We are in love with the latest small bar in our hood Ms.Cattea, Sydney's only tea bar with an alcohol license. Housed in a beautiful, chic space at the fountain end of Darlinghurst Road as it turns into Macleay Street, Potts Point. The interior channels the owner and founder Cathy Zhang’s Chinese heritage, with elegant Mother of Pearl chandeliers above and bright red canisters of classic tea flavours lining the shelves behind the bar.
In 2012 after Cathy migrated to Australia, the concept of building Ms.Cattea in Sydney was born. Since then Cathy has been promoting real tea culture in Australia by participating in international tea competitions as a tea judge, hosting tea events and running a large scale stall at the Tea Expo at ICC Sydney. After many years of careful planning and preparation Ms.Cattea Tea Bar finally opened in Potts Point in 2021 where Cathy now shares her passion for tea and tea culture to an expanded community.
The business recently received a small bar alcohol license. Which means that the amazing tea selection may now be combined with alcoholic beverages such as gin, whiskey and vodka to create subtly fragrant cocktails. There is a small but perfect cocktail list - The Jasmine Romance is a master lesson in discreet but strong mixology - or if wine is more your bag, try a matched wine and tea. We highly recommend the current drop of Freycinet - a lovely East Coast Tasmanian Riesling with a bouquet of orange blossom and honey.
Patrons may order a steaming bowl of wontons or a fabulous cheeseboard - supplied by local neighbours Penny's Cheese Shop - to compliment your beverages. Lovely details like watermelon and stewed prunes to cleanse the palette are just some of the details that make this venue stand-out from the crowd.
Cathy has been professionally “brewing” in the tea industry since 2002 with her passion for tea continuing to grow. After gaining a Bachelor Degree in Tea Science from the University of Southern China Agriculture University. Cathy also gained the highest National Level of Tea Tasting Certificate and was also awarded The Professional Tea Ceremony Artist at a national level. Post-graduation, she continued her tea practice in China building a successful tea business and tea house in her home.
Tea has played an important role in the shaping of world history. It was the most important commodity in Tibet over many dynasties and was used by the authorities to control the borders and ensure peace for centuries. Tea triggered the Opium wars during the Qing dynast but also encouraged many new tea trade developments in the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties in China and throughout the world.
Cathy says that the more she learns about tea, the more she realises how little she knows. This is a core philosophy in eastern tea culture – to be modest and pay respect. The knowledge of tea is so profound that no one could learn everything about the subject in a lifetime. Everyone is everyone’s teacher. That is the charm of tea, you won’t find find many things in life that give great value in both our material and spiritual world the way tea does. When you understand tea more, you will feel the same way.
One of the fundamental values of Ms.Cattea is that tea brings people together and creates a good time. Each moment is unique and each cup of tea is different, one can never taste the same tea again. (一期一会（いちごいちえ). Different tea, water, season, weather, people, mood, location, different time - so many more elements can affect your tea experience.
Ms.Cattea Tea Bar was built to help to create these unique moments.