Sweets & drinks · Sichuan
Gaiwan Tea House Culture
盖碗茶 — Chengdu’s answer to the café: bamboo chairs, lidded gaiwan cups of jasmine or Maojian tea, ear-cleaners and card games — an afternoon institution older than…
Heming Teahouse in People’s Park is the living museum of this: rows of bamboo armchairs, a constant refill circuit ("long-spout" pouring performances included), sunflower seeds, and the option of having your ears cleaned professionally while you sip. The tea itself — jasmine, bamboo-leaf green, chrysanthemum — costs a couple of dollars and buys the table for the day.
It is the slowest and cheapest luxury in Sichuan, and it explains the local temperament better than any museum. Order the "mengding ganlu" green if offered, watch the retirees, and let the afternoon go where it wants.
Where to eat it
- Heming Teahouse, People’s Park (Chengdu)
- Any old-tile teahouse in Shuangliu or Pengzhou
Named tables that do it well
- Yu Zhi Lan — Michelin 2 Stars
- Song Yun Ze — Michelin 2 Stars
- Mi Xun Tea House — Michelin Green Star
- Yin Guo — Michelin 1 Star
Routes that eat their way here
More dishes to know
- Tanghulu (冰糖葫芦)
- Hong Kong-Style Milk Tea (港式奶茶)
- Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐)
- Sichuan / Chongqing Hotpot (川渝火锅)
- Dan Dan Noodles (担担面)