Did our childhood dream of drinking our favorite strawberry and chocolate candies just come true?
Who doesn’t love Meiji Apollo? The bite-sized Mt. Fuji-shaped strawberry chocolates from Japan was a childhood staple next to Wonka Nerds, or wherever your taste buds brought you during recess.
It was also a collectible for a lot of early-‘00s kids because of its kawaii packaging and the nifty box flap, perfect to store your scented erasers.
Guess what? The internet’s love for milk tea is bringing this classic treat back to life. Just recently, the new favorite combination has popped up in everyone’s news feed, and it all started with Labestra’s Milk Tea House.
With limited branches in Tondo, Manila and Binan, Laguna, it’s not exactly a large bubble tea chain, but the family shop has been making waves in social media for turning popular snack brands such as Choc Nut, Oreo, Hershey’s, Safari, and MikMik into milk tea drinks, and selling them in buy-one-take-one offering. When the owners posted a hint of their “new flavor,” 25,000 people were quick to share it.
It wasn’t long before other milk tea shops joined in on the craze and concocted their own versions, rivaling Labestra’s combination of strawberry cream base and chocolate syrup.
Here is a list of other stores for your Apollo milk tea cravings so you can find a branch within your trusted courier’s reach. We bet every single one is a must-try!
Sip n’ Snap Milk Tea
Where to find: It has multiple branches from North to South of Manila, with main branch in Masambong, Quezon City
Price: Small – P100; Medium – P120; and Large – P150
Delivery: In-house; or you can use Lalafood, Lalamove, or GrabExpress
One of our pet peeves is buying a drink that tastes nothing like the flavor’s name, and it seems like Sip n’ Snap has taken notes on this. The milk tea shop boasts of its version crafted and topped with real Meiji Apollo chocolates, down to the very last drop.
Rutea Milktea Shop
Where to find: San Mateo, Rizal
Price: Large – P110; and 1 Liter – P130
Delivery: Free delivery around the area for a minimum purchase of P300
Rutea’s version is divided by a strawberry top base and a whole dollop of chocolate spread in the bottom, but blended by our love for both worlds in every sip.
Ms. Minchin’s Tea House
Where to find:Valenzuela City
Price: Medium – P109
Delivery: For pick-up, takeout, or delivery though GrabExpress, Lalamove, Angkas, or Mr. Speedy
If you want a taste of the realest thing, you have to opt for a mix of a premium strawberry fruit and the Meiji Apollo to bring out each oozing flavor. Ms. Minchin (no, not that b****) can give you that.
The Crave Bar
Where to find: It has branches scattered around Bulacan and Northern Manila
Price: Milk Tea – P100; and Frappe – P120
Delivery: Available on Grab Food and Foodpanda
The merienda hub famous for its avocado drinks now offers a frappe version of its Meiji Apollo concoction, for those who prefer the rush of the slush.
Cold Sip
Where to find: It has a lot of branches around Manila, with main branch in Sampaloc
Price: Buy one, take one for P99
Delivery: In-house delivery and pickup through its website and mobile app.
College students on a budget always go for Cold Sip's buy-one-take-one milk teas with unique flavors, but they will surely yearn for the return of this berry, frothy blend even at home.
Cha Tuk Chak
Where to find: All over Metro Manila!
Price: P140
Delivery: Available on GrabFood, Foodpanda, Lalafood
The famous milk tea bar's Choco Ichigo adds an extra tangy layer of cheesecake to the luscious milk chocolate and real strawberry mash-up.