At Beijing: Have an afternoon tea with a local – Drink and Chat

Beijing's tea culture

About Fireside Tea in Beijing

In Beijing, winter is long and quiet — and nothing feels warmer than gathering around a small stove.
People call it “Fireside Tea”, or boiling tea by the stove — a tradition that has quietly returned to the city’s courtyards and teahouses.

Here, friends sit together beside the fire, boiling water in iron kettles and gently roasting tea leaves in clay pots. On the stove, you’ll often see small plates of fruits and snacks — tangerines, chestnuts, or rice cakes — warming slowly as the tea brews.

Beijingers are straightforward people — they care more about living than formality. For them, Fireside Tea isn’t an art or a ritual, but a way to pause and connect. In old hutongs or quiet tea rooms, people talk, sip tea, and watch the steam drift through the cold air. The fire crackles softly, and time seems to move a little slower.

In Beijing, Fireside Tea isn’t about the tea itself — it’s about warmth, company, and the comfort of sharing a quiet moment together in the heart of winter.

The Routes

The experience takes place in a teahouse by North Lake, quiet and filled with the scent of tea.
You’ll learn about the rituals of incense lighting, the meaning behind fragrant beads, and the etiquette of Chinese tea culture.

As you enjoy handmade tea desserts, your host will prepare a small stove. You’ll roast seasonal fruits in the fire and experience how tea leaves are toasted in clay pots, releasing a deep and gentle aroma.

It’s a calm, slow afternoon — one that lets you feel the warmth of tea, fire, and quiet conversation.