Tea Houses vs. Coffee Shops: Why Tea Houses Are Gaining Popularity

When you look around your city or town for a cool, mellow place to hang out with your friends, you might be surprised to learn that tea houses are starting to become more popular than coffee shops.  For many years, people flocked to coffee shops to relax and chat over a hot cup of coffee, but tea has now started to gain ground as the tipple of choice by the working class crowd, as evidenced by the recent explosion of specialty shops dedicated to serving only tea.

Health Options

There are several likely reasons for this.  The first reason is that people are looking for a healthier alternative to their daily coffee, and tea is certainly a healthier option.  Since commercially bought coffee is loaded with calories in the form of added milks, sugar and cream, the purity of a simple cup of steeped tea can do wonders for your waistline.  In addition, black teas have about a quarter the amount of affine as a cup of coffee, making them healthier and lighter to drink. Teas such as green tea are much better for their health, as they contain antioxidants at doses shown to cumulatively fight cancer.

Beat the Daily Grind

Another reason is that visiting a tea house is a new experience.  A tea house is much different than a traditional coffee shop, and it has a more refined, sophisticated atmosphere that many people truly enjoy.  It is a relaxing place to hang out with friends and to unwind.  The brewing time required to make a good cup of tea means that it is more a sipping drink - the tea house is full of people relaxing as their teabags brew, instead of being in the middle of a hubbub of activity as caffeine fiends descend and grab their coffees to drink on the run.

Types of Tea

You can find different types of tea houses depending on where you live.  There are Japanese-styled tea houses, which serve green, white, and black tea.  You can also find British-themed tea rooms that serve tea in delicate china pots, which strive to achieve an upper crust atmosphere.  These tend to offer tins of differently flavored teas that you can buy and make at home.

If you are fortunate enough to have a tea room in your city, you should take some time to visit. Even if you are not regularly a fan of tea, you might just find a treat or drink that you enjoy.  If not for the drinks, you'll certainly enjoy the relaxing atmosphere.