Just when it seemed like milk tea had evolved to as many forms as possible, the drink takes on a new trend. Welcome to the split cup boba, the new cups that allow patrons to order two flavors at once.

The trend made its way up to the Bay Area from Southern California and for now, Pekoe is one of the few places offering split cup in San Jose. The cup is simply made of two 12-oz. sections with a gap in between and joint at the rim. The height is slightly taller than a standard cup to make up for the volume lost from the gap. This cup should have come around sooner to spare me from the gluttonous moments in my youth, when I came home with two full-size boba drinks, having been unable to decide between two flavors and ordering one drink with no ice to save for the next day.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, Pekoe’s long line seemed a little off-putting. Then I heard the line is supposedly much longer on other days. The cashier counter is right at the door and the rest of the dining room is used as an elegant waiting area. The white pleather seating and backlit tables are reminiscent of a downtown nightclub. There is no space for the line to wrap around inside the store, though.

Even with two options, I found myself indecisive between which two drinks to choose. I sense a five-way split cup in my future. Each flavor is $2.59 for a total of $5.18 for a split cup order compared with $4 for all other drinks. A split cup offers 24 ounces total, which is about the same as a regular-size cup.

Pekoe provides two menus of set combinations in addition to a “create-your-own” section. The Signature Drinks don’t change while the daily specials alternate.

With drink names like Angela, Foxy Brown and Thai Me Up, the menu surely matches the nightclub décor. For those who like the classics, the standard options for tea (Jasmine, Earl Grey, Ceylon, and Assam) are available in addition to special flavors (Red Guava, Blood Orange and White Peach) and unique add-ins (Mango Star, White Pearls and Golden Jelly). I decided on the Pekoe Special which is a milk tea option and the Manly Melons, which is a fruit tea with aloe vera.

Expect to see split cup offered at more shops in the future. When it comes to boba trends, no one wants to be left out.

Pekoe
3276 S White Rd, San Jose.
408.818.0696