Member Article

Brewing up a storm at Newcastle's first tea lounge

Newcastle’s first specialist tea lounge will open in the city centre this month offering 35 different varieties of tea. Sencha will open this week on Nelson Street in Grainger Town and will sell a selection of loose leaf and flowering white, green, black and fruit teas.

Mel Ieronymides from Benton decided to set up Sencha after seeing a gap in the market for a modern specialist tea shop. Customers will be able to buy rare varieties of loose leaf teas over the counter as well as a range of decorative teapots, cups and accessories sourced from across the globe. Sencha will also sell a range of home baking and a varied light lunch menu offering salads, soups, Panini and sandwiches.

Mel said: “Tea is like wine in that each tea has its own aroma, taste and colour. In 2005 the number of 20-34 year olds drinking tea increased for the first time in 30 years, with nearly two-thirds now drinking tea on a regular basis. It’s strange to think that almost 5000 years after its creation people are still catching on to how wonderful a good cuppa can be! We have over 35 different types of tea from Blushing Blueberry to chocolate mint rooibos. My personal favourites include the rose petal earl grey and the strawberry and vanilla tea which contains real pieces of strawberry. Most of our food also has a healthy twist and we are making rye bread sandwiches, salads and home made soups packed with antioxidants.”

Sencha will stock several rare teas such as the fragrant silver white tea. In parts of the country this tea sells for around £20 per pot although Sencha aims to offer these teas at a fraction of the price.

Sencha’s website can be found at www.sencha-tea.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .