Aoyama Tea House: A Hidden Gem in Tokyo

The Aoyama Tea House is truly a hidden gem in Tokyo, Japan. Nestled in the back of the small Aoyama Flower Market, the Tea House provides a lovely and calming ambience. Fresh floral arrangements decorate the tables and line the walls while friendly staff busily wait on the guests ensuring that their stay is memorable.

If you’re planning on visiting Tokyo and are near the Harajuku or Omotesando areas, the Aoyama Tea House is highly recommended for a light meal or refreshment. Visitors need to be wary that because of the Tea House’s relative popularity, there is often a long wait, up to an hour, before being seated during peak hours. I have learned that a long wait like that is usually worth it in Japan, especially for unique or specialty restaurants. My best friend E-Buns, her husband Groucho, and I waited for approximately 25 minutes before being seated, which wasn’t too bad.

The Flower Market itself is a small floral shop, with various flowers on sale and specials were available because it was the start of spring. The fresh floral scents give you the feeling that you’re in a botanical garden instead of a large city. Just nestled behind the Flower Market is the Tea House which is separated by a glass wall and sliding door. All of the tables were transparent glass and flowers were even used as decoration underneath. No little detail was left forgotten.

The Tea House serves a variety of beverages to include juice, wine, beer, hot or cold mojitos, and tea of course. Cold water is provided as soon as you sit down and you’re free to refill at your leisure at a communal water cooler. I opted for the rose tea, which was all natural with rose petals and refreshing for a hot drink.

The menu also provided food options that ranged from simple breakfast foods and hearty lunches to mouth-watering desserts. The meals themselves are smaller in portions than what I’m used to in the States, but they’re still filling and it’s so beautifully presented you almost don’t want to eat it!

I ordered the Flower Parfait which was perfect for someone who has a huge sweet tooth. A mix of vanilla ice cream, floral jelly, berries, sponge cake, crispy granola, and garnished with dried rose petals, the parfait was beautifully presented in a small glass bowl, as if it was its own flower arrangement with the many shades of pink.  I almost didn’t want to eat it since it looked so good, but the different textures combined with the fruit and floral flavors

I also ordered the seasonal Cherry Blossom Platter. Clearly I just wanted dessert for lunch! Available during the cherry blossom season, the platter included the same floral jelly as the parfait, sakura granola, sakura ice cream, sponge cake, and meringue cookies dipped in cream. The platter was beautifully garnished with dried sakura blossoms, and just like the parfait, was too aesthetically pleasing to eat.

The Aoyama Tea House is open typically from 11 am to 8 pm (7 pm on Sundays) and the last seating is typically half an hour prior to closing time. The food and drinks are more on the pricey side, but I believe you’re paying for the service, the wonderful presentation, and the wonderful ambiance. The Tea House was worth the visit and its easily is one of my favorite restaurants in Tokyo.