Discover Filipino-inspired boba milk tea at Sama Sama, which is owned by Lalaine Ignao and her fiancé Eric Ganding.

“Sama Sama in Tagalog means togetherness,” explains Ignao. “Sama Sama aspires to bring people together one drink at a time. We hope to empower and educate the greater community of our Filipino culture through Sama Sama.”

While Sama Sama officially opened in May of last year, the business venture has been a dream of Ignao’s since she was in middle school. With the creation of Sama Sama’s pop-up stand, Ignao’s childhood dream became a reality.

But the owners’ passion for boba tea didn’t stop there. The business has continued to flourish and has recently grown from a pop-up stand into a food truck.

“Boba holds a special place in both of our hearts,” Ignao says. “When Eric and I first began dating, we bonded over trying out all the different drinks around the island.”

Sama Sama’s bestsellers include ube milk tea, calamansi green tea and strawberry green tea. Its 16-ounce drinks start at $6 and 24-ounce beverages start at $9.

“All of the syrups were handcrafted by us, using real ingredients,” Ignao shares. “For example, we use real strawberries for our strawberry syrup. We brew our teas using loose leaf tea and nondairy milk for our milk teas, with the exception of our leche flan milk tea.”

Ignao feels that what makes them unique from other businesses is that their menu items are carefully handpicked to represent Filipino cuisine.

“Strawberry may be a well-known fruit, but not many people know that Baguio (in the Philippines) is home to strawberry farms, or that lychee is related to rambutan — a popular Filipino fruit,” Ignao notes.

With the addition of the food truck, Sama Sama will be able to offer patrons more drink and food options.

“We are both passionate about our Filipino culture and showcasing it whenever we are given the opportunity,” Ignao says.

Sama Sama

Various locations (follow on social media for updates)
Instagram: @samasamatea
How to pay: Cash, credit cards and Apple Pay/Samsung Pay
How to order: In person or via catering/fundraising