Atlanta-Area Bubble Tea Shop Opens Truck in Austin

Atlanta-based mini-chain Pearl’s Tea — known for its bubble teas — is opening its first-ever Texas location in Austin this week. Pearl’s Tea ATX Food Trailer will be found at 1311 South First Street in the South Austin Trailer Park & Eatery in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood starting on Saturday, October 23, accompanied by a new baked goods service Sweet Elephant.

Pearl’s menu spans milk teas, cheese foam teas, creamy slushies, and an array of lattes from tea to matcha to taro. There are staple tea flavors (black, oolong, jasmine, hibiscus, Thai) along with fruits (white peach blossom, strawberry oolong, mangos and cream), and sweeter ones (brown sugar boba, salted caramel and cream). Toppings include bobas (classic, matcha crystal, white crystal, and cherry blossom), jellies (grass, lychee, rainbow, coffee), aloe vera, and cream.

Baked goods under Sweet Elephant include cookies, mochi doughnuts (matcha, strawberry-blueberry, Nutella, mango), and macarons.

Pearl’s Austin franchisee Trinity Wang decided to open the truck because she wanted to get out of the corporate world. She opted for a franchise since she has no personal restaurant experience on her own. “I thought franchising is a great alternative,” she says. “I primarily looked for emerging brands and concepts that I love.” She also decided to partner with Hana Chong of baked goods business My Happy Place ATX to operate Sweet Elephant.

This is Pearl Tea’s first Texas location and its first food truck. The company began in 2019 in Suwanee, a city outside of Atlanta, and now there are several Georgia locations along with a forthcoming one set for Pennsylvania.

Pearl Tea ATX and Sweet Elephant’s will operate with limited service for its first day from 1 to 8 p.m. Daily hours to come later.

• Pearl’s Tea [Official]
• Pearl’s Tea ATX Food Trailer [Instagram]
• Sweet Elephant [Instagram]