Blue Lantern Tea — Restaurant in Greenville

Today, my fiancee and I visited Blue Lantern Tea House for our first time. We were greeted by the owner, Jessie. As he welcomed us into the aesthetically relaxing tea house, he explained some of the customs of traditional Tea Houses and how those traditions compared to the Blue Lantern Tea House. We sat down and our menus were brought to us. While we expected the visit to be more like a "Shop", it operated as a Tea House in which customers choose a small pot of tea that they wish to have, and it is brought out in a small heated pot and a small teacup is provided. Both the cups and the pots were really interesting to see and admire. The owner explained that the Tea House operates as a "Membership". Each Membership level includes three categories with varying prices, highest being Tin (Heaven) Level, medium being Yan (Human) Level, and lowest being Dei (Earth) Level. A Day Membership covers one serving (one pot of Tea). A Week Membership Covers 5 Servings. And a Month Membership covers 20 servings. The prices vary based on which Level of "Membership" you choose (Tin, Yan, or Dei). We chose to just pay for two Day Servings, which is about the price of paying for a Pot of Tea at a Tea House. The prices were really fair. At first understanding the Menu was a tad confusing, but once we understood the differences between the Tin, Yan, and Dei levels, we understood it better. The Menu shows a wide variety of teas, ranging from white, to Green, to Black and in between. Each tea is given a level, Tin, Yan, or Dei, which determines the cost of that tea in a serving. For example, we each chose our own serving of the Golden Monkey Tea, which is a Tin Level of Membership. That means that a serving of this tea is $6, as are all Tin Level Teas (very fair for this quality of tea and portion). Before making our selection, we talked with Jessie at length about various teas, discussing different brewing methods/steeping methods, different tea pots, and different tea origins and styles. After talking at length with Jessie, it was very clear that he know a lot about teas, the history of certain teas, the cultures and regions, etc. It was very clear that he not only had an interest in Tea, but in giving great customer service and being eager to serving people in the community. So in short, the atmosphere, the service, the owner... all really awesome! But let's take the real reason people come to the Blue Lantern Tea House: The Tea. With so much variety, it was hard to choose. Resisting the urge to stay within our comfort zones and getting teas we know and love, we decided to try the Golden Monkey tea, a "sweet, chocolate fragrance with a soft, rich sweet taste complemented by chocolate-cocoa notes". Jessie informed us that many customers don't really notice the notes of chocolate, but many enjoy the tea, so we tried it. It's amber color gave it a warm and soothing reflection that helped us feel we made the right choice. The tea smelled like strong notes of honey with underlying tones of cocoa, which was very relaxing. And upon tasting the tea, we both really enjoyed the texture, the allure, and the relaxing flavor of the honey-cocoa mix. It was brewed and steeped well and did not border bitterness at all. We sat and talked and even continued having conversation with the owner for quite some time while we each finished our pot. Before paying, we decided to leave with a bag of tea to take home! Overall experience, 5/5 Stars. Culture: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Product: 5/5 Price: 5/5 I would definitely recommend and we will definitely be...

This is an absolutely amazing hidden gem in Greenville. They have teas for every taste, and the experience alone is worth the visit. This is a very nice spot to get some studying or remote work done, and the mood is quiet (mostly) and relaxing. Everything, from the gentle aroma of incense wafting through the air, to the soothing tones of spa-like music, to the beautiful, season-specific décor, is carefully designed to create the perfect atmosphere to enjoy a high quality cup of tea. If you live in Greenville and have never visited, you don't know what you are missing. If you are traveling through, this is a must-see! Go to Maid-Rites down the street for one of their famous loose meat sandwiches, stop here and spend the afternoon, and finish your day with a relaxing walk down the neighboring Tecumseh Point Trail. You...

My first visit to experience this, and wow is my reaction to the decor, it has what seems to be traditional floor seating, and tables with chairs. What seems to be a Kung Fu dojo is in the back, and while people were training, it was not loud and did not interrupt any conversations. They sell tea by the bag (to go), and also serve it in a bit traditional way, with you pouring the hot water (really hot!) over your tea into a small bowl with a strainer, then a small cup to drink from served on an elegant board type tray. They refill the hot water as much as you need, and the list is extensive, and not expensive! If they had servers in kimono it would not be out of place. Yet you are in Ohio, so…. The traffic noice is minimal, and we sat right at the window to the...