Teance Edit

Teance has a very retail-packaging forward presence. You might not realize on entering that it’s also a cozy tea house. You can order any tea they sell at the counter and drink it at the tea bar or at a table in their upstairs loft.

Teance has some very good teas, but their pricing is somewhat high. Their staff feels more barista-like than some of the finer tea shops. Don’t expect to do a traditional gongfu tasting here. I’m pretty sure they had hoped to have this model in mind (based on the furnishings and tea bar setup) when they first opened.

Still, places like this are rare, they have some great teas, and an obviously loyal group of tea drinkers spend time here. It’s one of my regular places to drink and explore new teas.

I love visiting Teance. The staff members who I have interacted with have always been very knowledgeable and they seem to have a true passion for tea. I love doing tastings at the tea bar. Much attention is paid to how the tea is brewed and served, which I appreciate. Their locally made mochi confections are delicious, and would be reason enough to make a trip.

Sweet little tea bar. I actually much prefer the new location’s appearance compared to the old location. Seating has been removed from the equation, but this puts the bar more forward in importance and makes the experience with the staff more intimate. If there are a good number of customers, the layout can make it turn suddenly a bit claustrophobic. The koi pond, center display rack, and orientation of the circular tasting bar make for an awkward flow when it’s busier.

Entrenched regulars can sometimes take up some of the few seats for long periods of time, so it can be a good idea to schedule a time there at an odd time of day to avoid any backlog or inability to get a spot.

The staff is very knowledgeable about the current offerings. They can help suggest teas for lineups, but I suggest going through the catalog ahead of time and pick out what you’ll be tasting first. While they do not have as extensive a selection as some other companies, it can still be easy to become sidetracked, so make a plan and try to commit to a max number of infusions per tea beforehand in case time or driving distance afterward is any factor at all.

Nice place and the owner really knows her oolongs.

Teance is a truly amazing place for tea. It’s a gorgeous shop. When you walk in, you are immediately offered a sampling of tea. Immediately in front of you, there is a little pond with koi fish swimming around (yes, inside the store!) and water pouring from the ceiling to a really dramatic effect. The ambiance is beautiful! What about the tea? There is a tea bar (open until 6pm) – where you can order individual cups, or go on tea “flights,” wine-tasting style. I highly recommend this! You are given a menu, and are able to choose three different teas. Of course, the tea is incredible. During the tasting, the server (is there a tea equivalent of a sommelier?) tells you about the tea and some of its history. In my experience, this is the best part of the tasting. The staff was very knowledgeable and informed and was able to answer all of our questions, but moreover quite friendly and amiable too. We were also given melon seeds to snack on in between teas, which were delicious.
I enjoyed my experience at Teance so much I really hesitate to say anything negative at all! But if I had one complaint it would be that the tea is very expensive. All of the teas offered here are hand-selected every season from artisanal, family-owned tea farms across Asia. The quality of the tea is reflected in this. There is of course a price to pay for such high quality.
I’d definitely recommend trying a tasting at Teance, though, at least once – and even buy some tea if you feel like treating yourself to something extra special!

Very friendly, very knowledgeable, very helpful. A bit pricey to buy tea, but tasting prices are fair, and the wine bar style is a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.