Popular Boba Tea Restaurant Tiger Sugar Expected to Close Harvard Square Location

Tiger Sugar, a popular Taiwanese boba tea chain, is expected to close its Harvard Square location less than two years after its grand opening.

Though Tiger Sugar could not be reached for comment for this article, the Cambridge Board of Zoning Appeals is set to discuss an application to permit smoothie bowl restaurant SoBol to open in Tiger Sugar’s current space in the Abbot Building at 5 JFK St on Thursday.

The Harvard Square Advisory Committee, which reviews development proposals and planning projects in Harvard Square, previously reviewed SoBol’s application during a July hearing.

Michael Quinn, SoBol’s Digital Sales Specialist, wrote in an email to The Crimson that SoBol is expected to open in May 2025.

SoBol, a chain with more than 60 locations across eight states, offers a menu featuring smoothies, bowls, and waffles. The Harvard Square branch will be the fourth SoBol location in Massachusetts, joining stores in Beverly, Duxbury, and North Andover.

Tiger Sugar’s closing marks another incidence of turnover in Harvard Square’s bubble tea market. Before its closing, Tiger Sugar was one of four boba tea restaurants in Harvard Square alongside Ten One Tea House, Gong Cha, and Kung Fu Tea. Möge Tea, which opened in February 2023, permanently closed its doors less than a year after its grand opening.

Katherine M. Esponda ’25 said that Tiger Sugar was one of her “favorite places to get boba,” and that she’ll “miss Tiger Sugar for sure.”

When asked whether she would try the new smoothie bowl restaurant, Marissa L. Strong ’27 said “I’m really excited about that.”

“I love Playa Bowls,” she added.

—Staff writer Eunice S. Chae can be reached at eunice.chae@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Mandy Zhang can be reached at mandy.zhang@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @mandyzhang08.