Business Spotlight: Prince Tea House
Wai Khoon Liew, Lily Mo, Shu Yang and Hanqing Lin of Prince Tea House in Chinatown
Prince Tea House
134 Bowery St.
(646) 892-3160
princeteahouse.com
Welcome to Chinatown spoke with Shu Yang, manager of Prince Tea House’s Chinatown location. Their first location opened in 2014 in Flushing. Over time, the business grew across several locations, including the Chinatown location, which opened in 2019. In addition to a large array of teas, the menu also offers unique and delicious desserts and a variety of appetizers, salads, and snacks.
Tell us about your business.
Prince Tea House is an Asian-European fusion dessert, brunch, and afternoon tea spot. We’re driven to deliver comfort, friendly service, and exquisite desserts and teas. Our teas are sourced from France and we make confections in-house with unique recipes and refined techniques.
Most customers come in groups — we see a lot of families. We host events like bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, and corporate events. We’re now open for indoor and outdoor dining as well as takeout.
How has the pandemic affected Prince Tea House?
When COVID-19 struck, we had to close for five months. Our landlord asked for full rent. It’s been very tough. We spent several weeks getting ready for outdoor dining to follow government guidelines. It’s been several months since we’ve re-opened, but our business hasn’t picked back up.
What are the most popular items on your menu?
Our most famous item is our Mille Crepe Cake, which comes in a variety of flavors. Another is our Salted Crispy Chicken, which has a nice touch of Asian spice. It’s a nice pairing with our teas or sweets. Lastly, our teas. We’re proud of our selection — hot, iced, milk, fruity, and healthy teas — all brewed in-house.
What’s your favorite item on the menu?
My favorite is our signature Afternoon Tea set, which includes five assorted finger sandwiches, four desserts, freshly made scones, and a choice of tea.
“We’re grateful our tea house can provide a warm, welcoming family gathering spot for the community. It brings us a lot of joy.”
What does your business bring to the Chinatown community?
Chinese people often start the day with tea and also tend to be family-oriented. During weekday afternoons, parents and kids enjoy tea time together here, discuss their day at school, and do their homework. On weekends, our store fills up with families. We often see three generations sitting together. We’re grateful our tea house can provide a warm, welcoming family gathering spot for the community. It brings us a lot of joy.
Why is teatime or “High Tea” so popular?
Teatime (a.k.a dim sum, yum cha) — when various small dishes and some sweets are served in the morning or lunch — is part of Chinses tradition. It’s very popular in Asian American and Chinatown communities.
We put a bit of a twist on it by opening from lunch to midnight. By providing a large selection of desserts and teas, as well as excellent customer service, our customers leave happy and satisfied.
“We know it’s been tough for everyone and hope our desserts, tea, and service can bring hope and happiness to all.”
How can people support your business?
Check out our monthly promotions and stop by 134 Bowery (between Broome and Grand Streets) for indoor dining or takeout.
We know it’s been tough for everyone and hope our desserts, tea, and service can bring hope and happiness to all. We welcome all parties and catering requests, and also offer gift cards.
We’re following all government indoor and outdoor dining guidelines. To provide a safe and joyful experience, we ask customers to protect themselves and others by respecting our store policy.
Chinatown small businesses like Prince Tea House are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support to keep that spirit alive. Please consider donating to The Longevity Fund, our small business relief fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help keep Chinatown open for business.
Photo Credits: Steven Yen
