Jujubee’s Boston: Pho, Parks, and a Queen Who Knows Where to Find Both

For Jujubee, the beloved Drag Race star, home is where the pho is. The Boston-born performer—who spent her early years in California before moving back to Massachusetts as a teen—has traveled the world as one of the franchise’s most magnetic queens. But when she’s not filming projects like the upcoming action-comedy disaster film Stop! That! Train!, she returns to the city she calls home.

“I was born in Boston, and my earliest memory is my grandmother taking me to Pho Pasteur in Chinatown,” Jujubee says. “We’d have a huge bowl of pho, then go next door for bánh mi. Grandmas always make sure you’re fed.”

She lived in Chinatown from 2019 to 2022, and during the pandemic, she found solace in a simple ritual: mornings at the Public Garden. “I’d sit on a bench around nine, take in the scenery, and prepare for the day. It grounded me.”

Her go-to comfort spot? Hong Kong Eatery, where she’d grab roasted duck, barbecue pork, rice, and vegetables. “It was affordable and delicious.”

Club Café remains a cornerstone of Boston’s LGBTQ scene, but don’t expect to see Jujubee on the dance floor. “I’m in my 40s now, honey. I’ll look fabulous, but I’m perfectly happy watching everyone else dance.” She prefers the Napoleon Room, where Broadway-caliber singers perform.

What keeps a star of her caliber in Boston instead of New York or L.A.? “People are straightforward. They’re honest. I connect with that.” She now lives in Malden, close enough to enjoy the city but quiet enough to garden.

And the local drag scene? “It’s constantly evolving. Every semester brings a new generation of queens.” She name-checks Club Café, Legacy, Royale, Jacques Cabaret, Carrie Nation’s drag brunch, and Dani’s Queer Bar as spots keeping things fresh.

So, is Boston cunt or just “unt”? “She’s absolutely cunt, honey. She has charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.”