Sancha Tea Boutique in Bangalore is a bright and airy space tucked away in a corner of Lavelle Road, so small from the outside, you can barely see it. A friend and fellow blogger Soumya was invited for a tea tasting session here, and she kindly invited me to tag along with her, so one extremely hot Saturday afternoon, we went up and down Lavelle Road trying to find a parking spot, and trying to find this place, among all the teeny tiny boutiques over there.
It took a while, so we were about 10-15 mins late into the tasting session, and I was quite stressed in the beginning feeling like I needed to catch up on the presentation.
However, the beautiful old-world atmosphere of the place, and the calm friendly demeanor of the guy presenting soon made me feel at ease.
I was welcomed with a cup of matcha latte, followed by multiple other cups of tea, that soon my head was quite spinning. But fear not, there will be enough details and tea recommendations to prep you for a shopping trip there.
About Sancha Tea Boutique
The Sancha tea journey began in 1981, when Sanjay Kapur – CEO and tea taster extraordinaire decided to set up India’s first gourmet tea company. The Sancha tea brand had its first retail tea outlet in Old Delhi, and then opened in Mumbai, and Bangalore.
Because of its quality and variety of tea offerings, Sancha tea quickly became the gift of choice by our Prime Ministers when they need to gift something to foreign dignitaries. Sancha tea has many varieties of teas ranging from Black tea, white tea, green, oolong, and many more.
The decor
As soon as I entered the place, I was floored by just how pretty everything was. Neat and clean, with a perfect mix of Indian kitsch and western elegance, this place gets 5 stars for its decor.
I am really not doing enough justice to the place with these photos. The tea house is not very big, and it was filled chock-a-block with bloggers and tea enthusiasts all trying to click photos, and I really struggled to capture the right angles. Trust me, this place is better looking than what these faded photos show.
The tea sets
Once I had picked up my jaw from the floor, and recovered from all the prettiness, I turned my focus to the pretty tea sets and accessories that they stock.
I loved all the varieties of tea sets they had in stock, there is something to suit all the different teas they have.
I fell absolutely in love with this sweet rose tray, and the more I look at this picture, the more I am kicking myself for not buying it at the time.
Aren’t they so achingly pretty? I may just have to make a trip again for these trays.
They also have the most beautifully decorated baskets, which would make the perfect Diwali gift in my opinion.
Of course, you would need to buy all the items individually, but because the staff are very knowledgeable about their teas, you would have no problem selecting items for gifting.
The teas
The decor built up a lot of high expectations, but thankfully, the teas lived up to those expectations.
I tried multiple teas but here are my thoughts on the most memorable of the lot:
- Matcha tea latte – This is one of the teas with the highest amount of anti-oxidants and very good for health. It has a strong green vegetable-y taste with a sweetish aftertaste. If you are used to drinking green juices, or watergrass-based juices, and like them, you will like this one. If you haven’t tried or are not fond of green juices, try this with some sugar, you might just like it.
- Lapsang Souchong tea – This is a black tea from China, and I just loved the strong smoky smell. The smokiness is because the lapsang leaves are traditionally smoke-dried over pinewood fires, taking on a distinctive smoky flavour. I loved this one, and it’s definitely something you should try. Very unusual.
- Moroccan mint tea – This was a very refreshing tea with a strong but not overpowering minty flavor. The moment I tried this one, I knew, it was the one for me, and bought it immediately.
- Kashmiri Kahwa tea – I tasted this tea right at the end just before preparing to leave. This is a green tea from the Kashmir region, and I was blown away by its aroma. The smell and aftertaste of this tea lingered in my senses throughout the drive back home, and definitely this is something (along with the tray), I will buy the next time I visit.
Overall, this is a must-visit place for a cosy atmosphere. If this was closer to my house, I’d be there all the time for a cup of tea and snacks.
I thought the staff was quite knowledgeable and they really helped me on my choice of teas. They let you browse quietly if you want, and offer you little samples to try so you feel really comfortable with your choice when you finally buy a tea. And, the prices are reasonable.
I am glad to have discovered this little gem in Bangalore, courtesy LBB Bangalore.
I do love teas, but we don’t have a lovely shop like that on island, but when I go to Oahu there is one I enjoy visiting. And, also had a nice tea tasting at one of the Volcano Hawaii tea plantations where they give small tours and taste testing.
@claudialynn:disqus tea tasting right at the plantation where they grow it must be so awesome!