Boba Buddies is preparing to open its second location at 8551 Greenwood Ave. N., Unit 2, in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood. The company announced the expansion on Instagram, but the team is waiting for permits to announce an opening date.
Nina Yoon launched the first Boba Buddies inside Pop Up Kitchen, an Asian cuisine collective at 10516 Silverdale Way NW, Suite 130, in Silverdale.
“Boba Buddies really started from my love for food, drinks, and the way they bring people together. I wanted to create something that felt fun and approachable, a place where you could grab your favorite drink, try something a little different, and genuinely enjoy being there,” Yoon told What Now Seattle.
The menu draws on flavors Yoon and her team grew up with, as well as seasonal drinks and new combinations. The name also speaks to the kind of place she wants Boba Buddies to be.
“The concept has always been about putting our own personality into boba and what we enjoyed. But beyond the menu, I wanted Boba Buddies to feel like exactly what the name says: a friendly neighborhood spot where people can come in, hang out, and feel like a regular.”
Yoon will open the Greenwood shop with Anahi Tat, her best friend of more than 20 years. The two have worked together before, and the new location gives them the chance to build something of their own.
Greenwood also brings the business closer to home. Yoon grew up in Shoreline and said the neighborhood’s mix of independent restaurants and businesses made it feel like the right place for Boba Buddies’ next chapter.
“I didn’t want us just to be another boba shop people visit once. I want to know our customers, see familiar faces, and become part of the neighborhood.”
The second location will serve the drinks and flavors customers know from Silverdale and add musubi to the menu. Yoon also brings experience from operating Peter’s Kitchen, her family’s Korean- and island-inspired restaurant in Silverdale.
“We want it to be somewhere you can stop in for a drink, but also grab something really good to eat,” Yoon said.
For now, Yoon and Tat are waiting for permits before setting an opening date. Boba Buddies has been sharing progress on Instagram as they prepare to bring their plans for Greenwood to life.
