Jungle Tea, Kiryat Ono: Tasty bubbles of a different reality

Something is bubbling in Kiryat Ono. It could easily be yesterday’s trends or last year’s news, but this bubbling continues non-stop, shaking things up and threatening to spill over with food options. Yes, the city, once fragmented and gradually developing, has only recently begun to feel its hunger—relatively speaking, of course. The hunger is real, and now it's being addressed.

Here, facts are laid bare: the neighborhoods came before the restaurants, the apartments before the ovens, and the plazas before everything else. As these spaces took shape, people began asking, "What are we eating today?" And they found answers.

Driving around, you confirm that you’re not part of a giant, three-dimensional real estate ad and that your car is, in fact, moving. The sprawling construction adapts to what’s happening, changing and growing with each visit. Return after two weeks? You’ll see another building, another complex, and another circle of restaurants below. And the people are finally getting what they need in their neighborhood.

Yes, something is bubbling in Kiryat Ono—Jungle Tea, for example.

Natural Awakening: Jungle Tea

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The new bubble tea brand is the result of both dreams and frustrations of Yahli Rubinski, a 22-year-old who knew exactly what to do with his post-army vacation. He saw what was missing and what could be improved.

This insight came from his frequent travels to the Far East with his father, where they indulged in the famous bubble tea stalls of China and Taiwan. Sip after sip, they compared the experience to Israel’s rapidly evolving market, and the conclusion was clear: this wasn’t it. But it could be, and they were determined to make it happen.

For them, Jungle Tea is the real deal, as authentic as possible to the Asian craze that’s taken the world by storm. It’s not just a trend here; it’s a global phenomenon. Social media set this bubble alight, and the bubble burst in everyone’s mouths. Simple as that.

This led to many local adaptations. Some are excellent in their own right, with a refined Israeli touch. Others have taken the trend to extremes of sugary madness, designed for Instagram but almost diabetic in sweetness. Latecomers now jump on the bandwagon, either copying trends or identifying opportunities a couple of years too late. Every trend follows this path.

But here, it’s a bit different. Different and delicious enough to make your eyes open wide in surprise.

Jungle Tea’s strength lies in its direct connection to its Taiwanese parent brand—from equipment and essences to tapioca pearls and design. It’s not a franchise but an extension. Not a branch, but a close partnership between the Far East and the Middle East.

Yahli, his father, and his younger sister solidified this connection by studying at the brand’s bubble tea academy, undergoing three weeks of training to be fully prepared. Writing these words, I can’t help but laugh—and almost cry—at the cultural gap between here and there. The seriousness with which they approach it, and the fact that in today’s world, there are places where you can spend 21 full days learning about iced, bubbly tea, is mind-boggling.

Here, in this country, in these very days, in our never-ending reality, this might seem detached. But perhaps this very detachment is what keeps us going. Without it, there’s no hope for anything.

As is typical with such places, the menu at Jungle Tea is bursting with colors, combinations, and possibilities.

Under “Milk Tea,” for instance, there are 11 options (NIS 26-31), with customizable sweetness levels, numerous vegan-friendly versions, tapioca choices, and additions like whipped cream and other treats. You’ll find choices like Jasmine (jasmine tea, milk, and tapioca pearls), Oolong, Hong Kong Milk Tea with melting grass jelly, trendy matcha and taro, Bangkok Milk Tea in earthy tones, and indulgent options like Vietnamese coffee and “Jungle Cream Cheese” with green tea infusion, whipped cream cheese, and grape jelly.

The standout “Dirt-Tea” (black tea infusion, milk, caramel, tapioca pearls, and whipped cream) and “Dirty Cookies” (milk chocolate, fresh milk, whipped cream, tapioca, and cookies) strike a perfect balance, sweet but not overwhelming, with crispy textures and surprises inside.

The coffee category (NIS 26-30) offers three exciting options: chocolate, cream cheese, and a mature blend of caffeine and matcha. The “Smoototea” section adds four more decisions (strawberry, passion fruit, blueberries, and mango, NIS 29-32), thick and satisfying. Yet the real surprise comes from the seemingly simple corners of the menu—fruit teas and sparkling sodas (NIS 26-29).

Here, you can truly taste the flavors, testing how fruity they are and the balance between natural and artificial ingredients. Green tea with passion fruit, mango boba, and lemon is a tangy burst of energy through a straw, while “Magnolia” adds apple to the mix. Other stars offer lychee, blueberries, and fun with peach and strawberry jelly bits.

These, along with the winning bubble waffle (NIS 21), which mixes green tea into the batter and dips it in chocolate, should keep you happy—no matter who you are—for at least half a day.

Simple and without shouting, the place broadcasts itself in the best way possible. Yes, heart-shaped bubbles and club membership bracelets, but mostly, the real thing—a giant cup of tea, an imaginary beach, and a brief escape to a place where you can breathe, even if only for a moment.

Jungle Tea, Naomi Shemer St. 5, Kiryat Ono