Daniel Lui, owner of The Chinese Tea Shop, specializes in premier vintage Chinese teas, teaware and culture. His tea wisdom and generosity is unparalleled and this will b my dedicated tea shop. TY Daniel. read more

The Chinese Tea Shop - Daniel Lui, The Chinese Tea Shop, Vancouver,BC - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Absolutely wonderful experience with Daniel today. He taught us about tea selection, preparation techniques, and how to properly enjoy the tea. We learned a lot and loved our jasmine tea. The aroma and flavor were unlike anything we've experienced before. Highly recommend! read more

I am loving my tea!!! While in Vancouver for the day, The Chinese Tea shop was recommended by one of the workers from the Chinese Garden. So thrilled for this recommendation because the teas are incredible! The service was impeccable because we got a thorough breakdown of the different teas with recommended pairing. I learned I'm not supposed to brew green tea in piping hot water! Mind blown ! We had a little tea tasting that was a fun experience. Highly recommend! read more

The Chinese Tea Shop - A green tea infused with some citrus... so yummy and I brewed 4 of those cups! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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This lovely shop has been my favourite place in Vancouver and abroad to purchase Chinese teas for more than a decade. The owner is very knowledgeable and generous with sharing of information. How best to brew, etc. A private tea tasting is a great way to learn further or to be introduced to high quality Chinese teas. It is an old fashion shop. You pay a fair price for the tea and service; not for a trendy marketing approach. read more

Was visiting with my boyfriend who LOVES tea. Emailed Daniel and set up a private tea tasting before the shop opened, absolutely amazing experience. Daniel was so enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of tea and tea culture.A wonderful and memorable experience! Highly recommend booking a private tasting. Looking forward to visiting his shop the next time we are in Vancouver! Thanks again Daniel! read more

The Chinese Tea Shop - Tea tasting with Daniel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Visiting Vancouver we lucked into finding this gem of a shop in Chinatown! I like tea and wanted to buy some but the selection was vast and varied. The shopkeeper spent a lot of time explaining and educating us on all the factors that affect the flavor: region, when the leaves are picked, what part of the leaf is used, the oxidation process used, etc. I came out knowing so much more about tea quality and types that my tea drinking experience is now more discerning. Everything about the shop was excellent and I highly recommend visiting and getting some samples. read more

What an amazing treasure of rare and drinkable teas and objects related to the art of tea. And such a nice proprietor! Altogether feels like a place from a different time. Lovely experience read more

Visited this tea shop while on a food & culture tour of Chinatown, and it was definitely one of the highlights. Daniel is very knowledgable and super helpful! read more

If you are looking for a real Chinese tea experience with a certified tea master, Daniel, the owner is the best in town. For someone like me, who is very 'green' and works in the area, I walked in during my lunch break to come checkout what the hype was all about. I keep hearing about the 'art of gong fu cha' and being. Chinese Canadian with limited use of my mother tongue, I would normally be afraid to come into these shops usually frequented by regulars. Daniel was very helpful right away, greeted me and was very sincere in his willingness to find the product I was curious to try. He gave me a quick demo and explained the art of tea brewing and poured me a cup of the most tasteful black oolong tea I've ever tasted. I also bought a small pack of the green jasmine tea to try - boy, he was not exaggerating when he said it was the most fragrant jasmine tea out there. Amazing little shop and excellent service. We need to support these small businesses in and around Chinatown to help retain the culture and uniqueness of the area. These are the shops that have struggled and fought being pushed out and gentrified. SUPPORT SMALL CHINESE BUSINESSES IN CHINATOWN! read more

Upon entering this store, I was greeted by a young Asian gentleman and an older Asian fellow, whom I can only assume is the father of the duo. As with many of these wee import shops, they are family run and all the more enjoyable because of this. My family values can't touch this kind of commitment and it reminds me how different families really are. Don't get me wrong, I love my folks, but the idea of opening and running a business with them makes me (and them!) a little squeemish. All the more reason to peruse this shop and support the locals. Everything in the shop is imported from a faraway land (Asia) and a good majority of it is totally unfamiliar to me, which makes me even more excited to check things out. The shop is tiny and jam-packed, something I have to come to be used to in Chinatown. This common denominator makes it a bit overwhelming but if you're in the right mood, it can be a treasure trove of goodies. I was struck by the exotic teas in all sorts of varieties and was appreciative of the descriptions written below each tea. Clearly, I don't know as much about tea as I thought! While most varieties were affordable and typically priced, a few were considered to be VERY exotic and therefore, outrageously expensive. Granted, what do I know? It is likely very worth it and I'm sure they can cure all sorts of ailments that you didn't' know you had! Along with teas, there are tiny jade sculptures, zodiac jewellery and knick knacks, Asian art, pottery, cute, cheap carved wooden boxes (good for cheapy Xmas gifts yes?), incense and an assortment of all kinds of china bowls and the like. I could go on forever but I'll save you reading and encourage you to check it out for yourself! read more

The Chinese Tea Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We stopped in the tea shop while on a tour of China town. Daniel gave a demonstration of the proper way of serving tea. This wasn't a tea ceremony, it was how to properly serve tea to your friends and/or family. He did a wonderful job. It as very informative and entertaining. read more

I thought I knew about tea - until I came here! Daniel, you have shown me the way and have taught me so much stuff! Thanks for having us sit with you and sharing your yummy Oolong tea with us! You are so knowledgeable in what you say and do and I could tell that you really had a passion for tea! It was a great experience to learn the steps to prepping real tea leaves and respecting the tea by adding nothing to it and setting the water at just the right temperature depending on the tea leaves. I even learned why the Chinese slurp the tea to cool it and how to hold the little cup! I ended up buying a very small, clay teapot. Why not? I have promised myself that I will use it daily when I arrive home along with the 2 types of teas that I bought - whose names I cannot pronounce!!! read more

This is a hard review to write, because this shop is unique to the area. So, it is kind of difficult to describe. The short version is that it is just about perfect, but not for everyone. But, that is a good thing. It doesn't try to appeal to everyone, so they cater to tea enthusiasts (or would-be enthusiasts), and they do it really well. So, this is not DavidsTea or Teavana. If your idea of tea comes in a bag, comes with an exotic mixture of fruit flavors, or you think that tea must be had with milk and sugar, then only go here if you are willing to change your mind and be exposed to a great Chinese tea experience with some really top-notch teas and friendly and outgoing owners. I don't want to scare off newcomers, but this is the place to go if you are already pretty knowledgeable about Chinese tea. They don't sell anything that is not carefully selected and of strong quality and value, or at least I haven't seen it there. This is the place to go when you are ready to buy good tea. In particular, if you are a pu-erh drinker, this is one of the top 2-3 places to go in North America, and easily the best within 2000 km. For all other tea, it is one of a few must-stop locations between Seattle and Vancouver. If I had to choose one place to buy all of my tea for the rest of my life, it would be this shop. (But, you should understand that I am an ardent pu-erh enthusiast.) The teaware selection is a little bit eclectic, but complete. It is the only place I know of, in the region, where you can routinely find vintage and antique teaware, and there is usually something quite interesting, if you are willing to pay for it. The prices are quite reasonable, but they are also proportionate to things like age and quality. So, although you can find a very nice yixing teapot for well under $100 USD, you can also spend $1000-$2000, if you are willing and able. Don't let that scare you. The owners are very friendly, knowledgeable, and ethical. They won't try to sell you something you don't want or can't afford, and they won't tell you something that isn't true, just to make the sale. They are very upfront about why a thing is more or less expensive, and they would be the first to say that it isn't always tied to quality or traits that you care about. They frequently point out that price doesn't guarantee quality, and vice versa. If you don't believe me, walk into the shop and say, "I want the best tea you have, so show me the most expensive." They will tell you that the best tea is the one you like - that you are the only tea expert that matters. So refreshing, in the tea community. Which brings me to newcomers. Even though the shop caters really well to advanced tea folks, it is not intimidating for newcomers. Just be frank and honest about what you know, don't know, and want to know. They are EXTREMELY generous with information and advice, and it is honest and practical information. To get a sense of that, check out their website and read through their how-to guides (and anything that catches your eye). You will find it very clear, thorough, and candid - not a sales pitch. That is exactly what you will find in the shop, too. One piece of advice: Don't pop in here for a few minutes to browse on your way somewhere else. Unless you know exactly what you want and just need to pick it up, a "quick" visit is at least a half-hour. I don't think we've ever been there less than an hour, and a two-hour visit is probably more the norm, for us. This isn't time sitting around waiting for service. This is time spent tasting tea, talking about it, asking questions, learning, chatting with strangers, etc. - exactly what it should be. My personal request is that, if you go in and spend some time tasting tea and learning (both of which are completely free), please buy something that you like. The owners won't pressure you to do so, in the least, which is all the more reason to do it. I feel it is crucially important to support this type of tea business, which is so precious, not just in the tea community, but also the wider community. read more

Definitely for the tea connoisseur, esp. if you're into the Asian selection. Boy, it's got everything from the teapots to the cute miniature cups too, with all these fancy designs--some as much as $5 a pop! No doubt it's high-end, saw numerous packages for $60 & up, so if you're into steeping tea, this is the place to go. Owner quite knowledgeable and passionate about his stuff. They do ship all around the world too. Decent street parking here, good-size corner location. read more

Great boss with lots collections. Bought a nice teapot with 2 free gifts. Highly recommended for serious tea drinkers! read more

The Chinese Tea Shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

This was absolutely the best tea purchasing and tea tasting experience I have ever had! Daniel, the owner of the store spent an entire hour explaining the art of tea tasting and brewing to my family that was visiting from the US. I can't believe how little I knew about drinking tea up until now. My dad has been an absolute tea fanatic for my entire life (24 years) and even he didn't know what he was missing. He taught us about the different types of pots, the brewing techiques, serving techniques and even let us try a high quality oolong tea that he prepared before us explaining each step. The place is family owned and run and has a great range of tea qualities and products. Something for every price range and palate. Definitely take the time to stop in the shop and educate yourself on the art of tea! read more

So, I went on a tour some time back with a group of culinary students. The Chinese Tea Shop was one of the stops that we made in Chinatown. The provided us with a demonstration on how to properly steep teas known as the Gong Fu Cha brewing method. The Chinese Tea Shop owner explained where the clay in order to produce a high quality clay pot comes from as well as proper serving methods. The owner was very knowledgable and welcoming to all of the guest. In order to have a tea demo, you need to make a reservation. One of the downsides to this place is that it is quite expensive to purchase high quality clay pots here, but I would highly recommend checking the place out. And as Always, Have Fun!!! (16/30) read more

This came here to get a traditional tea pot for myself. Lots of selection and designs. If you're a tea snob like myself, especially with Asian teas, this is one of the better places in the city. Depending on budget and or the the type of quality there was something for everyone. I went a little high end since I take my tea seriously and want to make a single purchase that lasts a long time. Very friendly customer service. They packed my tea pot with care which was much appreciated. Packed, however, well organized shop. read more

I have found a true gem way away from LA!! I recently started to hear about the amazing benefits of Pu Erh tea and after extensive research on the best and most trust worthy brands, since one has to be more cautious with the quality of Pu Erh after all, I FINALLY stumbled on Daniel's site. His site was so inviting and reassuring in that I felt as if I could trust him 100% especially since I'm pregnant. :) I honestly have no prior experience with Pu Erh and was apprehensive about the so-called "fishy" or "horse dung" smell that 50% of people complain about! I thought maybe I was getting the wrong stuff in this batch since it smells and tastes impressively clean...so I did some research. And apparently those smells tend to be due to lower grade tea or less than optimal storage in the fermentation process. All that to say, I've been enjoying it for only 2 days but I already see one of two benefits that I won't talk about here, haha, and perhaps faster digestion as well. Time will tell. Woot! The arrival took barely about a week so that was a definite plus. It pays to pay a little extra for good tea because of the lasting quality, guys! :D read more

This is my go to place if ever I need genuine tea. They specialize in teas and they do online orders.

The first time I visited the The Chinese Tea Shop I was attracted by the sandwich board outside that said "Free Tea Tasting for Interested Drinkers". I'm an "Interested Drinker" I thought. That was many years ago and now I still go back, as an Interested Drinker whenever I need tea, tea wares, tea snacks, tea advice, tea appraisal or if I'm just in the neighbourhood. They also sell antique jade, snuff bottles, a wide variety of other Chinese antiques and custom chop stamps. I think this is the best tea shop in town. If you are an interested drinker or even if you're just a lover of tea, you'll like this place. The relaxed environment, knowledgeable proprietors, excellent products and great prices will have you coming back again and again. This shop even sponsored our touring tea-media art show Replay Your Tea With Me (check out our website for more information), though I would have given it a glowing review from day one. read more

I'm sorry, There are a ton of awesome parts to this place, and the tea is top notch but it was not an inviting experience. I'll start with the good parts, because there are plenty of them: 1) The selection of tea, particularly aged teas, is top notch. When you walk in you don't think there will be, but there is. The variety of Pu-Erh both black and green is immense. 2) The sundries and tea accessories that they have are very nice as well 3) The people are incredibly nice, easy to talk to and knowledgeable about their tea 4) The prices are reasonable (What I bought, I had purchased before, and was the same price as it was in the touristy part of China). So, here's the bad part and the part that makes me not want to go here again: Conversation 1) Me: This is a very large selection of Pu-Erh, I notice that two have the same age but are very different in price, what makes that different? Her: It's the factory they came from, do you want to buy? Me: Ah, this looks like what I purchased in China on Nanjing, same packaging, about the same price and was supposedly X years old. I am on a limited budget, and have much tea, but my pu-erh is about to run out, I should make sure I have the money available. Her: Oh, well, when you come back you can taste. We can taste for you but only if you going to buy if you like it. We do tasting, but only if you serious about buying if you like it. You can buy 1/4 or 1/2 of cake too. Me: Oh, well, if I can get a smaller quantity then let's try it. After I had decided to spend 250 bucks and paid for it. We have aged oolong too. IF YOU COME BACK THEN YOU CAN TASTE. Seriously? Here is tea knife, extra 10 dollars. Here is this and this and this you want to buy? So...basically...INCREDIBLY pushy, comes off as desperate and makes me not really want to step foot in here again. I spend good money on tea. I have a tea guy in 5 different cities that I frequent and have spent more, per pound, on tea than the second most expensive one in the store. They could have found this all out by asking about my tea habits and determined if I was a potential customer. Instead they alienated me by trying way too hard and treating me like a wallet. read more

We went to the Chinese Tea Shop as part of a tour and the owner was extremely welcoming. She demonstrated the Gong Fu Cha brewing method which extracts the best flavour of our Dragonwell tea. It was light with a hint of toastiness in the background. It certainly opened up a different way of making tea because previously, I just poured boiling hot water to the tea leaves and let it steep for 5 minutes. It was no wonder my tea tasted bitter and astringent. Aside from the multiple selections of Chinese tea, from green to white to Pu-erhs, they also has multiple Yixing clay tea pot to choose from. Just stop by and they will be very happy to walk you through the different kinds of tea and the brewing method even if you know very little about it. read more

My husband and I were browsing in Chinatown when we found the Chinese Tea Shop. I love tea and wanted to peek in. My husband tagged along. We met Daniel and he spent an hour with us. I thought I knew a lot about tea until then. I finally found out what I was doing wrong that made the tea bitter. Daniel taught us the art of Gong Fu Cha and we sampled Dragonwell and Pu-erh tea. My husband is not a tea drinker and he was hooked. We bought a cake of Pu-erh tea and a Yixing clay pot as well as a tea tray. My husband now asks for tea every night and we enjoy this relaxing ritual. Daniel has helped me purchase items both online and by phone. He kept a record of my previous buys. The shipping rates to the US is quite reasonable too. read more

Daniel is so knowledgeable + a wonderful "host" - each time I come I learn about tea + leave with a warm belly full of fine tea. Great selection + prices. read more

Great selection of teas at relatively reasonable pricing, given the quality of the teas. The spring jade oolong is the one we keep going back for. The owners are lovely people. Take the time to sit and enjoy a sampling with them if you get the chance. read more

Absolutely the best customer experience I've had in a long time. Daniel and his wife come by excellent customer service naturally and priviledge their clients by sharing their vast knowledge of tea and tea culture. I will definately go back for a visit and a cup of tea and more learning experience as I continue on my journey of becoming a tea connaisseur. I would recommend this tea shop over and above all others for a true tea tasting and tea learning experience and the opportunity to buy some quality products. read more

Daniel was incredibly hospitable. I know a little about traditional Chinese so he picked up there and took me down the rabbit hole of information that yixing, pu-erh, and gong fu cha. His passion for tea is tremendous, and it is clear that he wants to share it with people. I am glad to have another tea friend and cannot wait to visit again. read more

For pu'erh and oolong tea, this is where I go. This is the only place I go, in fact. I knew a little bit about higher end teas before shopping here the first time, but I learned so much from Daniel. He is generous with his knowledge, and incredibly friendly. There are some incredibly high end, and pricey items that are for collection and storage. He also sells middle of the road teas, for customers like me, that still want excellent tea, but need to consider price. When you stop in, be certain to stay and let Daniel brew you some tea. You will a lot, and get to sample some excellent tea, too. I would try and go during the week, when it's quiet. read more

Daniel is the real deal--a true expert in Chinese tea. If you want to know which tea among many, many choices might suit you, he's a big help in narrowing down the options until you taste one that's just right for you. He came across as friendly and attentive to all my questions and requests. He generously answered each one in detail. Plus there was the authentic serving with thumb-size teapots and multiple pourings. In short, he took me into the world of Chinese tea as far as I had asked to go. Thank goodness this kind of expert and friendly service still exists. read more

Whenever I am near Chinatown, I feel the strong pull of this unique teashop. Located at the corner of Pender and Columbia, the moment I step through the door I feel like I am stepping into a different world. For those who are interested in experiencing Epicurean Chinese cultural delights without leaving Canada, this tea shop is the place to visit. Once there, I am always invited to sit down to take part in which ever tea is being served at the central tea ceremony area. Here I always meet someone new coming in for the for the first time and some one old, who has been an experienced tea drinker of r some time. Interesting conversations always arrise over multiple steepings of Wu Yi Mountain Oolong, or over a rich dark 20 Year old Black Pu Erh. If the grey cloudiness of Vancouver is getting you down, there is always a little sunshine and big doses of liquid Chi (energy) to be imbibed at the The Chinese Tea Shop. read more

We stopped by this place just expecting a quick casual peak at some teas and ended up staying quite a bit as Daniel was incredibly welcoming and enjoyable to listen to. He demonstrated tea preparation and a lot of the interesting finer points to it, and let us taste the various tea strengths. read more

A stumble-upon and highlight of our weekend in Vancouver. The experience of learning about the differences between teas and how to best prepare and serve them was fascinating for my teen and myself. We loved our time in the shop and how hospitable and patient Daniel was at answering our questions. We are very excited to have brought tea and the technique home with us. read more

I have been going to this tea shop for over a year now. Every time I go, the friendly owner lets me try a new tea, and tells me all about it. The prices are very reasonable for the quality you are getting. Definitely would recommend going to this tea shop at least once. read more

i had bought tea from them online 5 times when i noticed that charge on my credit card was higher than it should. i checked back and it was happening every single time. Not much, about 10-15% every time. I asked about it and the answer was that "We deliver worldwide so the price on the site is in US dollars". It seems weird. First, the price is shown like $99.99, go figure... Second - buying something from Vancouver company to deliver in Vancouver and get price in USD? When I book hotel online from anywhere in the world i see the price in my local currency and a phrase saying "you'll be charge in the currency of the hotel country...". That makes sense. But show prices in different currency inside my own country? Not sure it's even legal, but it's a separate issue. To me it all looks like a way to trick you to think you're paying less that you actually will. So in any case, buy if you want the tea, but be aware of this little catch. read more