Goldfish Tea Room/Tea Bar is located in the city of Royal Oak, MI, about 11 miles from where I live. The shop just celebrated its 5th anniversary last month in conjunction with the Chinese New Year. I had heard and read about the establishment, and it's been on my list of tea places to visit for awhile, so hubby and I finally went last week.
The owners are a married couple who had jobs in the corporate world where their careers took them to Beijing, China. While there, they "accidentally" fell in love with tea when they visited a wholesale tea market. In the process of bartering for a gold dragon embossed tea set, they were invited to sit and taste several teas the shop offered. A passion for tea began, and when they returned to the states they left the corporate world behind to open Goldfish Tea.
As you can tell by the name, it's not a Victorian/British style tea room, rather it's Asian and trendy. It was my first time to visit a tea room like it, and my hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It was a weekday, just past the lunch hour, and for a time I was the only female in the shop, outnumbered by five other males [excluding the two ladies working at the counter]. Now that's a switch! I always enjoy seeing men turned on to tea. [They do sell coffee, but these guys had tea mugs sitting on wooden tea boats.]
Below is a partial view of their well-stocked tea/coffee bar. They offer more than 40 varieties of high quality, loose tea from China. You won't find Earl Grey or English Breakfast because they don't sell blends.
Seating section at the front of the shop.
Pictured below is our glass mugs of tea with infuser basket, sitting on a tea boat with timer. I ordered a cup of Keemun choice, and Jerry ordered Rooibus Chai. We both got a large cookie to go with our tea. Mine was chocolate chip, and Jerry's was a peanut butter.
Attire was very casual which Jerry [and probably all the guys] liked.
Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookie and soooo good cup of Keemun!
Tea Ware Retail Area
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Seating at the back of the tea room.
Notice the baker's rack to the left. It offers books and games for patrons to enjoy. They also offer free wireless connection in the areas by the wall, so the owners are in no hurry for guests to leave their shop.
The back of the shop looking towards the front. The owner graciously granted permission for me to take photos.
They offer personalized tea bar tea tastings, which I'd like to return for in the future. It was a fun and unique tea experience, and I enjoyed the trendy environment that is so popular with today's young tea lovers.
What a fun and unique tea room experience! We have an Asian tea room in our city too, and it is totally different than the English tea rooms. Both are fun!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun place to visit! Different, but good!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the name of the shop immediately, but upon reading the story, I now love it! ;-) Glad that it's relatively close to you. I wish them much success.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, that's a lovely tea shop. They are definitely getting more popular here in Vancouver as well. I live for part of the year in England and there tea is an every day thing. I love being able to go out somewhere lovely for tea, don't you?
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you had this tea experience. I love the ladies tea rooms just fine, but I must say I just as much enjoy Asian and trendy tea rooms too. Portland tends more toward the Asian and trendy, so I have to search more to find the ladies that lunch tearooms. All choices are fun at different times.
ReplyDeleteOh, I like this! The frou frou tea rooms will always be my favorites, but to keep tea thriving and in the public consciousness we *need* more places like this. Sounds like this tea shop is very well done. Happy you got to check it out for us all!
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