I went to O Five Tea Bar with the plan to have a quick cup of tea while I waited for my dinner reservation but I got so much more. My tea was selected, prepared and served by a tea sommelier – I didn’t even know that professional tea sommeliers existed. From the first taste to the final cup, the tea that was chosen took me on a journey.

Talking with the sommelier I discovered that all of the tea at O5 has been sourced through the owner, who travels around the world building close relationships with family owned tea farms. Before any tea is purchased the owner travels to the tea farm and shares a meal with the farmer. It is a very personal transaction and there are no intermediaries. This allows O5 to provide tea that offers quality based not on a normalized taste but on a dynamic and ever changing flavor profile. This embraces the true spirit of tea, it will change with the elements and become something slightly different each time it grows.

I became so engrossed in this new dimension of tea that my quick cup of tea turned into a three hour tea adventure. O5 Tea provided me with an authentic eye-opening experience in tea and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Local’s Tip: Ask when the next Tales of the Road activity is if you stop by. The owner shares tales of his travels through Asia.