Of the thousands of restaurants in Paris, one stands out as a special dining experience unlike any other in the French capital.  Among tea connoisseurs, Mariage Frères is famous throughout the city and the world for its teas’ quality and variety.  Hundreds of teas from plantations across the globe can be found in the aromatic boutique on rue du Bourg Tibourg in the chic Marais district.

If stepping into the shop seems like a step back in time, it may be because modern-day consumers have become accustomed to indifferent sales staff or none at all.  At Mariage Frères, customers are greeted as they enter the historical shop and are assisted by expert staff who know everything about tea.  There are hundreds of teas to choose from behind the service counter, all stored in the company’s immediately recognisable black canisters with parchment-coloured labels.  Among other tea-related products to be purchased here are exquisite pots and cups and fragrant tea jams that make the morning start much more Parisian long after the flight home.

That is almost the truth if the Mariage Frères boutique appears to be a deluxe gift shop in a tea museum.  The spiral staircase in the entrance area leads up one storey to a beautiful and evocative series of rooms displaying items related to the history of tea.  In today’s disposable world, the quaint chests and utensils meant to serve particular functions in the service of tea are now relics of a time (not so) long ago, nostalgic reminders of life in another century.

While some customers take in the perfumed scents of the various teas at the service counter, others enjoy the house’s specialty throughout the day in the atmospheric tea salon.  The Mariage Frères salon de thé is hallowed ground in Paris; locals and visitors alike clamour for the chance to sample the many teas available to drink as well as the dishes listed on an interesting menu that incorporates tea into delicious meals and sweets served by another team of friendly staff.

Mariage Frères Marais interior.

The signature Snob Salad (so unique the name is trademarked) is one of the most popular items on the menu. However, the extraordinary desserts with tea as an ingredient will likely leave a lasting impression.  Perhaps surprisingly, most patrons are not elderly ladies who lunch but a more youthful clientele embracing the pleasures of tea with friends.  Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends.

Although the Mariage Frères boutique and tea salon in the Marais is the company’s flagship location, it maintains a few other shops around Paris (plus one in London and another in Tokyo), where a taste of tea awaits the tastebuds.  These days, people worldwide order Mariage Frères products online to deliver a little bit of Paris right to their doorstep.

Written by: Robert La Bua – Global Travel Connoisseur

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