Grace (Yu) Mou TimeOutSH 2023-08-28 17:00 Posted on 上海
Photograph: by Yuangu Yunjing on Dinpin
Coffee or tea, it is a question. As Shanghai is ranked a city for coffee with about 8000 cafes budded around, tea and tea culture with neo-style teahouses are catching up and thriving as the new trend in the city. The force behind this trend is largely driven by Guochao, or China pride which has been largely enhanced in recent years as Chinese consumers are re-embracing the Chinese style and culture. This newly rising China style is labeled as neo- Chinese style or neo-Chinese aesthetics, as it is defined not a completely retro Ming and Qing dynasties, but an expression of the pursuit of the Oriental spiritual realm through Chinese elements and Chinese characteristics with a modern twist.
In this article, we are tapping 5 popular teahouses that reflect this neo-China style and aesthetics for you to explore.
Yuangu Yunjing
Yuangu was founded in 2016 as a small Chinese dessert store in Beijing’s Hutong. It started being famous for its Chinese-style desserts paired with tea, inspired by the Chinese 24 solar terms. As to Chinese culture and philosophy, 24 solar terms are nature’s rhythm, which is to remind you to live a life through food, in accordance with nature to nourish your body and spirit. In recent years, Yuangu has grown into a neo–Chinese style teahouse cum restaurant imbued with Chinese philosophy, culture, and oriental aesthetics. However, Yuangu is not a completely traditional Chinese teahouse cum restaurant. It provides Chinese cuisine and tea service with a modern twist, dubbed “Chinese fusion ”.
Photograph: @ Yuan Gu Life on Wechat
In Yuangu, everything has been meticulously thought through, from the name, menu, and interior design, which is peppered with Oriental aesthetics with a modern flair. It has managed to elevate neo-Chinese style fare for a modern audience. Diners can be transported immediately to Ming or Qing times in the neo- Chinese style designed dining room and table while savoring the fusion cuisine or tea with a modern twist.
Photograph: by Yuangu Yunjing on Dinpin
In their Wu Yuan Lu located teahouse cum restaurant, they have a beautiful terrace on the second floor which is shaded by the trees from the lane in Shanghai’s French concession zone. In autumn, eating out on the terrace offers a memorable gastronomy experience with the breeze and chill weather.
Yuangu Yunjing, 137 Wu Yuan Lu, Various Location.
Kai Ji Teahouse
Located on Nan Chang Lu, Kai Ji teahouse is more like a place where the neighbors and community members come together for a casual chat over a cup of tea paired with innovative refreshments, like picked fruit, which is an unmissable chill treat for the summer. They also offer light meals like rice noodles, rice hamburgers, or tofu snacks to replenish your stomach but not too full. Those meals are more or less the new adaption of grass-root cuisines or snacks sold on the streetside when you are seeking culinary novelty and excitement.
Photograph: via Kai Ji Teahouse on Dianpin
In summer, they provide cold brewed Chinese tea in glass bottles packed with Chinese tea culture elements, instead of traditional teapots or tea cups, which are meticulously designed to be reminiscent of the experience to drink a bottle of iced Coke in childhood. Aside from that, Their interior design is to keep the originality of the old teahouse to create a familiar tea-drinking environment through the scratched walls and raw base without any refinement.
Photograph: via Kai Ji Teahouse on Dianpin
Overall, Kai Ji caters to the younger generation with a young and playful attitude. Its unpretentious teahouse renovation from the meal, the snack, the tea to the interior has won young hearts with no doubts.
Kai Ji Teahouse, 119 Nan Chang Lu, Various Location.
Tea Funny
Tea Funny is a teahouse imbued with Japanese tea ritual, tea-making techniques inherited from Chinese tea culture with a modern approach acclaimed as Shanghai styled. The owner of the teahouse is a friendly gentleman who always warmly invites his guests to have a cup of tea inside for a pleasant conversation about tea culture and the specialty tea offered by the teahouse. That might be the reason why the old patrons keep coming back and newcomers are intrigued to have a visit.
Photograph: by Grace Mou
The inventive menu changes daily or seasonally according to what is available and special with the owner’s own twist: Americano with oolong tea or latte is made of mocha powder. They are the artisanal teahouse that is keen on tea innovation and experimentation with a diversity of offers from tea ice cream, and tea coffee to tea cocktails as you can name of. If you are peckish, they even have omelet cake to offer paired with tea drinks!
Photograph: via Tea Funny on Dianpin
Their interior is simple and clean to provide a home and friendly feel with impeccable service.
Tea Funny, 46 Yong Kang Lu.
Tea'stone
When it comes to the neo-style teahouse, tea’stone is a name which cannot be neglected. Tea’stone is founded in Shen Zhen in 2018 and has earned seeded funding to expand to other cities like Shanghai. When its first teahouse in Shanghai opened in Xin Tiandi, it drew a long queue for over 2 hours waiting to get inside.
Photograph: via Tea'stone on Dianpin
Tea’stone aims to rejuvenate the tea culture to appeal to modern audiences with a mixture of West and East, as well as old and new. The most exciting offer is the cold brewed tea served in a decanter-like vessel to pour into a glass with an ice ball to evoke the experience of drinking wine. If you are more into retro Chinese style, they also provide high-quality traditional Chinese tea served with Chinese teapots and cups.
Photograph: via Tea'stone on Dianpin
Tea’ stone is another Starbucks for teahouse as Starbucks for coffee, with modernized service and interior, and a chain of stores budded around the country. They also sell teas and tea-related merchants to tea enthusiasts and connoisseurs with generous samples to try before the purchase.
Tea'stone, 123 Xing Ye Lu.
Mu Bai Teahouse
Young urbanists like Gen Z come to the teahouse not only for a cup of tea but also to fulfill the desire to share their lifestyle with their own identity on social media. Mu Bai teahouse is such a place with an Instagrammable courtyard on the front for photo snapping. The homely courtyard is hung with oriental-style lanterns scribed with words to show a young and cheeky attitude.
Photograph: via Mu Bai Teahouse on Dianpin
The teahouse is nestled in the downtown of Jin An Temple area, but it provides a haven to escape from the bustle and hustle of the city. A warm pot of tea with seasonal fruit and Chinese dessert will transport you somewhere far away from the city and enjoy peace and tranquility.
Photograph: via Mu Bai Teahouse on Dianpin
Mu Bai Teahouse, 301 Hua Shan Lu.
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