The Tea Centre

Food

I have been to the Tea Centre a few times before, but it's the first visit since I've started the reviews. I have eaten scones and tea before, and they were scrummy! However, this visit was purely for tea drinking.

This time, the tea of choice was Rooibos Fireside - Rooibos, orange peel, cinnamon and cloves. This tea retails for $8.50/100g but I ordered the large pot, which was $6.

The tea arrived in a funky teapot, with a little jug of milk on the side. This brew was an orange brown colour, the aroma was great, slightly sweet and very warm - must be the cinnamon and cloves at work. I always wonder how tea doesn't taste anything like they smell though. I couldn't really taste any of the ingredients mentioned, but this tea suits people who don't like a bitter tea. It is a bit like a herbal tea, but unlike those "scented" stuff in teabags.

The Tea Centre also scores points for its diversity and quality of its products.

Rating - 6

Atmosphere

This particular Tea Centre is in a shopping centre, but there is not a lot of foot traffic. I sat at a table outside the shop, and it was a great place to conduct a conversation. The tables are quite far apart, and the staff mostly leave you alone.

Overall, a very Victorian atmosphere. The walls are painted a muted yellow, and there is a quirky collection of teapots, saucers, cups and other tea drinking accessories that act as sale item plus decor. I always feel I have to be very careful when I walk into the shop. The windows have a display of all their teas, each one in its little cup.

Rating - 2.5

Service

They do their job. Two different people came to take our order, which is not really acceptable for such a small place. Oh well, better to have too much service than not enough.

Rating - 2

C-factor

I always feel special when I come here, you feel like you are transported to another place. However, I didn't get any special treatment, and nothing in particular stood out.

Rating - 0.5

Brownie Points - 11

Info

"The Glasshouse"
146 Pitt Street Mall
Sydney
NSW 2000
Phone (02) 9223 9909
Website