REDISCOVERING THE SIMPLICITY OF TEA
Located adjacent to Calligraphy Greenway and Shenji New Village, Zhao Zhao Tea Lounge offers an elegant minimalist space that calms the mind and focuses on one thing: the enjoyment of tea. The owner, Chen Zongjun, proudly serves tea from his family tea garden, simplifying the tea-drinking experience in hopes that more people will sit down, have a cup, and feel the charm of tea.
Upon entering Zhao Zhao Tea Lounge, what often catches the eye first is the space. Zhao Zhao’s design is minimalist, with cool gray textured cement walls complemented by warm wood. Skylights bring in natural light, which spreads out due to the lack of partitions or walls, and a spiral staircase reaching up to the third floor adds to the sense of openness.
This modern appearance and homey atmosphere is the result of carefully planned renovations of the 50-year-old residence that the tea house is located in. All dividing walls were removed, a roasting area was added, and the interior was carefully redesigned with simple and natural materials, all in the hopes of creating the ideal “tea space”.
Behind the spiral staircase, the shop’s unique in-store tea-roasting area offers patrons the opportunity to observe first-hand the delicate procedure of tea roasting. Further up on the second floor there are several minimalist seating areas—various seating styles, including bar-style, table-style, and floor-style seating, are available.
In terms of tea selection, the menu at Zhao Zhao Tea Lounge is rather simple, with a small number of in-house teas available to order. The philosophy at Zhao Zhao is not like other tea stores, where expensive tea is deemed superior, rather guests are encouraged to see the value of each batch of tea.
Beyond just Taiwanese tea, Zhao Zhao Tea Lounge also emphasizes the experience of using tea utensils. The tea house features hand-crafted teapots and cups made by Taiwanese ceramic artists, allowing customers to experience the pleasure of handling these objects themselves.
