By Dylan Bailey
Amelia Island hosts a variety of wonderful and delicious treats. However, one thing that has been hard to come by is boba tea. But that can’t be said any longer, as Mimi’s Coffee & Boba Tea has opened its doors and brought in rave reviews from locals and tourists.
Nestled in a cozy corner on S. Eighth St., the shop can be difficult to find if you aren’t looking for it. But the search is well worth it. While the outside appearance is humble, stepping inside reveals a cute and bubbly shop bursting with personality.
A chalkboard with the various boba flavors and coffees is spread out nicely, with a larger selection than I was expecting. They even feature some snacks, keychains, stickers, and various coffee accessories. It’s a sweet setup–literally!
Mimi’s isn’t huge, but their flavor is. I had the opportunity to try a few things from the store. My favorite was hands down the brown sugar milk tea ($6.50) with extra boba. The taste was perfect and the brown sugar complimented the creaminess of the milk flawlessly. The tapioca consistency of the boba was just as good!
Flavor plays a big role in enjoying your order, but so does customer service, and I can say that it was excellent. I asked a million questions about boba and recommendations, each one being met with a friendly smile and an enthusiastic answer.
Since the store opened its doors a few weeks ago, the reviews online haven’t stopped singing Mimi’s praises. I was happy to see the high amount of reviews in such a short time. Not only has the owner responded to all of them (on Google Reviews) but there are five-star ratings all around.
While the store may be a bit hard to find, it rewards anyone who decides to give it a try. The price of the drinks is a steal for the quality. And the friendliness of the staff makes the entire experience a joy.
Mimi’s is not the first place to sell boba on the island, but they are the ones going full steam ahead with it. If you haven’t tried boba tea before, or if you’re familiar with it, you won’t regret stopping by and picking one up.
Mimi’s Coffee & Boba Tea
Website: https://www.instagram.com/mimiscoffeeandboba
Address: 1939 S. Eighth St., Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
Phone: 904-727-8946
Open: Tues.-Sat. 10-7 p.m.; Sun. 11-6 p.m.; (Closed Mon.)
Thanks to this article I found about this new place and visited there today. Family owned and operated. Very friendly father and two lovely daughters were working there today. Having lived much of my life on the West Coast where Boba Tea is available everywhere we lived, it was great to see it is now available here. They offer a wide variety of flavors. I got the classic, which I have always done while my wife ordered a Mango Boba Tea. The Mango Boba Tea (real fruit, not just flavored tea) was very flavorful.
It is a little hard to find and a little difficult to get to. As the article states, it is on 8th street just north of the Express Urgent Care facility near Sadler. Coming up from the South, you have to pass it and make a U-turn to enter the parking lot. Coming from the north, it is not visible until you are almost right at the entrance. Once you know where it is, subsequent visits shouldn’t be troublesome.
They also offer a variety of coffees, ice cream, some snacks, and a limited variety of food.
These are wonderful people, with a unique product offering in the South, in a tough business. I encourage everyone to stop in and give them a try. If you don’t know what Boba Tea is, you’re in for a new experience, though it is more of a warm weather drink.
Thank you for the comment, Chris! It’s definitely hard to find, but well worth it once you can!