The Urban Tea Merchant

A visit to The Urban Tea Merchant is a colourful journey into the world of tea. Each tea tin is beautifully designed, from Earl Grey Gentleman to Tea Party Tea. Earlier this week, the West Georgia Street shop invited local writers and media to sample from three spring teas and both Sakura Tea and Easter brunch menus.

Sakura! Sakura! green and cherry blossom loose tea
[Sakura! Sakura! tea]

Much in the same way Kyoto, Japan’s cherry blossoms symbolize renewal of life, Vancouver’s cherry blossoms signal the arrival of spring. Despite Mother Nature’s early arrival this year when it comes to our beloved cherry blossoms, Sakura! Sakura!, a green tea with cherry blossoms, has just arrived in Vancouver. The refreshing sipper is infused with the beautiful blossoms, making for a smooth tasting green.

White Spring and Sakura! Sakura! teas

White tea is often compared to champagne for its delicate qualities. TWG’s White Spring Tea is classified as a rare tea and is only available for picking three days per year. The buds have a natural fragrance, paired with a gorgeous cherry blossom aroma.

Urban Tea Merchant/Sakura Tea Service
[Sakura Tea service]

Often regarded as a great symbol of hope and renewal, cherry blossoms symbolize the ephemeral nature of life.

Urban Tea Merchant/Sakura Tea Service

Easter-themed Tea Party Tea is a blend designed to pair with both savoury and sweet foods; black-tea-based, it has a defining vanilla aroma at the nose.

Another tea in the spring lineup is Mad Hatter’s Tea, an Easter-themed tea for kids.

Urban Tea Merchant/Sakura Tea Service

Urban Tea’s culinary team draws inspiration from the entire TWG assortment, creating a unique flavour experience for each item on the menu. The Urban Tea Merchant also plans to expand this fall: its collection will top 500 teas for the ultimate in tea gastronomy.

Urban Tea Merchant/Sakura Tea Service

The three-tiered Sakura Tea service includes sweet and savoury items:
– Miso-maple glazed sablefish in butter lettuce
– Tokyo-Singapore Tea tuna tartare
– Rosette of smoked salmon with wasabi aioli
– Wagyu Beef Yakitori
– Weekend in Venice Tea strawberry tart
– Tuxedo-dressed strawberries
– TWG Tea macarons
– Sakura! Sakura! Tea caviar beads wrapped in melon
– Fresh fruit and assorted chocolates

Urban Tea Merchant/Easter brunch
[TWG Easter tea service]

The Easter Brunch Tea service includes:
– Imperial Lapsang Souchong chicken cone
– Tomato Tea sandwich with piave and watercress aioli
– Rosette of smoked salmon with wasabi aioli
– Poached eggs Florentine, Hollandaise
– Scrambled egg with Northern Divine caviar, crème fraîche

Urban Tea Merchant/Easter brunch

The Easter tea service will be offered from April 3 through 6, and includes Easter Tea, Easter Brunch, and MadHatter’s Tea Service (for children), all available with teas from TWG’s spring collection.

Urban Tea Merchant

Founded in 2004 in Singapore by Karinna and Tom James, The Urban Tea Merchant is a luxury tea company offering both fine tea and tea accessories. The Vancouver location is the retail brand’s exclusive Canadian partner. TWG (The Wellness Group) celebrates 1837, the year that Singapore became a trading post for teas, spices, and fine epicurean products.

Urban Tea Merchant tasting

TWG’s collection happens to be the largest in the world, including products from every tea-producing country’s harvests. TWG Tea boutiques are located in London, New York, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Hong Kong and in other major cities, sold in gourmet shops, served at fine hotels and restaurants as well as on international airlines.

Urban Tea Merchant is located at 1070 West Georgia Street in Vancouver.

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