Tea work

21, WenXin Road, Sec. 2
(04) 2258-8666
Hours:10 am-3 am

---By Ivy Shih Translated by Sho Huang

Visitors arriving in Taichung are often envious of the huge number and varied styles of tea shops, where the locals congregate to enjoy a cup of tea, tea desserts and some relaxing interludes.
Located along busy WenXin Road, Section 2, Tea Work is hard to miss with its unique slanting roof line, lush green plants, outdoor seating area and flaming tiki torches, which warm up the night and attract plenty of attention. On hotter days, water mist comes off the roof and is circulated by oversized fans to beat the heat. Walking into the establishment, one is greeted by simple white tables and chairs, walls covered with traces of a mold-like pattern and old traditional Chinese-style windows, vintage clocks, and baskets full of persimmons. The overall affect makes the place feel refreshing and comfortable.
Tea Work offers a wide variety of teas and food, including Chinese, Japanese and Italian dishes like baked-cheese entrees, hot pots, teppanyaki, barbecue, rice porridge, noodles, pizza and sandwiches. Each dish offers something unique from the fare found in other teashops, perhaps because of the carefully-selected ingredients. Watching other customers admiring their orders, I realized that I'd come to the right place. Even the most common drink, Bubble Black Tea, tasted different here. Prices range from NT$70 to NT$420.
Tea Work's combination of ambiance, good teas and food make it more than just another pretty place. If you've never tried it, stop by on your next drive down WenXin Road and judge for yourself.