'Farm To Cup' Tea House To Open In Brookline's Coolidge Corner

BROOKLINE, MA — Ever just wanted a place to get a good cup of tea? Well, last month a sign on the door of what once was Panera announced that a Tea House was coming to Brookline. But not just any tea house, a modern Japanese tea house with a twist. And it's scheduled to open in early 2018, according to a release.

The owners are promising a modern beautiful place for an artful cup of tea, breakfast and lunch. In addition to an array of tea and coffee, Gen Sou En will serve breakfast, lunch, light dinner and dessert, plus sake, wine and beer during evening hours.

"And after work, or on the weekend, meet friends for a drink or join us for a light dinner paired with sake, wine or beer," said the owners on Facebook. “We are creating a vibrant and relaxing environment with a focus on the attention to detail that defines Japanese hospitality," said Haruo Abe, co-founder of Gen Sou En Tea House and president of Harada Tea & Foods, Inc., which is a prominent tea brand in Japan.

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Gen Sou En loosely translated means "farm-to-cup" and that's much of the idea behind the tea house. The shop plans to source both beverages and food locally and use mainly seasonal ingredients but with a traditional Japanese culture flair.

The space Panera once occupied was quite large. Gen Sou En Tea House will be pretty big, too, with 125 seats and 5,500 square feet to work with.

The tea house will feature premium Japanese green tea, in addition to black tea, matcha beverages, coffee brewed from beans roasted in Vermont and locally made sake. Guests will be able to choose from three signature green tea blends: umami (round and savory), kokumi (deep and full bodied) and shibumi (sharp and intense), all prepared at the exact temperature and brewing time needed to extract the full flavor of each leaf. All green tea blends will be served brewed or kyusu style, in a teapot the Japanese. Staff will suggest food pairings for each blend "to enhance its flavor profile."

Look for matcha lattes and hoji (roasted green tea) lattes, two of the most popular beverages served in Tokyo and Kyoto tea houses. The bakery will also feature matcha-themed baked goods. Think: matcha tiramisu and matcha croissants, along with many other house-made pastries, breads and desserts.

There will also be a wide array of savory Japanese selections on the menu, according to the press release: The tea house will serve Temaki (cone-shaped sushi handrolls), tempura, and onigiri (triangular Japanese rice balls).

The headquarters of Gen Sou En’s parent company in Japan, Harada Tea Processing Co. Ltd., is based in Shizuoka near Mt. Fuji. That company was founded in 1917. It's a company that usually focuses on tea processing, packaging and distribution and manages several company-owned and contracted tea plantations. They expanded to Singapore in 2012, and just opened a U.S. branch this year.

The tea house will be located at 299 Harvard St. in Coolidge Corner.

More From Patch On This:

Japanese Tea House To Fill Panera Space In Coolidge Corner

Panera Closes in Coolidge Corner

Another Store In Coolidge Corner To Close

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