Review of Wistaria Paris Tea House–a French outpost of the historic flagship location in Taiwan.
It’s a wonderful place for tea lovers to enjoy quality tea with gongfu teaware in a serene location. Wistaria offers a small sweet/savory menu, too.
Background: Wisteria in Taiwan
The original Wisteria Cottage Tea House (note the different spelling) is located in Taipei City in Taiwan. That location has a rich history. According to the website for Wisteria Cottage, during the Japanese occupation, it “was the residence of senior official of the Taiwan Governor-General’s Office.”
Later, it became a place where critics of Chiang’s authoritarian politics met, gathering there with the encouragement of economist and professor Zhou Dewei. Years later, as the democratic movement took off, folks outside the dominant political party gathered at Wisteria. They were drawn by the economist’s son, Zhou Yu.
Besides political discussions, artistic, intellectual, and humanist activities centered there, too. Inspired to honor these legacies and continue to serve as a public space, Zhou Yu turned Wisteria Cottage into a tea house in 1981. (Find out more information about the history of the original location.)
Area Around Wistaria Paris Tea House
The Wistaria Paris Tea House is located in the sixth arrondissment. It is in easy walking distance to many shops, restaurants, small museums, the Seine, the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the Saint-Michel Fountain, and more.
Despite the many nearby attractions, the tea house is on a quiet street.
Inside, the decor and ambiance is serene.
Dark wooden tables, lively art pieces, and beautiful teaware greet visitors.
I wish I would have taken more photos of the interior. I didn’t get a photo, for example, of the seating area in the back of the tea house.
Tea Setup and Food Options
During my visit in June 2024, the tea menu offered about 10-12 tea choices. There were options for white, green, oolong, black, and Pu-erh varieties of tea.
Tea entries included recommendations about which teaware would be best suited for your selection–porcelain and/or gaiwan, etc. The efficient server brought heated water me in a terra cotta kettle that had an electric warming base at my table. I immediately started dreaming about getting one of these kettles. I loved it!
Wistaria Paris also had a small snack/dessert menu.
Choices include mung bean pastries, pineapple cake (Taiwanese style), jujube pastries, and half-cooked and sweetened pears.
What I Enjoyed At My Visit to Wistaria
My heart was calling out for green tea the day I visited Wistaria Paris. They had Oriental Beauty, Dong Ding, and a number of other teas on offer. After perusing the menu, I was intrigued by a Bi Luo Chun from Taiwan instead of China. The menu described the tea as being from a tea garden in Sanxia with over 200 years experience producing tea. Not too long ago, I might have skipped this tea since it wasn’t from its historic terroir in China. These days, I’m more open and curious about different places teas can be made. I wanted to know what a Taiwanese Bi Luo Chun might taste like. Also, I was listening to my heart.
The tea was fresh, light in color and full of flavor. It was vegetal but also slightly herbaceous. The Bi Luo Chun was between savory and umami–and also a touch of sweetness and bitterness in early steeps. I pushed it and a stronger bitter note arrived in later steeps. Still, I enjoyed every steep. It was a pleasure to sip. Indeed, I bought some Bi Luo Chun to bring back home with me.
I also ordered a delicious assortment of pastries that included the mung bean cake, pineapple cake, and jujube pastry. They came heated and were absolutely delicious! I drank the first two steeps of my tea before digging into the pastries because I wasn’t sure how they would pair. Absolutely no regrets. I will dream about this tea experience (and those tasty bites) at Wistaria Paris for a long time.
Prices and Address at Wistaria
Immersed in the experience, I didn’t think to notice the price differences on all the teas I could have enjoyed at my table. Luckily, I did take a photo of the menu page describing the tea I ordered. My tableside tea was 14 Euros–about $15 USD at today’s conversion rate. The snack plate was 8.5 Euros–a little over $9 USD.
Tea House Name: Wistaria Paris
Address: 6 rue du Pont de Lodi, 75006 Paris
Note: They are closed on Wednesdays.
Always check the tea house’s website for the most recent information before you plan your visit as prices, hours, etc., can change.
Sharing More Tea House Info
Have you visited the Wistaria Paris Tea House? What about the one in Taiwan? If so, what was your experience? I invite you to share in the comments.
If you are looking for another wonderful–but very different–tea experience in Paris, check back on the blog soon! I’ll be sharing my experience at the Restaurant du Musée d’Orsay.
Read about my experiences at tea houses in other cities (in the USA)…