Da Ke Tang

Da Ke Tang is what happens when pu'er collectors buy a 1920s villa and fill it with tea: mahogany shelves of aging cakes, a salon where vintages are poured like Burgundy, and a garden terrace for summer sessions. The house specializes in old pu'er, with prices from a modest tasting to four figures a cup for museum-grade cakes.

The staff are genuine connoisseurs who speak English, and a guided tasting here is the most civilized hour in Shanghai. Come with questions - this is a place built for tea education, and you will leave able to tell shou from sheng at a glance.