I love the atmosphere and the people. Sipping tea while viewing the garden is tranquil and a must do in Portland.

I love the atmosphere and the people. Sipping tea while viewing the garden is tranquil and a must do in Portland.

The staff is very helpful to the neophyte. I think this is where I first fell in love with tea and they have always been knowledgeable and patient with me here.

You have to pay ~$10 to enter the garden on top of any teahouse purchases, but the atmosphere is worth it. The garden the teahouse is located in was made in partnership with the city of Suzhou, China and is said to be the most authentic Suzhou-styled garden outside of China. On a nice day, you can look out upon the garden from the teahouse and listen to live music. Usually it’s classical Chinese, but the performer got bored one day I was there and, grinning at me, played “jingle bells” to see if anyone was actually listening.

Tao of Tea’s full menu is available to enjoy in several different styles. There are nibbles to take advantage of too. If you enjoy your cup, most of the teas seem to be available for purchase.

This is an excellent place to sit and enjoy new teas. The two story wooden tea house is inside the Lan Su Chinese Garden, an oasis of calm in downtown Portland. I prefer to tour the garden for a while before entering the tea house. The architecture and furnishings evoke a classic Chinese atmosphere, which is further amplified by the occasional live classical Chinese music. Between tea, snacks, and ambiance, its easy to spend a few hours there.

Relaxing location inside the Portland Classical Chinese Garden. Offers the full menu of Tao of Tea selections along with snack options including Tea Eggs, Hum Bao, and Lychee.

Tea’s are served in a variety of ways including gaiwan, gongfu ceremony, yixing and more. Sometimes the teahouse offers live classical chinese music, and garden events can be observed from the second story.