NOW CLOSED...Formerly:
Catering to neo-bohemians of the South Loop, this tea house, laden with Kerouac quotes, local art, glass-encased antiques and slick TV screens, steeps vintage mystique with heavy-handed tech flourishes. The resulting brew is an old-school-meets-new-school, east-meets-west fervor. There's also a lot of tea. But with more than 50 loose leaf varietals hailing from China and Japan, but also South Africa, Brazil and elsewhere, Hi Tea's Asian-identity relies mainly on a few deliberately arranged ornaments.
Approaching the small cafe, you'll see the carefully crafted logo above the door bearing the name Hi Tea written in Asian characters designed to look like Western letters. Bring your laptop and hide away, chat by the counter or peruse the displays; the cafe's many personalities are an accurate manifestation of its diverse co-ownership, as Dino and Tom Bezanes of SRO, John Daley (of Mayoral lineage) and Andy Pappas of Kouks Vintage Cafe are all at work here. Those familiar with the latter, a Norwood Park favorite, will recognize Pappas' fingerprints, as Hi Tea brims with gorgeous vintage teapots and cups, priced from $30 to high $100s. There are also a few vintage rock posters and comics thrown in for sale. Other touches, including LCD screens that project cloud images and muted, sci-fi laden films from Bjork's video director, grab patron's attention spans.
Menu options like mac and cheese, egg salad sandwich or the hummus plate (all $3-$4) don't exactly connote Asian chic, but take your pick of Hi Tea's private label blends such as Darjeeling, and you'll have a taste of luxury with your tea. The staff, comprised of exceptionally friendly Columbia students, informed us that private tea parties are available for interested groups.
Centerstage Reviewer: Libby Ramer
