La Tetereria

Stepping through the doorway of La Tetereria is entering one of those Shanghai tea houses from the 1930s, and is an excellent opportunity to develop your sense of taste. The tea room run by Yuan Jing Jing and Ambrós Genís (who also own the shop Tetere) specialises in teas from China and Japan suitable for all pockets and palates. There’s every type of infusion on offer: green tea, black tea, oolong, red tea (pu-ehr) and flavoured teas, but Jing Jing recommends one called 'unexpected encounters' (a name inspired by her chance meeting with Ambrós at Shanghai airport). Tea-drinking involves a ritual that begins with the selection of the plant, and continues with the way Jing Jing carefully prepares each table. Try a mild green 'glass' tea, or a 10-year-old, which is toasted and coffee-flavoured, and ask to try it in an old opium smoker. There’s no rush or hurry here, and maybe that’s why the customers keep coming back.