The Tao of Tea

So many different types of tea. Located inside the Chinese Garden. The Gardens are set up like a typical Chinese home. Quite the experience

This teahouse has two stories! Sit on the second floor so you can gaze at the view outside :) We ordered the old growth tea flight, oolong tea flight, and white tea flight and ended up staying here for a couple of hours so we could share and savor all of each other’s teas. Oolong was the standout in my opinion. We also tried the veggie dumplings — tasty! The tea is better down the street at Red Robe but the food is better here.

The tea, good… the snacks, great… the booze, amazing.
Once you’ve gotten over that initial wave of judgement — try the Sweet Heat with plum sake, lavender, ghost peppers, and a whole lychee.
It’s one of the best drinks I’ve ever had, and I drink obnoxiously complicated cocktails almost constantly.

This is a memorable experience in a memorable setting. However, I would not bother making a point of visiting here. It is for the tourists. Service was a bit on the slow side (one waiter was quite grumpy), but then tea should not be hurried anyway. Snack selections were tasty but a bit on the pricey side for the small quantity received. MY ADVICE … sit down for tea and just relax to soak in the experience. Make a memory!

Good devices, bad tastes.
Let alone it does not have Dragonwell of the same year, it doesn’t have any fragrance, just bitter.

This is attached to the Chinese garden and they are both very touristy. The tea was good but the prices were a bit steep for a cup of tea. Service was good there.

Loved the experience… my headache vanished in an instant… the Gaiwan experience is one of a kind for a tea drinker. I was transported to China for at least an hour

After walking around the Lan Su Garden, I was excited to go to the Tea House after researching this area. I wasn’t expecting to sit down and have a sip, but after seeing that the menu had snacks, why not? We ended up getting dumplings, turnip cake, and glass noodles with tofu. I expected an OK snack, but these were actually pretty good.
We accompanied our snack with tea of course. I’m a big fan of oolong and asked for the waiter’s suggestion of his favorite teas and also popular teas. The menu also had descriptions of the selections of teas they offered. I got the Oriental Beauty oolong tea — a very smooth and thick tea with a subtle hint of peach. I wanted to buy the actual tea leaves, however it was a bit pricey. About 25 bucks for a large canister. They did mention that they had a couple of tea shops around Portland that sold their tea as well as their website. I’ll definitely considered purchasing online.

A little steep in price, the waiter was ok but I felt somewhat looked down on. Food was good though, tea was amazing. I recommended the white earl gray. It really bugged me they closed at 5 I was on a date and we got there at 345 and after we ate, I felt rushed through when I would have liked to go slower. I will go back we enjoyed it.

Visiting Portland, OR and looked online for things to do in Oregon that’s how I came across this. Great place and very beautiful. Must try it out if you are in the area.

Good fun experience in Portland. Not the most authentic Chinese food or tea, but definitely a fun experience sitting in the atmosphere of the garden, with great ambiance. If you make a stop at the Chinese garden, it is totally worth trying a new tea or snack at the tea house, but still make other plans for lunch.

This place is so intricate! They have a great selection of teas (and helpful descriptions to aid your choice). The main reason to try it, though, is for the atmosphere. This is probably the most authentic tea house I’ve ever been it. The atmosphere perfectly compliments the tea and the whole experience is well worth a visit. The Chinese gardens are gorgeous as well.
If you’re a tea fan, you should definitely give this place a try.

As I mentioned in my review of the Lan Su Garden, we thoroughly enjoyed sitting here on a foggy day. It was a bit crisp outside for my California blood so we happily retreated to this little tea house in the back of the garden.
Inside we were promptly greeted and seated. There was a man making beautiful music on a chinese harp and nearly every table on the ground floor was filled with people enjoying the same. We browsed the extensive tea menu and finally made selections without any pressure from the employee. We ended up trying both types of peanuts on the menu– roasted and spicy. Both delicious although the amount we got for the price was about the only thing in Portland that felt overpriced. Hubby had wine and I had a peach blend hot tea. Very nice environment and experience. Would come back if we lived here.

Elegant, expensive and friendly service. There was a musician playing an Asian instrument way too loud on the top floor. We opted to stay on the first floor.
If you love teas, then you need to come here.

My mother and I searched online all over Portland for a good English tea room. We couldn’t find any English tea rooms in Portland so we thought we would give the Tao of Tea a try as a backup plan. I have to say that I am so glad that the English tea rooms fell through because I had no idea how beautiful the Lan Su Chinese Gardens are. There is a beautiful koi pond in the middle of the garden that is surrounded by a cluster of little Chinese buildings connected by covered walkways. You could tell that every detail was carefully planned out. The stone walkways were gorgeous and would have taken forever to build.
We then went to the tea house and sat on the second floor overlooking the koi pond. There was an elderly gentleman playing an Erhu downstairs that was quite lovely — the sounds traveled throughout the gardens. The tea house itself was so elegant with wood floors, tea pots lining the walls, and lots of lush green potted plants. It was so airy and peaceful in the tea house.
My mother and I shared the Gongfu tea ceremony where we split the Snow Dragon tea blend. It was a delicious light green tea with hints of cocoa. We started off the tea ceremony with mooncake and almond cookies both of which were delicious and paired well with the tea. We then split the vegetarian dumplings and we each had our own noodle bowl. We were quite satisfied and enjoyed taking our time sipping our tea and enjoying a peaceful afternoon.
For anyone visiting Portland, the Lan Su Chinese Garden and teahouse should be a must see & do. I forgot that I was in Portland because I felt like I was transported into another world. What a treasure!

Get a little lesson on Chinese ceremonies and enjoy the beautiful view all at the same time!
The man here was extremely knowledgable on traditional Chinese tea ceremonies which made this a great experience for my Dad and I. I am half Chinese and I drink tea everyday! Thing is I could never find a good Chinese tea house. I had the Gongfu tea ceremony and I absolutely loved it! My favorite part was the small aroma cup. If you ever need a place to just relax and enjoy some decent teas I would definitely suggest this place. Of all the businesses in Chinatown I would have to say that this is the most successful one.
I took off a star because I have had better oolong. Other than that everything else was great!

I have to start my review with the same statement that I have seen in so many reviews but truly bears repeating: «Great way to spend a rainy afternoon in Portland!»
OK so I know we are visiting Portland; I know it is going to rain but we really wanted to see the Chinese Garden (separate review forthcoming) so we went for it. Ended up a little damp and in need of something warm… low and behold there is a tea house on the grounds!
Awesome selection of teas and a very knowledgeable staff to guide you through your choice. Traditional service of the teas in a quaint little room that perfectly lends itself to sipping while looking over the garden. They also have most of the selections available for purchase. So worth a visit if you are in the area.
Cheers!

This quaint teahouse sits inside the Lan Su Chinese Gardens in downtown Portland. I highly recommending stopping by and sitting in those antiquated chairs and drinking some warm tea and getting a snack (I had a delicious tofu snack that cost only $ 4).
It’s a great way to step out of the Portland rain and the cold (if you’re visiting in December, as I did). It also affords a great view of the beautiful lake in the gardens.

I’m definitely a tea snob, and I’m used to paying lots of money for a pot of good tea. Since this place is in the Chinese Garden, I expected to pay a premium — instead, I got a superior tea for only a few bucks.
The selection is amazing, and almost settled on a tea before I realized I had a few more pages to turn. The description and tasting notes are very helpful — its a great time to try something news!
In addition to tea, we also got an order of dumplings. The cost again surprised me — $ 6 for 6 dumplings is pretty good, in my mind. They were very good. Not the strongest flavored dumplings I’ve ever had, but perfectly suited to accompany tea rather than be an appetizer to a full Chinese dinner.
I ended up buying a whole cake of the tea I had, it again being a fraction of the cost I expected. I plan to buy from their website in the future.

This is a teahouse that feels like a teahouse, where the tea just seems to taste better served with traditional ware and utensils, in a room that feels like a historical set. Such a perfect setting for a cup of Chinese tea.
The stately two-​level Tower of Cosmic Reflections Teahouse was opened by The Tao of Tea, a Portland tea company with a few other teahouses in the city. Located on the lake within Lan Su Chinese Garden, a visit requires admission to or a membership with the garden. On the beautiful day that we visited, all the second floor windows and first floor doors were open, filling the teahouse with natural light.
A guzheng player was setting up shop downstairs when we arrived, but ultimately we felt compelled to have tea on the second level. I loved the space; the traditional wood furniture was careworn, the pieces of various styles.
Teas are the main event, and can be accompanied by a small selection of snacks, savory and sweet. The bamboo-​covered, user-​friendly menu offers tea information that is succinct and clear; likely helpful whether one is a tea neophyte or far more advanced. Serving ware are described and pictured. Although The Tao of Tea sources teas from a variety of Asian countries, most of what is served at Lan Su is sourced from China. Besides the flights offered, teas are grouped by types (e.g., black, green, white, oolong, pu-​er), with proper introduction and detailed listings that include romanized Chinese names, origin, harvest season, available serving styles, and importantly, the flavor profile. Much like classical descriptions of wines, these are helpful in making a choice, if the staff don’t assist first.
Our server was friendly and eager to answer questions. One gongfu style was selected, a method of preparing and enjoying tea that our server first demonstrated, where multiple infusions of tea leaves create different flavors and aromas on each tasting. It was fascinating to watch, a ritual with purpose. Another two teas ordered in gaiwan, a simple tea cup with lid and saucer. The lid is tipped at an angle to leave an opening to sip out of, while keeping the tea leaves in. All three pieces can be picked up and drank out of one-​handed, or for the unpracticed such as myself, the safer two-​handed approach.
Although my palate is not sufficiently sophisticated to weigh-​in on quality, I enjoyed the teas, which are far more complex than the every day Chinese teas I typically drink. The entire experience was lovely, and a perfect part of visiting Lan Su.