BOPOMOFO Cafe: Nostalgic Chinese-Taiwanese-American Flavors and Innovation in Southern California

Your TL;DR Guide to Cafes Worth Visiting in Southern California

TL;DR: BOPOMOFO Cafe is a Southern California boba cafe specializing in Chinese, Taiwanese, and American-fusion cuisine. With three locations in Southern California, BOPOMOFO Cafe could be an easy stop to add onto your travel plans. Prices typically range from $5.25 to $7.25 for drinks and up to $18 for food.

When traveling, I like to stop by local cafes or eateries unique to that region. And in Southern California, which could be considered the U.S.’s pop-culture and entertainment capitol, BOPOMOFO Cafe is the perfect place to visit.

For early Youtube-enthusiasts, the team members at Wong Fu Productions are essentially legends. Started by Wesley Chan, Ted Fu, and Philip Wang, Wong Fu Productions has become synonymous with excellent cinematography on the smaller screens of laptops and cell phones. So when Phillip Wang announced he and Eric Wang would be launching a cafe together, it certainly piqued my interest. And, since it’s debut in 2019, the cafe has now launched its third location on June 19th, 2024.

If you’re looking for a little bubble tea in between your visits to Disneyland, the beach, and Hollywood, read on for more information on BOPOMOFO Cafe!

The Story Behind BOPOMOFO Cafe

The name BOPOMOFO comes from 注音符號 or zhuyin, which is essentially equivalent to the ABC’s of the Chinese-writing system. Created by Phillip Wang (of Wong Fu Productions) and Eric Wang, BOPOMOFO Cafe is aimed at reflecting their experience growing up as Asian-Americans in Southern California.

Phillip Wang is an immensely talented and successful YouTuber who first came to notoriety through his channel, Wong Fu Productions. After growing the business over on Youtube, Phillip and Eric launched BOPOMOFO Cafe in 2019 in San Gabriel. A few years later, they now have a second location in Artesia with a third in San Diego. Head on over to the channel here and learn more about BOPOMOFO Cafe – directly from one of the founders himself.

Many of the ingredients reflect their asian-american roots, with flavors and recipes reminiscent of Taiwan. Today, the menu balances nostalgia and innovation, with additions like mapo tater tots and Lu Rou Rice.

Back to top

The Logistics

At a Glance

Address: 11632 South St Suite 105, Artesia, CA 90701
Hours: 11AM – Varies (see website for more details)

Address: 841 W. Las Tunas Drive
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Hours: 11AM – Varies (see website for more details)

Address: 7951 Othello Ave
San Diego, CA 92111
Hours: 11AM – Varies (see website for more details)

Visiting BOPOMOFO Cafe is fairly straightforward. With three locations located near three main coastal So-Cal counties, there should be a BOPOMOFO cafe within a California-close distance to you.

For San Diego, the San Diego option is, of course, your best bet. Plus, this is located in the Convoy/Kearny-Mesa neighborhood which houses some of San Diego’s best East-Asian eateries.
For Orange County, you are closest to the Artesia location, which is actually located on the Los Angeles side of the LA/OC border. This location is also close to so many great shopping/dining options, including a few filipino cafes and bakeries (more about this coming to the blog soon!)
For LA, the Artesia or San Gabriel location could work, depending on where in the county you’re located.

There is somewhat limited seating indoors, so you may need to find outdoor seating or take your items to go. The ambiance itself is very comfortable – and nostalgic for anyone who grew up visiting similar boba-focused cafes.

What truly stood out to me, though, is the excellent service. The team is incredibly welcoming and friendly – perfect for people who might be newer to the boba scene and need some guidance while still catering to the folks who know exactly what they want.

Back to top

What to Order at BOPOMOFO

Drinks

Price: $5.25-$7.25 (modifications, including add-ons cost extra)
Dairy Alternatives: Oat Milk
Adjustments: Sweetness and Ice adjustments available

I love a good matcha – and BOPOMOFO Cafe delivers. You can definitely tell which cafes actually like matcha and which ones serve it because it’s “trendy” (which they usually overpower the matcha with sweetener). BOPOMOFO’s puts that matcha flavor on full display and – since you can control the sweetness level – it is delicious!

There are several other variations of the classic matcha latte, including a carrot-matcha latte that gets rave reviews. The brown sugar pudding milk tea is also amazing. For citrus-enthusiasts I recommend checking out the Orange Wang! or BOG.

Lastly, be sure to check out the seasonal menu. Right now, they are serving a blueberry cooler and lychee berry bliss – both of which will help keep the heat away.

Food

Price: $6-$12 (Shareables); $14-$18 (sandwiches, etc)

Spicy popcorn chicken + milk tea make the perfect, nostalgic combination, in my opinion. However, if you’re not into eating meat, there is a vegan version that people love.

For a more filling option, check out the fried chicken sandwich or the egg salad sandwich.

On the seasonal menu, there is a Taiwanese sausage corn dog which is the perfect street-food addition to your drink.

Back to top

Whether you call it bubble tea or boba tea, BOPOMOFO Cafe does it well. On your next visit to Southern California, consider stopping by BOPOMOFO Cafe for a little bit of sugar boost on the way to your next adventure!