Woodside dad brings Kung Fu Tea to Redwood City

It all started when Drew Shih, a Woodside dad to four girls, grew weary of driving across Redwood City or to San Mateo almost daily in search of boba.

Each of his four daughters, aged 11 to 19, had a different boba order, so they sometimes would drive around visiting multiple tea shops to satisfy everyone. Why, he wondered, wasn’t there a location closer to where his family lived that could meet all of their needs?

Looking to solve the problem, he and his family members, who have also lived in Korea and Taiwan, began researching different boba franchises and locations. They wanted to serve authentic Taiwanese boba that would also be accessible to a mainstream Western customer base, he says. “It became sort of an obsession.”

They ultimately landed on Kung Fu Tea, which has a menu of some 70 drinks, including slushies, boba drinks, espresso drinks and fruity tea beverages. Shih’s daughters have taste-tested and vetted the menu, and the older siblings will also work there, he says.

Among the more unique menu options on offer are various milk teas in honey oolong and winter melon flavors, fruit drinks like rose hip lemonade and lychee punch, and slushies in flavors like mango and s’mores.

The national chain has nearly 400 locations but just one other nearby, in San Jose, after a Palo Alto location closed. The family is expecting to begin the soft opening of their location Oct. 27, with a grand opening set for Nov. 15.

Details: Kung Fu Tea Woodside Road is at 593 D Woodside Road in Redwood City. Get the latest updates on Instagram at @kft_woodsideroad.