Not sure where to go for your next date night? Or, even for your next hangout with a friend?
Whether it's choosing a spot for a first date, a date night with your significant other of many years, or a place to meet up with a new or old friend, a tea date provides the perfect backdrop for a romantic and relaxed experience for all sorts of couples.
Whether you're a tea-loving couple or a single seeking a casual and enjoyable outing, tea dates offer a blend of warmth, intimacy, and exploration.
Why Tea Dates are a Great Choice
These days, the prospect of dating can be very overwhelming. Even if you're just dating casually, there can be a lot of pressure when it comes to deciding the right place to meet. A coffee shop? Outdoors? A fancy restaurant? A movie theater? Each idea has its pros and cons.
But, tea dates are great for so many reasons:
Their affordable. A tea date can be a really inexpensive date that can still last a long time.
There's no alcohol involved. Incorporating alcohol into a date can go in any direction. By going on a tea date, you can take any potential negative associations with alcohol out of the picture. And, no hangovers!
It works with most diets. If you have any concerns about whether or not your date has dietary restrictions, tea luckily works with most diets.
There's so much to do. A tea date can be a low-pressure date, but it can also be super formal! Choosing a tea date means you can make it as laid-back or as fancy as you'd like! And, while not everyone is a tea-drinker, combined with another date idea, you can't go wrong.
Drinking tea can help foster intimacy and togetherness. In general, tea provides a serene and relaxed ambiance that encourages open conversations and deepens the connection between partners.
It's good for you! Many tea varieties offer health and wellness benefits. If this is important to you, it's a good way to find a date that wants to incorporate healthy habits into the routine.
Tea for Two: Tea Dates You Won't Forget
It doesn't matter if you're looking for a first date idea or a fiftieth — tea dates can be enjoyed any time of day, any time of year, and at any stage in the relationship. And, because you can pair tea with just about any activity, even those who aren't as excited about it can still have a good time.
Can you feel the love brewing? Because we can! Here are tea date ideas to always keep in your back pocket:
1. Tag Along for a Tea Tasting
Most big cities and towns offer locals and visitors alike an opportunity to do a tea-tasting at a local tea house. Research some near you, and see what experiences they offer. Some good advice is to seek out local tea shops or specialty stores that offer a wide variety of teas from around the world. These places may offer formal tastings or just give you the opportunity to order from avast menu. Learn about their origins, and discuss your favorites!
Tea Date Tip: Ask your date what their favorite tea was from the tasting, and buy them a bag. Maybe you can enjoy it together on the second date!
2. Indulge in a Tea Pairing Experience
Let's be honest — tea tasting on its own is a wonderful tea date idea, but it never hurts to get food involved. After all, the last thing you'd want your date to be is hungry.
The good news is you don't have to worry about fitting in your tea date in between meals. Tea, in fact, can be paired with many delicious treats. From having it alongside a charcuterie board, to indulging in tea paired with chocolates, pies, or cakes — or even stepping it up a notch with tea-infused dishes or desserts at a fancy-shmancy restaurant, there's a long list of options.
Of course, you can usually head to a local pan-Asian restaurant where tea may be served along with your meal. Tea goes well with sushi, dim sum, rice dishes, etc. — and, in many cases, can enhance the flavors of your meal.
Tea Date Tip: Like with any food date, be sure to ask your date if they have any dietary restrictions, allergies, or food sensitivities.
3. Learn Together At a Traditional Tea Ceremony
If you want to take a tea tasting date to the next level, consider taking part in a traditional tea ceremony. These tea ceremonies are often important cultural traditions that date back hundreds of years, and usually involve certain steps or etiquette as part of respecting the ceremony. Ultimately, a cool experience for those looking for a different kind of date.
Of course, traditional tea ceremonies may be hard to come across depending on where you live. Generally, it's more common to see them in countries that have a long history of consuming tea. For example, notable destinations include Seoul, South Korea, Kyoto, Japan, Marrakesh, Morocco, Hanoi, Vietnam, Istanbul, Turkey, and Cape Town, South Africa!
But, if you're already traveling in these places, it can be a cool way to get to know the local culture while also taking time for you and your honey to spend together. Or, if you're single looking to meet others on the road.
Tea Date Tip: Ask beforehand if there is a specific dress code. No one wants to feel out of place and unintentionally disrespect the culture, especially on a date!
4. Get Cozy at a Local Tea House
Many first dates take place at a coffee shop, but a tea house can be a little more creative. Tea houses are great places to have a nice conversation with a new person, or snuggle up and relax with your significant other in an often chill and laid-back environment. Some have outdoor spaces, couches, relaxing music and vibes...and sometimes, even pets roaming around!
*This date also includes going for some bubble tea!
Tea Date Tip: Plan on staying a while? Encourage your date to wear something comfortable!
5. Take Tea on an Outdoor Adventure
Bringing tea along on an outdoor date — or finding a place to enjoy tea after a nature walk or hike — is like getting two dates in one. There's something about drinking tea outside that channels our inner-youth and sense of adventure. What's better than experiencing that with your date?
Some other ideas include:
Hitting up a cafe after visiting a botanical garden
Throwing a picnic blanket down at a park or on the beach and sipping on some tea you've brought
Going camping and making tea from boiling water over a campfire
Going on a hike where there there is tea house waiting at the top
Going on a nature walk and bringing a thermos of tea along
Go foraging for herbal tea ingredients to make at home
Tea Date Tip: Ask your date what tea they like. Bring that in your thermos or bring an extra one as a gift — filled to the brim with their favorite tea.
6. Sign Up for a Tea-Inspired Workshop
For those that like to do something a bit more hands-on (with tea, we mean), there are many tea-inspired workshops you can find. This is an exciting way to do something active and enjoyable together, while learning about tea (and, your date!) in a new way.
Check local events in your community or search online to see what's around. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Tea blending workshop: Learn how to make your own teas!
Ceramic-making: Need a new mug for the apartment? Take your date to a tea ceramics workshop and make yourself some tea-holders to potentially use on your next date together!
Tea meditation: Tea and meditation often go hand-in-hand. Think about hitting a yoga or meditation studio which offers a tea menu!
Tea art and calligraphy class: Tea and calligraphy have been woven together for centuries. Why not take your date to learn about it.
Tea date tip: Make sure your date is okay with something a bit more social and interactive, as you'll like meet other people here!
7. Take a Tea Retreat at a Spa or Wellness Center
Tea and wellness go hand in hand, and can be the inspiration behind suggesting a relaxing retreat as a date. Not only can tea be enjoyed at a spa or wellness center, many offer tea-infused spa treatments, too. From simple green-tea masks, to tea-infused baths, to sipping on matcha after a detox in the sauna, tea-lovers will definitely fall in love with this tea date idea!
Tea date tip: Spas aren't always comfortable for everyone, so make sure your date is cool with this before surprising them.
8. An Intimate Tea Date at Home
Depending what stage the relationship is at, enjoying tea at home can be a perfect date idea. Why not try some of these?:
Go shopping for different teas and do your own tea tasting at home — any time of day! (You can also try the tea pairing ideas!)
Play board games while sipping on some tea
Watch some relaxing YouTube videos while drinking green tea (a good choice is Japanology, for example)
Try to make a new tea recipe, like a blue matcha latte
Read books while drinking tea
Cuddle at watch a movie under a blanket while drinking tea
Try green tea masks at home/do your own spa retreat
Tea date tip: Consider investing in a new tea kettle and/or mugs special for your date!
Try a Tea Date for Your Next Date
No matter what stage of the relationship you're in or what the reason behind the date is, a tea date for you and "your honey" is a no-brainer. Not only can a tea date take the pressure off meeting a new person, but it can also create intimacy for couples who may need to reignite the spark a little bit. Tea dates can also be as short or as long as you want, and they don't need to break the bank, either.