By Caitlin Marsilii
Photos by JPG Photo & Video (jpgphotography.com)
Discovering the art of tea in Manayunk, one brew at a time.
Manayunk is home to a vibrant tea culture, where creativity and craftsmanship come together to elevate the tea experience. Each cup tells a story, and I was fortunate enough to sit down with four of Manayunk’s tea makers to get a behind-the-scenes look – and taste – of their tea creations. Using tea as the medium, they build creative and expressive drinks, each in a unique and different way. They walked me through their ingredients, process, flavors, and presentation. And better yet, I had them make the hard decision of picking one “tea of choice” to highlight.
Moon – Chabaa Thai Bistro
“Sometimes it’s more like a conversation – back and forth. Thai food and drinks are really individual and unique,” Moon Krapugthong noted. “It relies on the chef’s skill, as fresh, organic, and seasonal products can be hard to control for consistency. It’s very important we keep our recipe, ingredients, and menu consistent.”
As soon as you walk through the door at Chabaa Thai Bistro, you’re invested in the details of the interior and its decor. The space, which is home to a variety of plants, flowers and Thai artwork, invites you to immerse yourself in the experience, and of course, in the food and drink. When I arrived, I was ushered in by renowned chef and restaurant owner, Moon Krapugthong who walked me through her inspirations. Much of the menu and the flavors are inspired by her travels, notably, but not exclusive to the Northern Region of Thailand and Chiang Mai. In tasting regional dishes, visiting public markets, and talking to local farmers and suppliers, Moon brings back culinary ideas which she tests out for her team. From there, there’s quite a bit of testing and fixing until the dish’s final form can be found on the menu.
Chabaa Thai Bistro very much prides itself on fresh and organic ingredients. This goes for everything from the entrees to the tea. Moon always thinks about the whole process from the supplier, their harvesting and maintenance efforts, all the way to her recipes and artistic presentation. She often imports specific fruits, flowers, and vegetables to incorporate into her creations and uses their natural colors and form to garnish her work.
Moon’s Tea Choice
Thai Iced Tea: This drink is at the top of Moon’s list because it is a delicious classic. Since the restaurant’s beginning in 2005, Thai Iced Tea has always been on the menu. Consisting of tea leaf, cardamom, star anise, choice of milk, and added sugars, it’s a warm, creamy, and refreshing pick. When presented, the Thai iced tea is layered, naturally leading to the hands-on experience of mixing for the guest. Whether it serves as a pre-dinner drink, a refreshing cool down for a spicy dish, or as a sweet treat with dessert, the drink is a versatile choice that pairs well with almost anything on the menu. Moon even finds customers stopping in to grab one to go!
Seasonal Specialty Teas
In addition to the Thai iced tea, Chabaa Thai Bistro offers herbal tea on the menu year-round. Select seasonal teas are also available that fit in nicely with the current seasonal menu, featuring dishes like Taro & Scallion Pancakes, Tom Kah Salmon Chowder, and Pad Mee.
Longan Fruit Iced Tea: Aromatic in nature, the longan fruit in this drink adds a unique, floral sweetness, balancing the slightly bitter and refreshing taste of the tea. This tea offers an enticing, fragrant blend with a touch of smokiness, truly making it a tea like no other.
Roselle Flower Iced Tea: Made from the dried petals of the roselle flower (also known as hibiscus), this beautifully vibrant drink offers a perfect combination of floral, tart, and sweet notes, making it a popular choice for a cooling and energizing refreshment.
Butterfly Pea Flower Iced Tea: This visually striking beverage, made from the petals of the butterfly pea flower, boasts a mild, earthy flavor and a deep blue color. Served chilled, it’s refreshing and slightly floral, and better yet, it changes color when served with the lime garnish.
Make sure to check out Chabaa Thai Bistro’s sister restaurant, Yanako, which offers Japanese roasted rice green tea along with an assortment of sushi options, and a whole lot more!
Anna – Platform Z
Nestled on the corner of Cotton and Main Streets is Platform Z, a family-owned casual station eatery with freshly prepared create-your-own poke bowls, ramen, burritos, sweet treats, and of course, tea! Originally founded at their first location just off the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, Platform Z expanded to their second location in Manayunk in September 2022, reaching the vibrant communities on both sides of the Schuylkill River. For owner Anna Yu, flavor takes the top priority, with presentation and creativity closely coming in second.
“Flavor is definitely number one – the key. We brew high-quality tea with the freshest ingredients, creating a strong foundation to work off of,” Anna Yu, Owner of Platform Z shared. “Then, we focus on the prettiness and appeal, aiming to create something that really wows the customer.”
With that wow-factor in mind, Platform Z aims to wow audiences both in-person and online.
They craft Instagrammable drinks by drawing inspiration from online food and drink content, while adding their own signature twist. With unique elements like popping boba, strawberry stars, and torched sugar, Platform Z offers a truly distinctive experience, blending creativity and flavor in every sip. Such creative ambitions allow the shop to release new offerings each month with Asian inspired crepes and ice cream on the roster for the spring. Overall, they want to keep growing the brand, crafting original teas, dishes, sauces, and even video content! In showing a behind the scenes look of the shop and crew on Social Media, they hope to further connect with their audience, inviting everyone to join them online or in-store to experience fresh, delicious, and pretty creations worth talking (or posting) about.
Anna’s Choice
Mango Fresh Milk Tea: Anna chose a creamy and refreshing choice that combines the rich and smooth texture of the milk. Offset with the sweet, fruits, and slightly tangy tropical flavor of mango, the milk’s creaminess balances the entire profile. Her choice also showcases Platform Z’s emphasis on presentation with its bright colors and mango puree rim.
Other Favorites
Oreo Milk Tea: A creamy, indulgent treat that combines smooth milk tea with crunchy, chocolatey Oreos. Topped with fresh cream and extra Oreo crumbles, it’s like an Oreo milkshake in a cup—perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Strawberry Matcha: A refreshing blend of earthy matcha and sweet strawberry, this drink balances vibrant fruity flavors with the smooth bitterness of green tea. Topped with strawberry syrup, it’s a delightful fusion of flavors in every sip.
Amin – Safa Plant Co.
Originally, a dedicated tea house, Safa Plant Co. always had tea at the forefront of their efforts. After some renovations and business decisions, they pivoted to better accommodate both the plant side of the business and the cafe. Throughout it all, their dedication to providing Manayunk quality loose leaf teas has remained strong.
“Our teas and ingredients are sourced from all over the world,” Amin Shirazi, Co-Founder of Safa Plant Co. shared. “Our cardamom and saffron come from the Middle East and parts of Asia, while our tea leaves are sourced from various countries including Turkey, China, India, and more. We also source certain blends from tea makers throughout the states.”
Amin detailed their tea selection process, describing it as one of the trickiest tasks for the cafe. The difficulty lying in the decision behind which teas to rotate out and which to keep on the menu.
Balancing flavors and the types of tea is key. Typically, they have classic blends that are carried year-round, with about a third of the menu rotating at any given time. This allows them to carry seasonal blends and to swap in certain blends that are better iced for the hotter months. Their cafe also offers Persian pastries and baklava that pair well with the tea offerings, and just as these sips and bites are meticulously crafted, their retail and plant offerings are highly curated as well. Known for rare, exotic plants, they have a collection like no other kind in the city. With unique plants, pots, candles, art prints, stickers, and accessories, Safa Plant Co. has all the green-thumbs and sipsters covered.
Amin’s Choice
Saffron Rose Latte: One of Safa’s most unique offerings, the Saffron Rose Latte, calls back to the Persian roots of the business. Amin notes how saffron, cardamom, and rose are core ingredients in Persian cuisine, and how this latte is a great reflection of that in drink form. With a black tea base, saffron, cardamom, and rose, this drink is a sweet treat. Amin recommends having this tea over ice, topped with whipped cream and rose petals. It can also be served with chopped pistachios for a savory twist!
Andrew – Tsaocaa
From the beginning, Andrew’s focus has always been tea. In-store food options and non-tea beverages have always been complementary to the tea creations that Tsaocaa is proud to offer. Tea is first. As a franchise, Andrew acknowledges how the Manayunk location is unique in two ways. First, he and his staff have quite a bit of artistic freedom behind their creations and menu, and second, the location opened specifically with the Manayunk community in mind. In its beginning, bubble tea wasn’t as well known as it is today. He wanted to provide desirable, quality tea to the community and a space for people to experience that in a way that they may have never before. Andrew brought his passion to Main Street and aimed to have Tsaocaa really be a part of the community. That heart continues to shine through in the ingredients, process, and creations.
“My vision statement has always been pure tea and pure consistency, “ said Tsaocaa Manayunk Owner, Andrew Chang. “It’s not just that it’s always consistent, but I consistently want to make it pure.”
Tsaocaa’s tea is always freshly brewed, with each specialty loose leaf tea thoughtfully chosen. That base flavor provides variety, range, and customizability with Tsaocaa’s teas, which is something that they are proud about. With a quality base, they can add all sorts of bubbles, pearls, and jellies, along with a variety of flavors, fruits, yogurts, milk options, sweetness levels, and more. Whether it’s providing accommodations, giving personalized recommendations, or using direct feedback to guide menu choices, Tsaocaa will always go the extra mile, keeping the customer in mind. Due to popular demand, items like aloe tea and Dalgona Coffee were added to the lineup, alongside menu bites like takoyaki, gyoza, egg waffles, and Korean fried chicken.
Andrew’s Choice
Brown Sugar Bubble Milk Tea: Andrew chose this classic because it represents the core of their process – a milk tea ideology. It represents the fusion of tradition, creativity, comfort, and versatility. With freshly brewed tea and bubbles, a beautifully presented inner layer of brown sugar, and creamy milk, the drink reflects that of a decadent dessert.
Manayunk is home to many other businesses who offer tea options such as the cafes like Mi ‘N Tea and Main Street coffee shops. Be sure to try them all! If you’re interested in the art of coffee in Manayunk, go online to check out the article, “Barista’s Choice” from the Winter 2023 issue of Manayunk Magazine.