Green Queen Foodie: LockCha Tea House Part 2 – A Thoroughly Tea-lightful Experience

Located at Hong Kong Park, inside the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware in the K.S. Lo Gallery, LockCha Tea House offers people an escape from the humid summer days and enjoy Chinese tea the traditional Chinese way. Lock is the Chinese word for happiness, Cha means tea. The establishment seeks to offer a place of relaxation and quiet indulgence. Sandalwood tables and chairs, calligraphy decorations and tea set displays come together to create a space of elegance and the hanging birdcage-shaped lights remind visitors of the tea houses of yore, when customers used to bring their pet birds along with them to enjoy a boiling cup.

More than just passively enjoying a cup of tea, LockCha allows tea drinkers to curate their own experience. Teas are served loose and each person gets their own. From Pu’ers to red teas to oolongs, the tea house has a large selection. Loose tea leaves are gratifying to look at and they allow for a slow-savouring pace. Pour boiling water (at least 90 degrees Celsisu) over the leaves in your white china cup and experience an authentic Chinese cuppa. It’s a good idea to sip a little water to reset your tastebuds in between tasting different types of tea.

During our visit, we tried three different kinds of tea and it was hard to pick a favourite amongst them as they all proffer unique tastes, scents and effects on the body.

Tieguanyin is a wonderful choice during the summer heat. With its light green color is refreshing and it has a fragrance reminiscent of orchid flowers. Drink a cup and any extra heat in your body melts away- truly marvelous. Further, it has valuable anti-ageing properties.

If you prefer a richer and thicker taste, Yunnan Pu’er Black Tea will be your cup of tea. You will appreciate the bittersweet flavor of the baked tea leaves. This dark reddish brown tea tastes dense but not heavy at all. For those who enjoy eating heartily, this is a great tea to accompany a large meal as it assists with the digestion process.

Anhui Yellow Tea is an ideal choice for those of us who are less well versed in drinking Chinese tea. A pleasant yellow-orange colour, it tastes sweet and is far less bitter than other traditional teas. It tastes smooth and soft, and has a relaxing effect on the body.

Next time you want to escape from the ubiquity of glass curtain walls of buildings in the city, why not meander along the green surroundings of Hong Kong Park and enjoy a relaxing cup of Chinese tea at LockCha Tea House. And the more the merrier: the more friends you dine with, the more types of tea you can try!

LockCha is open Mondays to Fridays from 10AM to 8PM, Saturdays & Sundays 10AM to 9PM. Closed every second Tuesday of the month. Call +852 2801-7177 for more information.

Don’t miss Part 1 of our Green Queen Foodie x Lock Cha series where we review their delicious vegan dim sum menu!