennel salami and honey... and so much more!

The comfort food of pizza, Quad Cities-style pie has a crust made with dark-roasted malt for a slight sweetness. Topped with cheeses and spicy sauces, the pizza is then sliced into strips with scissors, making for a homely, unique, and tasty experience. Plus, almost all toppings are topped by melting mozzarella for a delicious finish. 

Burt Katz’s famous pan pies with caramelized crusts are home to Chicagoland's finest pizza. Read about the fascinating history of how Burt and pizza became friends (as he isn't a chef, but you would never guess based on the tasty pizza!).

Made in a literal coalfire of an 800-degree coal-fired oven, the blistery pizza slices are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. With variations of having vodka sauce and lasagne on pizza, the high quality toppings make for a solid takeout, dining out, or after hours chow down.

Serving iconic pizza since 1963. And with good reason, given it's legacy of creating deep dish, thin crust, stuffed crust, and its signature pizzas.

Lou Malnati's 

One of the originals of deep dish, Lou Malnati's is an institution in Chicago's culinary history. Signature Lou pies are filled with mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and garlic on a chunky, steaming buttercrust. Try their original Lincolnwood location for a snippet of history. 

7 decades in the making! The thin crust pizzas can be made chunky for the city with two pieces of dough rolled together! Stuffed with the likes of shrimp, beef or anchovy, this is your midwestern hospitality at it's finest. 

Home of the famous caramelized crust! These pies are loaded with sausage or beef or spinach for those channeling Popeye, and boy is that charred, chewy caramelized crust so, so heavenly!

Perfected over generations! Award-winning New Haven style thin-crust pizza at this hot spot. From house brews to crispy pies, there's a lot to choose from to dine in/out or takeout! Pick a pizza style (red, white, barbecue, etc.) and start piling on toppings to savor and believe why Chicago is home to the classics of pizza. 

An all day wood-fired bagel-and-pizza spot serves up a casual, low key mood with the most tasty pies. On some nights, they are 2 for $22! Try the classic combinations or the ones topped with mozzarella holding it all together. 

@spaccanapolichicago

La vera pizza, the tradition continues with authentic Neapolitan pizza in Chicago. Thin crust pies pay an homage to Italy with a dash of olive oil and fresh quality Italian sausages or prosciutto... and of course, arugula. 

90+ years of thin crust pizza and Italian dining is a sure winner! Some of the best extra thin crust pies are topped with cheeses, meats, and seafoods, and served in a cute spot with neon signs with a pint of Old Style to transport you back in time to classic hospitality.