Teahouses That Are Ushering in a New Wave of Tea Culture

In our November/December 2023 situation, Max Falkowitz spotlights teahouses throughout North America which can be ushering in a brand new wave of tea tradition. “They’re teahouses with a standpoint, the place tea is a pursuit as a substitute of a commodity, and the place tea drinkers can eventually get pleasure from what bar and occasional store goers take as a right: to meet up with somebody over a cup,” he writes. Listed here are his suggestions for the place to discover a memorable tea-drinking expertise, whether or not Chinese language gong fu cha, Japanese tea ceremony, or Pakistani chai service.

Arizona

The Chai Spot

This chai lounge presents a historically impressed chai expertise in a vibrantly adorned tearoom and patio with choices starting from the cardamom chai that’s served in Pakistan and India to a signature coconut rose chai. Based by spouse and husband Khalida Brohi and David Barron, the Chai Spot additionally donates half of its income to assist ladies and youngsters in Pakistan: opening faculties, serving to ladies begin companies, and funding training. Final yr, the couple opened up a second location in Decrease Manhattan.

California

Track Tea & Ceramics

Falkowitz says Track Tea founder Peter Luong has a “knack for locating teas with placing, uncommon features that maintain your consideration, like an additional lengthy end or a brew that tastes similar to cotton sweet.” His store, which is simply outdoors of Japantown in San Francisco, affords reservation-only tastings in addition to on-line tastings. However mark your calendar for the annual Founder’s Assortment occasion, which is a chance to hitch Luong over a tasting of uncommon aged teas.

Tea Habitat

Since this tea spot in downtown Alhambra is a solo endeavor, visits and tastings are by appointment solely. Falkowitz notes, “It’s value planning forward to expertise [proprietor Imen] Shan’s whirlwind tour of her specialty, deeply perfumed dan cong oolongs from China’s Phoenix mountain.” After a tasting right here, Falkowitz says he leaves “with a deeper appreciation for the alchemy of coaxing such exact flavors from the leaves of a camellia bush.”

Teance Superb Teas

Tea drinkers flock to this landmark 20-year-old store in Berkeley for an genuine Chinese language tea-drinking expertise round a 10-foot round tea sampling bar. Discover teas sourced from unbiased farms in China, India, Japan, and Taiwan. Comply with their Instagram for a heads-up about their occasions and impromptu tea tastings.

Illinois

Dwelling Water Tea Home

Though this East Asian tea parlor in Chicago boasts a powerful collection of tea drinks—Phoenix dan gong milk tea, oolong bubble tea, and rose inexperienced tea—there’s all the time the normal possibility. Request the tea set and the employees will enable you to select a tea and stroll you thru the tea brewing course of.

New York

Fang Connoisseur Tea

Falkowitz writes that he first discovered and practiced gong fu cha with different tea nerds at this Taiwanese tea store in Flushing, Queens. The small store affords a tasting of world-class Taiwanese and Chinese language tea brewed and served by knowledgeable brewers.

Blissful Earth Tea

Blissful Earth Tea in Rochester works with certified-organic tea gardens all over the world, buying greater than 60 loose-leaf teas and natural blends. Sit down for a tea flight, selecting from black teas to natural/tisane. Or benefit from the pu-erh tea within the conventional gong fu cha service.

Té Firm

Take a brewed cup to go or, higher but, stick round at Té Firm within the West Village. “Employees make gong fu tea in conventional small clay pots, permitting friends to give attention to the interaction of taste and aroma from steep to steep,” writes Falkowitz. For a chunk to go along with the tea, order one of many tea sweets, such because the Taiwanese pineapple truffles.

T Store

This Manhattan teahouse is ready to refill on single-origin teas which can be hardly ever discovered outdoors Taiwan, China, and Korea because of its private relationships with farmers and retailers. They even fee non-public batches that one would by no means discover on cabinets elsewhere. Make a reservation for a customized tea tasting or for a gong fu-style brewing expertise.

Kettl

This Brooklyn teahouse and Imbibe 75 alum appeals to discerning tea drinkers, not just for its premium-grade Japanese teas sourced straight from growers and producers, however for its number of drink choices. Select from matcha drinks, tea lattes, and free leaf. For a curated service, reserve a seat on the Greenpoint location’s backbar or the Bowery’s tasting bar and peruse the complete catalog of Japanese teas. Kettl additionally hosts lessons on sencha, matcha, and gyokuro teas.

Texas

West China Tea Firm

Since this Austin tea store sources its teas straight from farmers versus from import firms, they can purchase rarities one doesn’t usually discover within the U.S. and provide a variety of single village pu-erh teas and a few much less frequent oolongs. E-book a hosted seating with an knowledgeable tea server who will style you thru a flight.

Wisconsin

Teasider

Working in a former artwork gallery area, this tea store and tea bar in Madison affords a rotating collection of high quality teas, comparable to Bamboo Shu ripe pu-erh tea and Hekisui matcha from Kyoto, Japan. They even have their very own line of tea blends. Overwhelmed by the alternatives? Step as much as the tea bar the place the tea specialist will fortunately provide steering. In addition they provide brewed tea and specialty lattes in addition to matcha and gong fu providers.