Qing Teng Teahouse

Qing Teng is the teahouse where Hangzhou actually lives its tea culture: a vast, woody hall where families, retirees, and business partners settle in for hours, refilling pots while an endless buffet of dumplings, fruit, and cakes circulates.

It is less photogenic than Hu Pan Ju and far more real - the kind of place where you learn the rhythm of a Chinese tea afternoon by osmosis. The staff will set up first-timers with a gaiwan and a beginner's guide to the house blends. Come hungry: the snacks are part of the price.