Zhao Zhao Tea Lounge

Taichung, Taiwan

Tucked in a quiet alleyway in Taichung, Zhào Zhào’s space immediately pulled us in. The tea lounge and roasting room is minimal, composed, and deeply intentional, yet never distant. It carries a subtle yet unmistakably Taiwanese atmosphere: a sense of ease that makes you feel instantly welcomed.

We met up with Zhào Zhào’s founder, Scott, during our last trip to Taiwan. He welcomed us with genuine warmth, sharing his story over a table of delicious teas, gracefully prepared between flowing conversations. As a driven and strong-willed craftsman, Scott’s work builds on his solid foundation of traditional tea knowledge and methodologies, while also pushing forward with experimental and unconventional ideas and flavor profiles. That balance of respect and curiosity is part of what has brought their highest quality Taiwanese teas into multiple Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, all processed on site in their tea lounge.

Compared to the more structured traditions of Japanese tea ceremony, the culture of drinking tea in Taiwan is much more casual and everyday. It’s common to invite a friend over by simply saying “come drink tea” in Taiwanese, a gesture rooted in spending time together. Zhào Zhào captures this spirit perfectly – Printed on each of their boxes is a line that stayed with us: “When brewing tea, no need to be stuck on form; when drinking tea, a quiet heart is all you need. Find accord between body and mind, let the rest flow as it may.” This gentleness speaks to the spirit behind everything they do.

There’s so much similarity between specialty coffee and tea. Varietals, processing, roast levels, brewing parameters, flavor profiles... the list goes on. This is why we ‘ve taken the time to curate our tea as intentionally as our coffee. It’s especially meaningful to have an opportunity to work with a like-minded partner whose philosophy closely aligns with our own.