Five of the best... tea shops

A daily cup of tea will starve the apothecary, according to a Chinese proverb. For a perfect brew, here are five of the best tea shops in the city centre

Close to the Jacques Brel museum, you’ll find Le Palais des Thés. This tea chain store is originally from France but nowadays has shops in Belgium and a few other countries as well.

Expect a dazzling choice of loose and packaged teas, collected from 20 countries (mainly in Asia, Africa and South America). Le Palais also sells everything you could possibly need to enjoy a cup of tea: spoons, cups and saucers, teapots, filters, books and even tea-scented candles. And the good news is: you can get most of it online as well.

46 Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés, open Monday to Sunday, 11.00 to 18.30 www.palaisdesthes.com

Nong Cha

Tea house Nong Cha first saw daylight about five years ago. During her career as a stylist, the owner learned about many different cultures. Tea was almost always part of it, and so she developed a liking for Chinese tea and later opened a Chinese tea shop.

Did you know there are more than 60,000 different teas in China? All of them grow in different seasons, and that’s why in spring you’ll find a lot of green and white teas at Nong Cha, whereas around autumn you’ll discover oolong and red teas. The shop also stocks special teas such as early harvest tea leaves or compressed tea pads.

If you’d like to know more about Chinese tea, Nong Cha organises tea workshops. Spread over 2.5 hours, you’ll learn more about the six Chinese tea families. Of course you’ll get to taste them, as well as some homemade tea-infused biscuits.

4 Rue Antoine Dansaert, open Monday to Saturday, 10.30 to 19.00 (more information on tea tasting via nongchadansaert@gmail.com or 02.502.02.77)

Maison du Thé

Founded in 1897, La Maison du Thé is one of the oldest tea houses in Europe. Its last owners went to great trouble restoring the original interior, giving the shop its charming and authentic look.

With about 230 teas stored in large old tins, choosing just one flavour is difficult. Teas come from China, Japan, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Africa and elsewhere and are blended in Brussels. Some of the recipes haven’t changed at all over the years. A popular blend with customers is Thé de Bruxelles: green tea flavoured with nougat, nuts and speculoos.

11 Plattesteen, open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30 to 18.30 www.lamaisonduthe.be

Zen Touch

If you associate tea with relaxation, Zen Touch combines both. Half the place is a Chinese tea house, the other half is a wellness centre offering Chinese massages, reflexology and sauna.

Green, black or white tea can all be purchased to take home or drunk at the tea house. Zen Touch serves special tea lunches as well, for instance dim sum from Tibet served with black tea or a chicken and vegetable dish with green tea.

38 Rue de Rollebeek,  open Tuesday to Saturday, 11.00 to 19.00 www.zentouch-salon.be

Univers du Thé

In the shadow of the Notre Dame du Sablon church on Place Sablon, you’ll find l’Univers du Thé, a tiny tea shop packed with all sorts of black, white and green tea. Also on offer is a good choice of rooibos and organic tea.

Besides tea, the shop has lovely storage boxes, pretty teapots and cups and all sorts of filters as well. If you like the smell of tea, you might enjoy the range of perfumes... made from tea.

14 Rue Bodenbroek, open Tuesday to Sunday,  11.00 to 18.30 www.universduthe.be

More tea?

For the renowned Parisian brand Mariage Frères, head to AM Sweet (4 Rue des Chartreux).  If you’re a fan of the colourful Kusmi Tea boxes, you’ll find them at Corica (49 Marché aux Poulets).

A large selection of English teas (Yorkshire Tea, Typhoo, PG Tips and Tetley) is to be found at Waterstone’s (71 Boulevard Adolphe Max)