Araksa Tea Room

Welcome

Welcome to Araksa Tea Room, we warmly invite you to embark on a unique tea experience that cultivates tranquillity and blends together traditional tea culture with our uniquely Thai perspective. Nestled in the heart of Bangkok, our tea room offers a sophisticated yet grounding setting for you to indulge in the harmonious flavors and aromas of our exceptional organic tea from Araksa Tea Garden.

​

Opening hours 10:00 - 22:00

Lunch 11:00 17.00

Afternoon tea 13:00 - 17:30 (Only on weekends)

Dinner 17:00 - 21:00

Stay connected

​​About

Araksa adj. (sanskrit)

/ah·rak·sa/

to preserve & to protect, especially in reference to community and surrounding environment

We are guided by a strong commitment to environmental and social responsibility, which influences every aspect of our offerings. From the exceptional organic teas grown in collaboration with local hill tribe communities surrounding Araksa Tea Garden in Chiang Mai to our slow food concept menu featuring mindful and authentic Thai dishes, we strive to make conscious choices that support sustainability efforts and celebrate locality.

At Araksa Tea Room, we embrace and support local craftsmanship by choosing to incorporate indigenous hill tribe ingredients and showcasing local artwork. Serene yet inviting, we have carefully curated our space with a focus on using natural materials and decorative elements of textile, ceramics, and handicraft from local artisans in Chiang Mai.

Delight in the harmonious elegance of our afternoon tea experience, complemented by a delectable assortment of homemade baked goods. Embrace the beauty of slow food with our tea pairing lunch menu consisting of carefully curated traditional Thai dishes, prepared mindfully using responsibly sourced ingredients that celebrates vibrant flavors and the joy of unhurried dining experiences. We invite you to relax and indulge in our meticulously crafted tea-based cocktails that showcase innovative blends and local ingredients which pay homage to our Thai heritage. Explore our retail space, offering a complete selection of teas and unique products such as our tea timer and bamboo tea strainer handcrafted by locals that make perfect mementos for you to take home. Join us for one of our renowned tea workshops, where you can deepen your knowledge and appreciation of global tea culture.

​From our tea garden to table, lets celebrate the beauty of the tea ritual, authentic Thai culture and commitment to sustainability. With each sip and bite, we invite you to join our journey of responsible indulgence and appreciation for all that nature and local communities have to offer.

Tea

The tea

Indulge in the art of tea tasting at our enchanting new tea room. Step into our grounding and welcoming space as you explore our curated tea menu. Each tea is sourced directly from Araksa Tea Garden in Chiang Mai, where the finest organic teas are grown by a diverse group of individuals from Akha, Hmong, and Lisu hill tribes alongside local Thais. Explore a diverse selection of tea types, including delicate white tea, refreshing green teas, aromatic oolongs, fragrant black teas, and soothing herbal infusions. Our knowledgeable tea specialists will guide you in selecting the perfect tea and share brewing techniques and parameters to bring out the best flavors in every cup.

The experience

Afternoon Tea: Delight in a timeless tradition as you savor an assortment of homemade pastries such as the classic humble scone, carefully selected to pair with our organic teas.

Tea Pairing Menu: Elevate your dining experience with our thoughtfully crafted tea pairing menu that embraces the beauty of the slow food concept. Every bite tells a story and every flavor recalls the secrets of tradition and sustainability. Each home cooked dish has been mindfully prepared to harmonize with specific teas, creating a symphony of taste that combines the best of culinary and tea traditions.

Tea-Based Cocktails: Discover the art of tea mixology with our innovative tea-based cocktail menu. Each beverage highlights unique Thai ingredients coming from regions that trace the path of our tea leaves from Chaing Mai to Bangkok.

Workshops

Join our renowned tea tasting workshops, where you can learn about tea culture, brewing methods, and discover the unique nuances of each tea variety. Enhance your tea knowledge with our tea blending and tea sensory workshops, and discover the joy of tea appreciation. ​

Retail

Continue your tea journey beyond the walls of Araksa Tea Room and browse through our selection of award-winning organic teas. Explore a variety of tea-related accessories and Thai crafts handmade by local artisans.

Dining

What is slow food?

Slow Food is a global movement that promotes local, seasonal, and sustainable food. It emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional cooking methods, supporting small-scale farmers, and fostering a deeper connection with the food we eat. Slow Food encourages mindful eating, savoring meals with family and friends, and understanding the ecological, cultural, and social impact of our food choices. The movement aims to counter the fast-paced, industrialized food culture by advocating for a more conscious and responsible approach to food production, consumption, and enjoyment.

At Araksa Tea Room, we embrace the slow food philosophygood, clean, fair, and safe. Our menu is a testament to our commitment to sustainable and mindful cooking. We source local, indigenous ingredients to create dishes that highlight the rich flavors of Thai cuisine. Our menu embraces seasonality and changes often to ensure we use the freshest ingredients and support small-scale farmers while minimizing impact on the environment. We invite you to leave the phone, disconnect, and slow down to experience the pleasure of mindful eating and the vibrant tastes of Thailand.

Introducing Chef Yao, a highly-regarded chef and food activist, who leads our colorful culinary team. With her expertise in traditional Thai cuisine and dedication to slow food practices, she curates a menu that showcases the best of local ingredients and cooking techniques. Chef Yao's passion for sustainable and responsible food makes her an integral part of our mission to provide an unforgettable dining experience that is rooted in Thai flavors and traditions.

Discover the artistry of Chef Fon, who has created a delightful bakery menu infused with authentic Thai flavors. With a passion for baking that started at a young age, Fon's self-taught expertise shines through her savory goods, pastries, and cakes. From traditional recipes adapted with local and Thai ingredients to unique fruit-based creations, Fons bakery treats are the perfect accompaniment to our teas.

Bar

The beverage experience at Araksa Tea Room is centered around a harmonious blend of tea-based cocktails expertly developed by Jamie, our head mixologist. With international experience in bars, tea, and travel, Jamie brings an exciting approach to his creations. Our specialty cocktails take you on a journey, using ingredients that trace the path of tea leaves from the tea garden in Chiang Mai to our tea room in Bangkok. Each signature cocktail highlights a different province, showcasing local ingredients and flavors alongside each tea, resulting in a beautifully dynamic collection of beverages.

Additionally, we offer a selection of classic cocktails, where liquors can be substituted with tea-infused versions on rotation. To complement your tea experience, we also offer a range of Thai beers and organic wines.

Responsibility

We are deeply committed to sustainability in every aspect of our operations. From the construction of our tea room to our sourcing practices, we prioritize environmental and social responsibility. Our tea room incorporates reclaimed wood and bamboo, highlighting the natural beauty of local materials. We work closely with indigenous communities to create textiles and tableware, supporting their unique artistry and contributing to community development. By choosing Araksa Tea Room, you join us in minimizing our environmental impact (footprint) and are supporting our continuous effort to create a positive difference (handprint).

We are proud to provide economic opportunities by hiring members of the local community, fostering a sense of shared prosperity. The employees at our tea garden, or our Araksa family as we refer to them as, are represented by the Akha, Hmong, and Lisu indigenous hill tribes.

​

At Araksa Tea Room, we prioritize social and environmental responsibility through a range of practices that have a positive impact on people and the planet. Here are some of the choices we make and their significance:

Focus on sustainably sourced wood:

By selecting vintage, second-hand, or reclaimed wood for our furniture, we reduce the demand for new timber and minimize deforestation.

We have chosen to use reclaimed wood for our flooring, reducing the demand on wood and materials needed while creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that reflects our dedication to environmental consciousness.

Our bar counter is created using a fallen tree from the tea garden, giving new life to a natural resource that would have otherwise gone to waste.

Treating wood with teak oil instead of lacquer is an environmentally responsible option, as it avoids the use of harmful chemicals.

Central wood post, made from reclaimed wood, has been treated with teak oil allowing its natural colors and textures to shine through. By embracing the mismatching colors, we showcase the inherent beauty of nature while proudly demonstrating our use of reclaimed materials.

Bamboo:

The bamboo used in our walls is harvested from around Araksa Tea Garden, and handwoven by the Akha hill tribe in the traditional style, supporting responsible land management and the livelihoods of members in our community.

The wall lamp shades are made from harvested bamboo, showcasing the beauty of this renewable resource while minimizing the use of non-renewable materials.

Plaster walls:

• Our choice to use plaster walls reduces the usage of harmful paint chemicals, contributing to improved indoor air quality and a healthier environment.

Antique and local artwork:

• Incorporating Burmese antique furniture and Chiang Rai Hmong artwork supports local craftsmanship and helps sustain traditional art forms. The large textile centerpiece is made up of four traditional Hmong baby carriers. Used by the women of the hill tribe to safely carry babies on their backs. These garments are personalized and often tell a story of the child and familial relationships in their designs. These particular pieces date back to approximately 1990s.
• By hiring local craftsmen from the surrounding Araksa community, we foster economic growth and community development.

​​

Locally Sourced and Handmade Ceramics and glassware:

• Our ceramics are locally sourced and handmade, promoting the work of local artisans.
• The majority of our glassware is hand-blown and sourced locally, supporting local glass makers and reducing the environmental impact of mass-produced glassware.

Locally Sourced Linens:

• Our linens are made and purchased from local textile communities in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, supporting traditional textile practices and providing income for local communities.
• Our textiles in use, on display, and for sale will showcase different patterns, often from surrounding indigenous communities, as we hope to share our love of Thailands diverse textile heritage.

Flooring:

• The terrazzo flooring is made from a mixture of recycled materials, offering durability and longevity while reducing the consumption of new resources.

Upcycled Menu:

• Our menu paper is made from discarded tea leaves from Araksa Tea Garden and mulberry bush bark in a traditional Thai method, giving new purpose to these natural materials and reducing waste. Known as Saa paper (กระดาษสา), this paper-making process does not require any wood, therefore, no trees are cut down.

Through these conscious choices, we aim to create an environment that not only caters to our modern ecologically-minded guests but also respects and preserves our natural resources and local communities. We recognize that environmental and social sustainability is an everlasting journey and while we do not claim perfection, we are deeply committed to the constant growth of Araksas handprint on people and the planet.

Please feel free to contact us to learn more, ask questions or provide suggestions regarding our practices.