How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
After running a burger spot in Mexico City for ten years, my brother and I opened our first café in Mérida, and two years later we decided to open this tea house inspired by English and French tea houses. We brought to downtown Mérida a calm space with vintage décor and a wide variety of teas and fruit and herbal infusions (tisanes). We serve them in beautiful warm teapots and offer the option to chill them with ice, complemented by foods like fondues, crêpes, paninis, and focaccias, as well as desserts.
What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
What people mainly enjoy is the cat that lives here. We used to have a beautiful calico cat named Tisana, who retired during the pandemic; now we have a gray cat named Yokuro. They have been the soul of the place.
If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
The wide variety of infusions—there are around 60 different options.
What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
Getting people to drink tea, which wasn’t very well known in Mérida at the time, but fortunately we’ve achieved it.
If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
Anyone who would like to venture into tea or infusions.
Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
We have three distinct areas: the first features the bar and tables along with a vintage shop; the second is a space where you sit on cushions, similar to Japanese tea houses; and finally, there’s the terrace where, when the heat allows, you can enjoy a cup of tea.
Answers by El Hoyo Casa de Té
