Tea Time in Wonderland: Experience the Magic of Singaporean Luxury Brand TWG Tea

So you've finished a long day of (window) shopping with your wealthy friends at SKP, gleening goods from luxurious brands like Chanel, Bvlgari, Estee Lauder, La Mer … It's all simply too much, you feel thirsty and eager to sit down. That's when you see, just next to Hermes store, a glowing beacon of comfort and hope: TWG Tea, with its glittering gold décor with a Singaporean twist.

Established in 2008, the luxury brand TWG Tea was first opened at Raffles Place in Singapore by Taha Bouqdib and Maranda Barnes. They put 1837 on the logo to commemorate the year that Singapore became a trading post for teas, spices, and fine epicurean products. As of today, they have expanded the chain to over 20 countries around the world.

Branded as an upscale tea salon, this airy place is quite elegant and relaxing with large rattan chairs, big tables covered with white tablecloths, and graceful and polite serving staff. Sitting next to the dazzling array of tea tins that fill the space, you might feel like a bit like Alice in this tea-riffic Wonderland – there's too much fun, too much to discover, and too much to look at.

The menu is breathtaking, with over 800 different choices divided into different categories – white, yellow, green, oolong, black, puer, rooibos, blends, and rare, limited-harvest teas (RMB 70-100/pot). Even though, when we visited, half of the teas were out of stock, we still felt overwhelmed by the options, eventually opting for the Grand Wedding (RMB 70 a pot) with the help of the kind waitress. The big teapot and white porcelain tea cup were served promptly, the teapot glittering gold with an inner porcelain layer to keep the tea warm for hours. Featuring black tea with sunflower and fruit notes, it had strong aromas of tropical fruits which balanced with the lingering black tea flavor.

Pastries here are French-style, with macaroons (RMB 18), scone (RMB 50), madeleines (RMB 50, French butter cake), and canelés (RMB 50, rum and vanilla infused pastry). At the door, there is a large shop to showcase the tea products and accessories that people can pick up and go. If you like the tea here, there are various blended, loose, bagged teas (from RMB 230), tea tins (from RMB 100), and tea sets, tea-scented candles, teapots, and tea kits. It’s a delicate enough place to satiate your wealthy friends’ expensive taste, but reasonable enough for us earth-dwellers to afford. 

TWG Tea
Daily 10am-10pm. D1121, 1/F, SKP, 87 Jianguo Lu, Chaoyang District (5843 5345)
朝阳区建国路87号北京SKP1层D1121

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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
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Photos: Tracy Wang, dianping