New Mexico Tea Company’s Tea Bar isn’t your grandmother’s tea house, but there’s no guarantee she won’t go after she hears about it.
This summer, owner David Edwards expanded his company, which opened in 2006, into a cozy, full-fledged tea bar, open on the weekends, that serves tea and a light meal.
“There’s a stereotype that just grandmothers drink tea,” Edwards said. “But we’ve had high school students, college kids, middle-aged people and older people. It’s been interesting to see that. I feel it’s a result of our efforts to try and design the store to appeal to everyone. We decided no lacy stuff, no tea cozies with little kittens on them and things like that.”
While there are only three tables at the tea bar, there is a patio area equipped with shade umbrellas and misters to help with the heat.
Edwards said many people came during the summer to enjoy some iced tea, and one of the most popular blends was a blood-orange rooibos.
“The rooibos is popular because it doesn’t have caffeine, so anyone can drink it, and this particular one makes very good iced tea,” Edwards said. “All of the restaurants who serve our tea also serve it iced. We also have a passion-fruit green tea which is very strong and also makes a good iced tea.”
Susanne Koestner, a graduate student in the counseling education program, said she buys loose-leaf tea at the New Mexico Tea Company and brings it to school.
“A really great way to save money is by buying your tea in bulk, and then I just get my hot water filled up on campus in the SUB,” Koestner said. “So then I don’t have to pay $2 just to buy tea. I’m a graduate student here, so I definitely appreciate being able to have really nice tea and to not have to pay a lot for it.”
Edwards said New Mexico Tea Bar is sensitive to the student budget, so he offers a good deal on tea and a snack.
“Tea for two comes with a pot of tea, a scone, a blueberry muffin and an assortment of fruit, and that is all $10,” he said. “We also don’t encourage tipping at all.
Everything is built into the cost of things. Since I own the place and I’m serving, I can charge what I want for the items and there doesn’t need to be an additional charge. But a lot of people actually feel uncomfortable with that. It’s my little social experiment.”
Edwards said he has researched tea online and in books and was surprised at all the misinformation he found.
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“All tea comes from the same plant,” he said. “You produce the four types of tea from that plant: There’s black, green, white and oolong. … I haven’t yet been to China, India or Japan, but I would like to go.”
Koestner said students would probably enjoy the environment at the tea bar.
“I’d say it’s just kind of a hip place to hang out,” she said. “It’s definitely different than anything else that’s out in the community, the Tea Bar itself. The environment is really cozy and it’s a nice place to go and hang with your friends.”
New Mexico Tea Company
1131 Mountain Rd.
Tuesday – Sunday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
New Mexico Tea Bar
1131 Mountain Rd.
Friday – Sunday
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
