Machi Machi (Singapore) – Jay Chou’s Favourite Bubble Tea, Famous For Delicious Cheese Teas

Jay Chou’s favourite bubble tea Machi Machi arrived in Singapore in January, but I only managed to check it out recently. This is my full review of their drinks. This article was last updated on 13 July 2020.

麥吉 Machi Machi

麥吉 Machi Machi is a famous Taiwanese bubble tea chain with branches in various cities like Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul, London and now Singapore.

It is best known for being Jay Chou’s favourite bubble tea, which is not surprising since he is an investor in the brand. Machi is also the name of his wife Hannah Quinlivan’s pet dog.

The bubble tea surged in popularity after it was featured in Jay’s 說好不哭 (Won’t Cry) music video, leading to crazily long queues for its Tokyo and Shanghai stores openings.

Machi Machi opened in Singapore on 18 January 2020 at Arab Street. It is brought in by Project SuperStar alumnus Hong Junyang and his friends.

Menu (click to enlarge)

The menu offers fresh teas, milk teas, lattes, fruit drinks, and the famous cream cheese foam teas. Apparently, Machi Machi’s cheese tea was even dubbed the “God of Cheese Tea” by Taiwanese media.

If you are a brown sugar fan there is a Brown Sugar Latte drink available too.

It is possible to customise the ice and sugar levels.

The guide above shows you how to enjoy the respective drinks.

Stylish Decor and Friendly Staff

Machi Machi is styled in a hip industrial chic vibe boasting minimalist furnishing and gentle pastel hues. The three stylish seats outside the shop is a nice photo op, and I took a pretty photo of the wife here.

I went down on a Saturday at around 3.30pm and there was a long line of about 20 people. I had to queue in the hot weather for over 30 minutes.

I guess the shop is still really popular even though it’s been a while since the opening!

On the bright side, at least the last portion of the queue was inside the air-conditioned shop. The staff was also very friendly and patiently answered my queries about the drinks.

Cream Cheese Foam Oolong Tieguanyin Tea

Out of the three drinks I tried, the Cream Cheese Foam Oolong Tieguanyin Tea ($5.50) was definitely my favourite!

The highlight for me was the cheese foam, which had a tasty umami flavour that was really addictive.

I was also very impressed by how well the aromatic Oolong Tieguanyin tea flavour stood up to the sweet and creamy milk.

It reminded me of the strong tea aromas of CHICHA San Chen bubble teas.

Black Milk Tea

As a control, I ordered the Black Milk Tea ($4), which is Taiwanese black tea with milk.

It was rich and creamy, and I enjoyed the sweet chewy pearls too. This was definitely a satisfying bubble milk tea.

However, it did not really have a strong tea fragrance, especially when compared to the cheese foam tea I tried earlier.

Jasmine Green Tea with Plum Jello

Finally, I bought the bottled Jasmine Green Tea with Plum Jello ($6) for takeaway. The drink was very refreshing with sweet and sour flavours, and I enjoyed the chewy plum jello chunks too. The only minor downside was that the tea aroma was overshadowed by the plum flavour.

Conclusion

While there are countless other bubble tea shops in Singapore, I believe Machi Machi is the first in the Kampong Glam area. The drinks were quite delicious, and I especially enjoyed the cheese foam tea. Check out this bubble tea shop if you’re in the area and the queue is not too crazy.

麥吉 Machi Machi
Address: 25 Arab St, Singapore 199724
Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 9pm