An online tea shop devoted to premium Chinese loose-leaf tea is preparing to welcome customers into its first brick-and-mortar home.
Kong Mountain Tea is set to open its inaugural traditional Chinese tea room at 1132 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge‘s Harvard Square. Founder Xi Ouyang told What Now Boston that the shop is slated to open on August 30, 2026, pending construction and final inspections.
A former Scituate public school teacher, Ouyang launched Kong Mountain Tea as an online business in 2018, specializing in Chinese loose-leaf teas, handcrafted teaware, and educational content about tea harvesting, brewing techniques, and tea culture. Her first storefront draws inspiration from the tea culture of her hometown in Jiangxi Province, China, where taking time to gather over tea is woven into everyday life.
“I—like many tea lovers—have long dreamed of a space where one can slow down, savor a cup of premium loose leaf tea (brewed in gongfu style or any style), enjoy thoughtfully paired snacks and desserts, and simply unwind in the gentle, calming atmosphere of a tea room,” Ouyang wrote on the company’s website. “Since 2018, this dream has quietly grown in our hearts, and now we’re finally ready to bring it to life.”
Rather than functioning solely as a tea room, the 14- to 15-seat space is designed as a cultural gathering place centered on tea, art, and mindful living. Guests will be able to enjoy premium loose-leaf teas prepared in a variety of styles alongside thoughtfully paired pastries and desserts, or reserve ticketed tea tastings featuring curated teas and confections.
According to The Harvard Crimson, Ouyang plans to offer three tasting tiers based on ingredient quality, with guests choosing either staff-guided preparation or brewing the tea themselves.
The Asian-inspired interior is envisioned as a tranquil gallery-like environment featuring artisan teaware, tea-inspired apparel, and displays from local artists and makers. Ouyang also plans to host tea courses, workshops, and community events in collaboration with musicians, writers, florists, artists, and other creatives, creating a space that extends well beyond the traditional tea room.
Ouyang said she hopes the shop will offer a welcome contrast to the increasingly fast-paced nature of modern life. “Especially with technology and AI, people are going faster and faster,” Ouyang told The Crimson. “However, on the opposite side of the world, people are still using traditional methods and human laborers to handpick stuff. That kind of lifestyle pulls me back to a really simple and slow life.”
For the latest construction updates and grand opening announcements, follow @kongmountaintea on Instagram.
