Gong cha serves bubble tea from Shop EG13, Southgate Shopping Centre on Great South Road in Takanini, Papakura, and holds a 4.3 Google rating. It's part of the Taiwan-founded chain that has been brewing in New Zealand since 2015, with 18 Auckland shops among its 30 nationwide.
A good bubble tea starts with freshly brewed tea rather than syrup, and most shops let you set your own sweetness level — first-timers should order half or less. Tapioca pearls are the classic topping: chewy, gently sweet and at their best when fresh from the pot. Milk teas suit the creamy end of the scale, while fruit teas let the tea itself shine. Foam-topped drinks are meant to be sipped straight from the cup without a straw, so you taste the milky layer and the tea beneath it separately.
Handy for shoppers at Southgate or anyone passing along Great South Road, this is an easy stop for a properly made cup.