Greer's OC

Beverly Hills based American Tea Room, the best place to find more than 200 rare teas by the glass, and shop, sip, dine, and socialize in a contemporary atmosphere, just opened its first OC location at Fashion Island. (The Beverly Hills location is undergoing a renovation and will re-open in 2016, and its second shop recently opened in downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District.)

At Fashion Island’s location you can explore all 200 global tea varietals through an Interactive Tea Zone. Teas are displayed in color-coded tubes, which you can open and smell. Simply scan the bar code on the tube, and you can find out such as variety, appellation, tasting notes, mood, optimal food pairings, and brewing instructions, pops up on a 46” touch screen.

Choose from a premium matcha selection, a complex-aged 1992 Vintage Pu’Er Tea, and a holiday-inspired, spice-laden Pink Christmas Organic Herbal Tea. Teas are prepared using state-of-the-art BKON craft brewers, which use RAIN (reverse atmospheric infusion) technology to brew a perfect cup of tea in less than 60 seconds—instead of a process that typically takes several minutes.

Additionally, you can enjoy signature hot and cold tea drinks exclusive to American Tea Room, such as Himalayan Butter Tea, a hot beverage of Nepalese black, Oolong and Pu’Er teas, butter, salt, milk, and honey, and Green Tea Tereré, a cold drink featuring Bliss green and white teas, sweet matcha, lime, and orange.

Award-winning chocolatier and chef Valerie Gordon, of Valerie Confections, created mouthwatering desserts and pastries to pair with tea, such as Matcha Panna Cotta and Earl Grey Sweet Bread. There are also light, tea-infused items like Oolong Chicken Salad with Bao Zhong Oolong chicken, Little Gem lettuce, orange, celery, cilantro, black sesame seeds, and ginger soy vinaigrette; tea sandwiches with Smoked Salmon and Chive Cream; breakfast sandwiches like Aged Cheddar, Sun Dried Tomato Compote, and Fried Egg, and more.

All teas are available for purchase and come in beautiful gold bags or award-winning designed tins. American Tea Room is a great place to find gifts, too. You can shop for  elegant tea pots, matcha bowls and accessories, Bento Boxes containing a curated selection of teas and a pyramid strainer, a new line of custom glassware, and boxes of Valerie Confections’ delectable chocolate truffles, toffees, petits fours, and more. 

Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

American Tea Room is near R + D, at the old Starbucks location, at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. 949.432.6006.