Bringing something new to Windsor’s bubble tea scene, Paeonia is the first bubble tea shop in the UK to make bubble tea by a Taiwanese Teapresso Machine.

The latest venture from acclaimed foodie Anh Pham, who has spent the past decade working in the UK’s hospitality industry, Paeonia serves a vast selection of bubble tea; ranging from Speciality Milk Tea (Taro Milk Tea, Coconut Milk Tea, Thai Milk Tea) to Classic Milk Tea (Pearl Signature Milk Tea, Signature Milk Tea, Jasmine Milk Tea), along with Fruit Tea, Ice Tea and Fluffy Milk Tea. We chatted to Anh about her love of bubble tea, the reaction to Paeonia so far and plans for the future: 

Congratulations on the opening of Paeonia in Windsor – how’s the response been so far? 

Really well, thank you! It has been a huge success from the first day we opened our doors to the public. We had queues out of the door on launch day, and we have regulars who now visit every single day for their bubble tea. We are overwhelmed by the support from both visitors and the residents of Windsor; they have given us such a warm welcome and we are so pleased that they love our teas. Paeonia is really popular with Instagrammers and customers are posting beautiful pictures every day, which we are really grateful for.

What made you decide on Windsor for your first launch?

Windsor is a fabulous and historic town, steeped in history. When I first visited Windsor in 2015, I instantly fell in love with it. Being leafy, green, picturesque – it was everything I had envisioned for my first launch. I love the town, the people and all the history surrounding it. It was the perfect choice for our debut opening. It’s also home to the Queen, maybe the Queen will pop by for a bubble tea one day!

Could you tell me more about what makes your Bubble Tea so tasty?

We have imported a very brilliant machine called the ‘Teaspresso’ from Taiwan which means every bubble tea is freshly brewed, made to order, and never stewed, ensuring better flavour, freshness and taste. The process features a multi-section infusion stage, allowing the tea to brew to an optimum temperature, before the tapioca balls – or popping balls and other toppings – are added.

We freshly cook tapioca pearls boba in small-batches, several times a day to ensure freshness. We champion quality ingredients, sourcing the finest tea leaves from tea farms across Asia to ensure the flavours of the tea and cream cheese are present in their purest and freshest form. We only use high-grade ingredients procured from Taiwan as well as dairy from local producers, and plenty of plant-based milk options. We have a huge variation of drinks and combinations to choose from.

 There is certainly an increase in popularity for Bubble Tea in the UK – why is your Bubble Tea different from the other shops?

As the first Premium bubble tea in the UK, what makes Paeonia different is that all of our tea is made using a fabulous, Teapresso Machine. We brew hundreds of cups of tea every day and I taste each and every batch myself. If it’s not good enough, I reject it and we start again. I want everything to be perfect, so our customers only taste the very best. I want Paeonia customers to only have the very best and to leave the shop having loved their experience with us!

We use fresh organic milk in our drinks, and we are also very proud to be one of the most vegan friendly bubble tea brands, with 95% of our menu being vegan friendly or able to be made vegan. We offer Organic Soya, Organic Almond and Oatly as our non-dairy options.

What is your most popular flavour?

The most popular and our signature drink is fluffy crème brulêe with tapioca pearls and coffee cubes.

 Do you have plans to come to London soon?

Absolutely – we are currently under negotiations for the second site in West London. Watch this space!

Are you popular with all generations?

Yes! We actually have a great following in Windsor with the elder generation which is great. There is certainly a lot of interest in the Bubble Teas and the story behind them. A family including grandparents, parents and children and pet could be our customers. We are also a pet-friendly tea room.

For further information on Paeonia, see here

Unit 46, Royal Station, Jubilee Arch, Windsor SL4 1PJ