I’m a recent entrant into the world of tea, as to be honest, I’ve always been more of a coffee person. However, now that I’ve become aware of just how interesting and diverse tea flavors can be, I’m hungry for new information. I’d always wondered what the differences were between the tea shop near me, tea rooms and tea houses. So, I decided to find out.
I did quite a bit of research and even called one or two, to get a real sense of what they offered. It seems that the name over the door does depend a lot on what’s being served by the establishment. So, now we look at each one in isolation to provide some clarity.
What is a Tea Room?
For the uninitiated, a tea room is a great place to enjoy quality loose-leaf teas, along with quintessentially English assortments, like pastries, finger sandwiches and of course, scones. Here you’ll enjoy afternoon tea, which is something that the tea shop near me and tea houses won’t offer.
Visiting a tea room is mostly about the experience, both socially and in terms of the food that’s being provided. A good one will offer a relaxing time, particularly as many are set in period style properties that add an extra dimension.
What is a Tea House?
Tea houses in the US, on the other hand, are dedicated places designed for drinking high-quality tea varieties – often including a range of Japanese and Chinese blends.
You’ll be out of luck if you’re hungry at a tea house as they don’t typically serve any. Here, it’s all about the tea and nothing else. Despite the fact that many Americans use the terms tea house and tea shop interchangeably, they offer quite different things.
What is a Tea Shop?
So, now to the tea shop near me – what does it offer? Well, again, you can buy loose-leaf teas here, with literally 100s of blends available from regular types to those enjoyed by the connoisseurs. A tea shop though is not generally a place where you can relax and enjoy the products you buy.
Rather than having a pot of tea made for you on the premises, you’ll only get some samples to try. Instead, you’ll do the consuming part in the comfort of your own home.
You’ll also find a menagerie of pastries and cakes, but again to consume at home. If you want afternoon tea, the best place to go is a tea room, as described above.
Run a ‘Tea Shop Near Me’ Search & See For Yourself
As is immediately evident, there are some distinct differences between tea shops, tea rooms and tea houses. We hope that our blog has offered you some clarity, meaning that you avoid the disappointment and frustration of not getting the experience you intended.
With the info provided here, you can decide which option suits you best and not get strange looks when you ask for afternoon tea in a tea shop! Thanks for reading. We hope we helped, even just a little.