For more detailed info on how I rate places, check out my bio.
This is a marketplace consisting of hundreds of tea shops. As such, I can’t accurately complete the below ratings:
Tea Quality: Low – Highest
Tea Selection: Massive (for whole market)
Teaware Quality: Low – Highest
Teaware Selection: Large (for whole market)
Shop Atmosphere: -
Employees’ Knowledge: -
Quality of Service: -
Offers Tea Tasting/Ceremony: Many Yes, Most Free (with expectation of product purchase)
Tea Price: $ – $$$$
Teaware Price: $-$$$$
Overall Value: -
Recommend: Yes, you are bound to find something you like
The Mecca of all things tea. Tea heaven. Hundreds of shops all clustered together, selling everything from affordable, machine made gongfu tea sets to the rarest, hand-pressed, aged sheng pu’erh tea cakes.
Few shop owners or employees speak English. However, shop #2133 on the second floor does speak English and is perfect for those just becoming acquainted with Chinese tea and tea culture (they offer tea ceremony tastings for free with the expectation that you will purchase some tea). They do also have higher quality Chinese teas suitable for a seasoned Chinese tea drinker, but for the highest quality teas you should go elsewhere.
For some of the best (and therefore most expensive) tea (specifically Pu’erh), Lancang Ancient Pu’erh Tea Company’s shop just next to #2133 in the corner of the floor (I don’t remember the actual name or number of the store, but it’s the one that has a beautiful wood and glass facade and stands out from the other shops) is the place to go. However, don’t expect walk out with any money left in your wallet. Their teaware pieces begin at around $75 USD, and they have some pu’erh cakes that sell for around $1000 USD, etc. They do offer tea tastings, with the expectation that you will purchase something afterward. If you are willing to buy a piece of their (incredibly high-quality, beautiful, handmade teaware), it is well worth tasting some of the sheng or “raw” pu’erh teas they offer, as these are some of the highest quality available in the market. To my knowledge the employees do not speak English, so go with a Chinese-speaking friend or be confident in your own Mandarin skills.
