Willow Lane Tea House (sample) opened in 2014 as a counter with twelve jars of tea. It is still a counter, with a tea room behind it.
We opened because we could not buy good loose-leaf tea in town without ordering it from abroad. Today the shelf holds about sixty teas (sample), and the tea room seats twenty-four.
Everything is sold by weight, so you can buy 25 g to try and come back for more. Bring your own tin and we fill it.
Gardens send small samples of each harvest. We cup them side by side, the same way as at our Saturday cupping, and buy only the ones we would drink every day.
Five people, all of whom will brew you a pot and tell you why they like it.
Owner and tea buyer (sample)
Tea room manager (sample)
Tastings and classes (sample)
Counter and online orders (sample)
Weekends and gongfu trays (sample)
The tasting table is open from 11:00 every day except Monday. Taste any tea on the shelf before you buy it; there is no charge.