Best Boba in Manhattan Beach: Bubble Tea Near the Pier, Manhattan Ave, and the South Bay
Manhattan Beach has no dedicated boba shops. The nearest options are Ding Tea in Hawthorne (5 to 10 min north) and Mochinut in Torrance (10 to 15 min inland). Koreatown is 35 to 40 minutes north via the 405 and 110. Every shop below personally visited by Justin Sather, zero sponsorships.
The Honest Guide to Boba Near Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach is one of the most food-conscious cities in Los Angeles County, with about 35,000 residents and a commercial corridor along Manhattan Ave that has some of the best casual dining and coffee in the South Bay. The pier area, the Manhattan Beach Pier, anchors the downtown, and the neighborhood is defined by surf culture, upscale fitness studios, and a food scene that skews toward fresh, health-forward options.
For boba specifically, Manhattan Beach is not the destination. As of 2026, the city has no dedicated boba or bubble tea shop at the quality level worth a special trip. The demographic is boba-friendly in theory, young professionals and families with disposable income who regularly seek out specialty beverages, but the supply has never matched. Coffee culture dominates Manhattan Ave, and the boba format has not broken through the way it has in Koreatown or the San Gabriel Valley.
For boba, Manhattan Beach residents need to drive short distances north or inland. Ding Tea in Hawthorne is 5 to 10 minutes north on Hawthorne Blvd, the nearest dedicated stop. Mochinut in Torrance is 10 to 15 minutes inland and the most distinctive South Bay boba experience available without a Koreatown drive. For the best boba in Los Angeles, the 405 north to the 110 north puts Koreatown within 35 to 40 minutes.
The Best Boba Near Manhattan Beach, Ranked
Every shop personally visited. Ranked by overall quality, value, and accessibility from Manhattan Beach.
Ding Tea
Hawthorne (5 to 10 min north via Hawthorne Blvd)
The nearest dedicated boba shop to the Manhattan Beach pier area, approximately 5 to 10 minutes north on Hawthorne Blvd. Ding Tea is a reliable everyday stop rather than a destination boba experience: consistent tapioca pearls, a broad menu covering milk teas, fruit teas, and slushes, and pricing under $7 for most drinks. The Brown Sugar Milk Tea is the top order, and the Mango Green Tea is the go-to for fruit tea. Not the most elevated boba in the South Bay, but the most convenient dedicated stop for Manhattan Beach residents who want boba without committing to a Torrance or Koreatown run.
Full Review →
It's Boba Time
Gardena, W Redondo Beach Blvd (10 to 15 min north via PCH and Artesia Blvd)
The original Los Angeles boba chain, founded in 1999, with a Gardena location on W Redondo Beach Blvd that is 10 to 15 minutes from Manhattan Beach via Pacific Coast Hwy north to Artesia Blvd east. It's Boba Time is the most practical everyday boba stop in the South Bay corridor for beach city residents. The Thai Milk Tea is the essential order: ask for 75 percent sweet, full ice, with tapioca pearls. Prices run $5 to $7, the most affordable dedicated boba near Manhattan Beach. For residents who want a quick, reliable boba run without committing to a Torrance or Koreatown trip, this is the straightforward answer.
Full Review →Mochinut
Torrance (10 to 15 min inland via Hawthorne Blvd south or Aviation Blvd southeast)
The most distinctive boba destination within reach of Manhattan Beach, 10 to 15 minutes east via Hawthorne Blvd south or Aviation Blvd southeast into Torrance. Mochinut is a Korean-American concept combining mochi donuts, QQ taro balls, and boba in a format that no other South Bay shop replicates. The Brown Sugar Milk Tea paired with an Original Mochi Donut is the essential order. The mochi donuts have a chewier, denser texture than a standard donut, with an exterior that crisps slightly and an interior that stays soft. For Manhattan Beach residents who want a boba outing with something more than a standard chain stop, Mochinut is the correct destination.
Full Review →85 Degrees Bakery
Torrance (10 to 15 min inland, natural Mochinut second stop)
The Taiwanese bakery chain with multiple Torrance area locations, 10 to 15 minutes inland from Manhattan Beach. 85 Degrees is not a dedicated boba shop, but the Sea Salt Coffee and Sea Salt Matcha Latte are unique beverages that fit the same specialty drink category. The Sea Salt Coffee, a cold coffee drink with a thin savory foam, is the chain's global signature and something most Manhattan Beach coffee shops cannot replicate. Combined with Mochinut in Torrance on the same trip, 85 Degrees makes for the best boba outing available from Manhattan Beach without driving to Koreatown. The Taro Bun is the essential bread order.
Full Review →
Tiger Sugar
Koreatown (35 to 40 min north via 405 to 110)
The best brown sugar boba in Los Angeles and worth the 35 to 40 minute drive north from Manhattan Beach when the occasion calls for it. Tiger Sugar uses Okinawa black sugar rather than caramel syrup, cooks pearls fresh in small batches every four hours, and makes the cream mousse in-house. These decisions produce a drink with no equivalent in the South Bay or anywhere on the Westside. From Manhattan Beach, take the 405 north to the 110 north, then exit at Olympic Blvd into Koreatown. Tiger Sugar and Happy Lemon are within blocks of each other on the Olympic Blvd corridor, making a combined Koreatown trip the right call for any dedicated boba outing from Manhattan Beach.
Full Review →Happy Lemon
Koreatown (35 to 40 min north via 405 to 110)
The chain that introduced cheese foam to Los Angeles, with a Koreatown location 35 to 40 minutes north of Manhattan Beach via the 405 and 110 freeways. Happy Lemon's Rock Salt and Cheese Oolong is still the defining cheese foam boba in LA: cold oolong tea base with savory-sweet cheese foam balanced by salt. For Manhattan Beach residents making the Koreatown drive, pairing Happy Lemon with Tiger Sugar on the same visit is the most efficient way to see what makes the Olympic Blvd boba corridor the best in Los Angeles.
Full Review →More Worth Visiting Near Manhattan Beach
Additional shops worth the drive from Manhattan Beach when the occasion calls for it.
Machi Machi
Koreatown (35 to 40 min north)
The only boba shop in LA built entirely around cheese foam as its brand identity. Earl Grey with Cheese Foam is the essential order. Combine with Tiger Sugar and Happy Lemon on the same Koreatown run. Read the full review.
Full Review →Boba Guys
West LA / Rideback Ranch (20 to 25 min north via 405)
Premium organic-ingredient boba closest to Manhattan Beach on the Westside. Strawberry Matcha and Earl Grey are the standout drinks. The highest ingredient quality of any chain in LA. Read the full review.
Full Review →Gong Cha
Multiple South Bay and LA locations
High Mountain Oolong base gives Gong Cha more complexity than most chains at the same price. Brown Sugar Milk Tea with Pearl is the most ordered drink. Accessible from multiple directions from Manhattan Beach. Read the full review.
Full Review →Kung Fu Tea
Multiple LA locations
One of the most accessible affordable chain boba options in the LA corridor. Kung Fu Milk Tea is well-balanced and priced at $5 to $7. Read the full review.
Full Review →Chicha San Chen
San Gabriel (40 to 50 min north and east)
World Tea Championship credentials. The best single boba shop in Los Angeles. Worth the longer drive for a dedicated boba day trip that goes beyond the South Bay. Read the full review.
Full Review →Boba by Area: Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Gardena, Torrance, and Koreatown
Manhattan Beach Pier and Manhattan Ave (no dedicated boba)
The pier area and Manhattan Ave corridor are the commercial heart of Manhattan Beach. Manhattan Ave runs north from the pier through downtown, lined with restaurants, coffee shops, wine bars, and fitness studios serving the city's affluent and health-conscious residents. The food scene is genuine and high quality, but boba has not established a presence here as of 2026. The closest you will find on Manhattan Ave is specialty coffee shops, some with matcha options. For dedicated boba, heading north toward Hawthorne or inland toward Torrance is necessary.
El Segundo and Hermosa Beach (adjacent cities, no dedicated boba)
El Segundo borders Manhattan Beach to the north and is primarily a corporate and aerospace corridor, home to Boeing, Chevron, and office parks serving the LAX area. El Segundo has a small downtown on Main St with restaurants and coffee shops, but no established boba shop. Hermosa Beach, immediately south of Manhattan Beach, is the most densely packed of the three beach cities, with Pier Ave as a lively bar and restaurant corridor. Neither El Segundo nor Hermosa Beach has dedicated boba as of 2026. For boba from either city, Hawthorne and Torrance are the same practical answers as from Manhattan Beach. Read the Best Boba Hermosa Beach guide for the complete Pier Ave boba breakdown.
Hawthorne (5 to 10 min north via Hawthorne Blvd, nearest dedicated boba)
Hawthorne is the nearest city north of Manhattan Beach with a dedicated boba shop. Ding Tea on the Hawthorne Blvd corridor is 5 to 10 minutes north from the Manhattan Beach pier area and is the most convenient everyday boba stop for Manhattan Beach residents. The 105 and 405 freeway interchange sits within Hawthorne, making it well-connected to both Koreatown to the north and Long Beach to the southeast. For Manhattan Beach residents who want a quick, reliable boba run without committing to a Torrance or Koreatown drive, Hawthorne is the practical first stop. Read the Best Boba Hawthorne guide for the full Hawthorne boba breakdown.
Gardena (10 to 15 min north via PCH and Artesia Blvd, everyday value boba)
Gardena is 10 to 15 minutes north of Manhattan Beach via Pacific Coast Hwy north to Artesia Blvd east, or via Hawthorne Blvd north to W Redondo Beach Blvd. It's Boba Time in Gardena on W Redondo Beach Blvd is the South Bay's most reliable everyday value boba stop, with consistent tapioca pearls, fast service, and easy shopping center parking. It is slightly further than Ding Tea in Hawthorne, but It's Boba Time is the original LA boba chain (founded 1999) and has a more established menu at $5 to $7 per drink. For Manhattan Beach residents on the PCH route, Gardena is the natural north stop. Read the Best Boba Gardena guide for the full Gardena boba breakdown.
Torrance (10 to 15 min inland, most distinctive South Bay boba)
Torrance is the nearest city inland from Manhattan Beach with the most compelling boba destinations in the South Bay. Mochinut is the best stop: a Korean-American concept combining mochi donuts with a full boba menu, approximately 10 to 15 minutes from the Manhattan Beach pier via Hawthorne Blvd south or Aviation Blvd southeast. 85 Degrees Bakery is a natural second stop on the same Torrance trip, adding Taiwanese bread and the iconic Sea Salt Coffee to the outing. For Manhattan Beach residents who want a memorable boba outing without a Koreatown drive, Torrance is the right destination. Read the Best Boba Torrance guide for the full Torrance boba breakdown.
Koreatown (35 to 40 min north via 405 to 110, best boba in LA)
Koreatown is the best boba neighborhood in Los Angeles and the destination for any serious boba trip from Manhattan Beach. The route is the 405 north to the 110 north, then exit at Olympic Blvd into Koreatown. Tiger Sugar, Happy Lemon, and Machi Machi are all within a compact stretch on or near Olympic Blvd between Vermont and Western Ave. The drive is 35 to 40 minutes in moderate traffic, making Koreatown accessible for a planned outing. Combining two or three shops on the same Olympic Blvd corridor makes the drive most worthwhile. Read the Best Boba Koreatown guide for the full 30+ shop breakdown.
Manhattan Beach Boba FAQ
What is the best boba near Manhattan Beach?
The best boba near Manhattan Beach is Ding Tea in Hawthorne, about 5 to 10 minutes north via Hawthorne Blvd. Ding Tea is the nearest dedicated boba shop to the Manhattan Beach pier area and is a reliable everyday stop with a full menu of milk teas and fruit teas. For the most distinctive South Bay boba experience, Mochinut in Torrance is 10 to 15 minutes east via Artesia Blvd and combines mochi donuts with a full boba menu, a format that no other South Bay shop replicates. For the best boba in Los Angeles, Koreatown is 35 to 40 minutes north via the 405 and 110 freeways.
Is there boba in Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach has no dedicated boba or bubble tea shop as of 2026. The city is primarily surf, coffee, and health food culture. Manhattan Ave, the main commercial strip running north from the pier, is lined with upscale restaurants, coffee shops, and fitness studios, but boba has not established a presence at the quality level worth a special trip. Residents typically drive north to Hawthorne (5 to 10 min) or east to Torrance (10 to 15 min) for dedicated boba.
How far is Manhattan Beach from Torrance for boba?
Manhattan Beach is approximately 10 to 15 minutes from Torrance via Hawthorne Blvd south or Aviation Blvd southeast. Mochinut in Torrance is the most compelling stop for Manhattan Beach residents: it combines mochi donuts with a full boba menu and is the only shop in the South Bay doing this format at a consistent level. 85 Degrees Bakery in Torrance is a natural second stop, adding Taiwanese bread and sea salt coffee to the outing. Together, Mochinut and 85 Degrees make Torrance the best nearby boba destination for Manhattan Beach residents who want more than a chain stop.
How far is Manhattan Beach from Koreatown for boba?
Manhattan Beach is approximately 18 to 22 miles from Koreatown, a drive of 35 to 45 minutes via the 405 north to the 110 north, then west on Olympic Blvd. Tiger Sugar, Happy Lemon, and Machi Machi are all within a compact stretch on or near Olympic Blvd between Vermont and Western Ave. For Manhattan Beach residents making a planned boba outing, Koreatown is the correct destination. Combining two or three shops on the same Olympic Blvd corridor makes the drive worthwhile, and the quality gap between Koreatown boba and anything available in the South Bay is significant.
What is the nearest boba shop to Manhattan Beach?
Ding Tea in Hawthorne is the nearest dedicated boba shop to Manhattan Beach, approximately 5 to 10 minutes north on Hawthorne Blvd. Ding Tea has a straightforward menu of milk teas, fruit teas, and slushes at reasonable prices. It is not the most elevated boba in Los Angeles, but it is consistent, reliable, and the most convenient dedicated stop for Manhattan Beach residents. It's Boba Time in Gardena on W Redondo Beach Blvd is a similar distance heading north and east and is the second-nearest everyday boba option.
Is there boba near El Segundo close to Manhattan Beach?
El Segundo, which borders Manhattan Beach to the north, has limited dedicated boba as of 2026. El Segundo is primarily a corporate and aerospace corridor, home to Boeing, Chevron, and LAX-adjacent office parks, with a small downtown on Main St that has restaurants and coffee shops but no established boba shop. For El Segundo residents, the same answer applies as Manhattan Beach: Ding Tea in Hawthorne is 5 to 10 minutes east via El Segundo Blvd, and Mochinut in Torrance is 15 minutes southeast.
More South Bay Boba Guides
Best Boba in Hawthorne →
Ding Tea on Hawthorne Blvd is the nearest dedicated boba to Manhattan Beach, 5 to 10 minutes north. The guide for Hawthorne, the 105 freeway corridor, and South Bay boba access.
Best Boba in Torrance →
Mochinut and 85 Degrees are the most distinctive South Bay boba stops, 10 to 15 minutes inland from Manhattan Beach. The full guide to Torrance boba.
Best Boba in Redondo Beach →
The neighboring beach city boba guide. Redondo Beach, like Manhattan Beach, relies on Torrance and Gardena for quality boba. The full breakdown for the Redondo Beach pier area.