Skywater Tea House

While in town for Tea Fest PDX, we had afternoon tea at Skywater Tea House.  Owners Hans Ramos and Neil Thompson opened the doors to the afternoon tea room in downtown Hillsboro in August 2022, shortly after opening Skywater Fine Wines.

 

Inside the entrance, tea and teaware are on display and available for purchase.

The dining area is well-lit with plentiful seating.  Tables are spaced well to prevent a sense of crowding when seats are filled, as most were shortly after our arrival.

Our table setting was lovely with matching dinnerware, tea cups, and saucers.  Even the wainscoting seemed to be a part of the table display.

The tea menu includes white, green, oolong, black, and puerh teas, flavored blends, chai, and tisanes.  Each guest receives their own pot of tea.

My tea selection for this visit was an earthy Shu-cha Pu-erh and the meal began with a refreshing Golden Pomelo Vanilla Panna Cotta.  Everything was delicious and the service was excellent.  I'm looking forward to a return visit!

Online reservations are required in advance.  Note that they do not offer alternatives for dietary restrictions with the exception of vegetarian and pescatarian diets which can be accommodated with advance notice.

Address:
1601B SE River Rd, Hillsboro, Oregon

Hours:
Thursday-Sunday 11:00am to 2:30pm
Closed Monday-Wednesday

Fly Chai

Thanks to a timely tip, I was able to visit Fly Chai during its grand opening weekend December 18-21, 2025.  The tea room is located in downtown Beaverton, Oregon and very convenient from the freeway if you're passing through like myself.

During my visit I had the opportunity to meet the owner, Neil Bhatnagar, who gave us a tour and shared his vision for Fly Chai.  He has brought his experience in hospitality together with his cultural and familial roots to create a community space that celebrates the diversity of the neighborhood.

The tea room has lots of natural light and plentiful seating on the ground floor as well as upstairs where you'll find more tables alongside several comfortable sofas.  Orders are placed at the counter and brought to your table. 

The menu offers a wide range of hot and iced chai, matcha, coffee, hot chocolate, desserts, and small bites.  The chai is made from a family recipe with Assam tea, fresh spices, and gud (jaggery) syrup and is served in clay cups.  It's customizable for spice levels and dairy options and is available as single-serve, flights, in tea pots for groups, and as a starter kit to brew at home.

For this visit, I enjoyed the Firestarter Chai with Bun Maska.  Note that spicier options like the Firestarter, which contains some of the spices you would find in Sichuan cooking, are not fooling around.  I enjoy mid-to-high spice levels depending on the occasion and this was at the top of my heat tolerance.  Respect your limits and you'll have a fantastic chai experience.  

Before leaving, I ordered the yummy Jaggery Brown Sugar Chai for the long drive home.  I'm definitely looking forward to visiting again whenever I'm in the neighborhood.

Be sure to follow Fly Chai on Instagram for the latest updates!

Address:
12520 SW Farmington Rd, Beaverton, OR 97005

Hours:
10:00 am to 8:00 pm

Dudley's Bookshop Cafe 2025

During a recent road trip, I had the opportunity to visit Dudley's Bookshop Cafe, a fixture in downtown Bend, Oregon since 2009. I haven't been able to visit since the time of my first review in 2019 and was curious to see if anything had changed. 

I am delighted to share that Dudley's still offers a nice selection of loose leaf teas from Metolius Tea, Jasmine Pearl Tea Company, and Prana Chai, as well as coffee and baked goods.

Orders are placed at the counter and seating has moved upstairs.  I ordered the Prana Chai Masala Blend which was delicious as always.  They no longer provide the teapot and filter for you to pour yourself.

Aside from some decor changes and furniture moves, Dudley's feels like the same warm community bookshop and I look forward to the next visit.

If you're in the neighborhood, consider signing up for Dudley's Bookshop mailing list to stay updated on news and events.

Address:
135 NW Minnesota, Bend, Oregon 97701

Hours:
Mon: 10-5:00pm
Tue-Fri: 10:00am-6:00pm
Sat: 10:30am-6:00pm
Sun: 11-5:00pm

Tea Review: Kashmiri Kahwa Masala Chai (Vahdam Teas)

Kashmiri Kahwa Masala Chai
Vahdam Teas
Type: Flavored Green
Origin: India
Product Description:

Quintessential Kashmir in a cup - aromatic and earthy, with a fine green tea blended with rich spices.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1.5-2 minutes

The dry leaves are blended with cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, and almonds.

The golden infusion has an aroma of sweet cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger.  The taste is mildly astringent with bold notes of cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon.

The aroma of the dry leaves reminded me of holiday cookies thanks to the combination of almond and  spices.  I found this quite pleasant when steeped for 1.5-2 minutes, while a longer steep at 3 minutes produced similar spiciness with more astringency.  I would usually recommend lowering the water temperature as an alternative, but that tends to weaken these particular spices.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Maharani Oolong Chai (Vahdam Teas)

Maharani Oolong Chai

Vahdam Teas
Type: Flavored Oolong
Origin: India
Product Description:

An indulgent combination of a medium-bodied & mellow Oolong tea livened with cheerful spices.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaves are blended with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

The reddish-orange infusion has an aroma of sweet cinnamon and cloves.  The taste is mildly astringent with spicy notes of cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and a hint of cardamom with a long spicy finish.

The aroma is deceptively mild with cinnamon being the focus and then that first sip is filled with the wonderfully bold spices and low astringency.  This chai blend is very pleasant on its own, though it may hold up well with milk and sugar if steeped longer.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Sweet Cinnamon Spiced Masala Chai (Vahdam Teas)

Sweet Cinnamon Spiced Masala Chai
Vahdam Teas
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: India
Product Description:

Sweetly spiced traditional Indian Chai enhanced with extra cinnamon for a lingering flavor.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3 minutes

The dry leaves are blended with cardamom and cinnamon.

The dark red infusion has a sweet cinnamon and cardamom aroma and taste with mild astringency.

Steeping for 3 minutes produced a cup of tea that was nicely balanced with the natural sweetness of the cinnamon and mild astringency.  A shorter steeping time will mellow the astringency for those who prefer something milder and a longer steep will allow the flavor to shine through with the addition of milk and sugar.  This flavor and aroma reminded me of cinnamon candy. 

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Vanilla Masala Chai (Vahdam Teas)

Vanilla Masala Chai

Vahdam Teas

Type: Flavored Black
Origin: India
Product Description:

A delicious medley of of our original chai enhanced with the vibrant creamy flavor of vanilla

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2-3 minutes

The dry leaves are blended with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cappuccino extract, and vanilla extract.

The dark red liquor has an aroma of sweet cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom and a hint of coffee. The taste is moderately astringent with cardamom and cinnamon at the front and vanilla in the finish.

A slightly shorter steeping time helps to reduce the astringency without losing the kick of spices for those like myself who enjoy masala chai without milk. This was also lovely and creamy when prepared with a splash of milk and sprinkle of sugar.  The cappuccino notes were lightly present in the finish.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Double Spice Masala Chai (Vahdam Teas)

Double Spice Masala Chai
Vahdam Teas
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: India
Product Description:

Strong, bold black tea with an added punch of spices for an energetic and spicy cup of Chai.

Temperature: 208° F

Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 2 minutes

The dry leaves are blended with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

The dark red liquor has a sweet and boldly spicy aroma of cinnamon.  The taste is moderately astringent with bold notes of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger and a sweetly spicy finish.

While the first infusion has the boldest flavor, I particularly enjoyed the 2nd infusion where the astringency mellowed slightly and the taste of sweet cinnamon moved to the front joined with ginger moving to the front in the third infusion. A bit of milk and sugar in the first cup was rather tasty.  The sweet aroma throughout reminded me of cinnamon candy.

This tea was purchased by me.

Tea Review: Trogdor Burninator Chai (World Tea House)

Trogdor Burninator Chai
World Tea House
Type:  Flavored Black & Oolong
Origin:  Not provided
Product Description:  Not provided.

Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-4 minutes

The dry leaf blend includes oolong and black tea, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, pepper, and cardamom.  

The bright red infusion has a sweet, bold, and spicy aroma and taste, almost but not quite hot enough to burninate the countryside.   The spices lingered in the finish with just a hint of consummate V's.

While the full flavor with all its spiciness is at its best in the first infusion, the second and third infusions are also flavorful and well worth exploring.   This blend really shines one its own, though it also tastes nice with a splash of milk and sprinkle of sugar, 

As a fan of the classic Flash web comic series Homestar Runner and Strong Bad Email, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to drink my nostalgia with this blend inspired by one of my favorite characters, Trogdor.  World Tea House offers special themed tea blends like Trogdor Chai for a limited time during Hal-Con, Halifax's sci-fi, comic, gaming, and fantasy convention which usually takes place toward the end of October.  Follow them on Facebook where they'll announce the release of these special limited blends as well as other very good things.

This tea was purchased by me.

 

Dudley's Bookshop Cafe

Dudley's Bookshop Cafe is located on NW Minnesota Avenue between NW Bond Street and NW Wall Street and has been a fixture in downtown Bend since 2009. 

The bookshop offers new and classic literature, fiction and non-fiction, with local authors and new releases proudly displayed near the front and used books located on the second floor.  

The bookshop is well lit with tables and casual seating scattered throughout the main floor while leaving plenty of room to browse the bookshelves.

Dudley's serves a wide range of beverages including loose leaf teas from NW businesses like Jasmine Pearl Tea Company, Metolius Tea, and T's Tonics, as well as Prana Chai.  They also offer a selection of baked goods to keep the hunger away. 

It was pouring down rain when I visited and Prana Chai was just what I needed to warm up.  The chai was served in a Turkish teapot, ready to pour. 

Of course, I can't visit a bookstore and come away empty-handed, so my tea was accompanied by a new book for the collection and a decadent pecan bar.  Mouth and mind were happy and the rain had stopped by the time I finished my tea.  An ideal situation, all around!

Check out the event calendar for live music, meetups, author talks, and more!

Address:
135 NW Minnesota, Bend, Oregon 97701

Hours:
Mon: 9-5:30pm
Tue: 8:30-5:30pm
Wed: 9-5:30pm
Thu: 9-7:00pm
Fri: 9-6:00pm
Sat: 10-6:00pm
Sun: 11-5:30pm

Rad Tea Room

Rad Tea Room has closed for business.

Rad Tea Room is located in Vancouver's Granville SkyTrain Station near the Dunsmuir Exit and has been serving commuters and the community-at-large since July 2017. 

A menu of loose leaf green and black teas, oolong, puerh, and tisanes can be found on the Unicorn List and all can be prepared hot or cold.  The tea room also offers popular blended drinks like bubble milk tea, matcha lattes, milk tea caps, smoothies, and tea mocktails.  The tea room also has a tempting selection of waffles and sweets for hungry visitors.

The interior is spacious with a blend of modern and whimsical decor.  Seating includes a sofa lounge area, small tables, and long communal tables.  The tea room offers free wifi and power outlets, so this is a popular space for students as well as commuters.

During this visit, I ordered White Tip Oolong to-go (pardon the shadowy and mysterious photo).  I think I may have ended up with Dong Ding because the aroma was rich and roasty with caramel and chestnut notes and a dark roasted taste.  I have no complaints because it was delicious.

Address:
80-678 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC, V7Y 1K8
The Granville Station, Dunsmuir Exit

Hours:
Sunday-Wednesday 8:00 am to 9:00 pm
Thursday-Saturday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

Tea Review: Bombay Masala Chai (Trudy Ann's Chai & Spices)

Bombay Masala Chai
Trudy Ann's Chai & Spices
Type: Flavored Black
Origin: India, Assam
Product Description:  The perfect wake me up tea. This tea will leave you wanting more. If you like traditional Masala Chai from India, this is the chai for you. It has a kick to it with that extra punchy spice. Perfect with unrefined sugar & cream.

The tea packaging contains a spice packet which, per the instructions, should be stored away from other teas.  This is illustrated by the bold spicy aroma lingering with the tea long after the spice packet has been removed.  The packaging also lists several preparation methods including two with hot water that I followed for this review.

This tea was purchased by me.

Temperature: 212° F (boiling)
Amount: 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon tea, 1/4 teaspoon spices

Steeping Time: 5 minutes

For this method, I measured out the tea and spices, steeped them in boiling hot water in a heat-resistant glass measuring cup (a non-porous teapot would also do nicely) for 5 minutes, then poured into the teacup through a fine strainer.  The aroma and taste were rich and spicy and rather enjoyable without the addition of cream or sugar.  With a sprinkle of sugar and a splash of milk, the astringency mellowed while the spices remained prominent.

Temperature: 212° F (boiling)

Amount: 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons cream, 1 teaspoon tea, 1/4 teaspoon spices, 2 slices ginger 

Simmering Time: 3 minutes

For this method, I brought 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of cream (half-and-half in this case) to a boil.  I then added the measured tea and spices along with two slices of fresh ginger to the pot, simmering for 3 minutes before pouring into the teacup through a fine strainer.  The aroma was creamy and spicy with a creamy and boldly spicy taste.  Adding a sprinkle of sugar to the cup made the spices "pop" and the results reminded me of a good slow-simmered chai.