A Change of Eatery

I don’t usually hang out in West Hartford but I recently paid a visit to Penzey’s Spices (one of my favorite stores in the world) and soon found myself traipsing along through Blue Back Square. Along the way, my friend Kim and I happened upon The Green Teahouse, so we were psyched to scope it out. Man oh man, what a great find– Beautiful tea sets and accessories, traditional Chinese art, and over 100 varieties of organic looseleaf tea. The menu offers plenty of options in every conceivable tea category: white, green, black, oolong, rooibos, herbal, fruit, chai, and various house blends.

Hey, you can even make an appointment for a Chinese tea ceremony.

It’s one of those places where you can go up to the counter and confidently say “give me whatever you recommend” because you already trust that everything will be incredible. These folks know and appreciate their tea. So, after pulling this stunt, I was handed a refreshing iced mandarin blossom tea- described as a slightly floral blend of green teas with sweetly-scented blossoms, lemongrass and tropical citrus fruits. Glad I took the recommendation. Beautiful taste AND the perfect solution to combat the lingering humidity.

I also picked up a bag of ginseng oolong tea for my sister– she studied in China for several months and hasn’t been able to find good ginseng oolong anywhere since Shanghai. She LOVED The Green Teahouse’s blend (props to me, thoughtful sibling that I am).

Even if you don’t consider yourself much of a tea drinker, there’s got to be something for everyone here. It’s true, there’s even a gummi bear tea! (Apple pieces, hibiscus blossoms, rose hips, lemon grass, lemon and orange peel, sunflower blossoms, and real miniature gummi bears! A strangely delightful combo).

Lots of outdoor seating as well. Pay them a visit- they’re still fairly new to the area.

40-42 Isham Road, West Hartford

http://www.thegreenteahouse.com/