Brisbane tea shop, Tour de Tea, is where sisters Amy and Hannah craft bespoke, small-batch artisanal blends and source exquisite teas from across the globe.
Since 2009, Brisbane tea shop Tour de Tea has been a fixture in the local tea scene, first pouring cups at local farmers’ markets, now as an iconic New Farm destination.
Origin of the Beloved Brisbane Tea Shop
Amy and Hannah bring over 30 years of combined expertise to Tour de Tea. Amy first fell for tea in Melbourne, then honed her passion among Paris’ finest tea rooms. Meanwhile, Hannah embarked on her own journey in Queensland, with sojourns in Sri Lanka, Malaysia’s highlands, and Japan.
Together, they envisioned a sanctuary where tea lovers could learn and savour the magic of tea.
And so, in 2018, that vision became reality with the opening of Brisbane’s only independent tea store, Tour de Tea. More than a just a shop, it’s a haven where visitors are invited to lose themselves in the enchanting world of fine tea.
The Ethos – One of Reverence and Whimsy
Amy and Hannah see tea as a ritual of quiet attention, providing dependable moments of joyous tranquillity via the senses. As such, Tour de Tea’s blends are accompanied with meticulously crafted micro-fiction, penned by the sisters, to enhance tea’s transportive powers and thoroughly envelop the drinker.
Sustainability
Sustainability and personal responsibility are core tenets of Tour de Tea. Establishing Brisbane’s first zero-waste tea experience, they pioneered reusable tasting cups, zero-waste options for customers and recyclable packaging. After witnessing the waste in larger tea retail environments, they were henceforth determined to set a new standard for mindful, sustainable store operations.
Inside their New Farm store, small details reflect this commitment:
- Recyclable and compostable packaging for all products.
- Negotiating with suppliers for plastic reduction.
- Nurturing partnerships with like-minded tea gardens and ceramicists with values rooted in sustainability and fair trade.
- Spent tea leaves are returned to the earth as compost.
- Even the store is part recycled, with fixtures and counters crafted from repurposed Queenslander windows and doors.
Tour de Tea is a modest but tenacious example of how we can take responsibility for our own impact, one cup of tea at a time.
Tour de Tea’s Artisanal Tea Collection
Tour de Tea offers over 60 varieties of hand-selected, meticulously curated artisanal teas, all hand-packed in their New Farm studio. Amy and Hannah personally blend many of these infusions, creating flavour profiles found nowhere else in the world. However, their commitment to perfect balance means this remains a slow process – they release just one or two signature blends each year. Amy and Hannah focus on sourcing directly from tea gardens whenever possible. They place special emphasis on building lasting relationships with both tea farmers and ceramics makers across the globe, which results in an exceptional range of unparalleled quality and diversity.
Since opening their Brisbane tea shop, Hannah and Amy have been passionate about fostering Brisbane’s growing tea culture, collaborating with Tea Masters, public workshops, cafes and restaurants, with the agenda to build strong foundations for tea appreciation and improve Australian tea culture.
'Distinguished blends that transcend time and place.'
Tour de Tea