Tian Tea House Is Open In Columbus Park

Last year, Saranya Hubbard announced plans to open a brick-and-mortar for her Japanese pop-up bar, Moon Bar. But the space wouldn’t be just a bar. It would also house a tea room, an idea rooted in her longtime passion for Chinese and Thai teas.

While Hubbard is still waiting on Moon Bar’s liquor license, its daytime counterpart, Tian Tea House, is now open. The soft opening runs Dec. 22–23 and Dec. 26–30, from 9:30 am to 3 pm, with an official opening set for Jan. 6 during the same hours.

Eventually, both concepts will operate under one roof: Tian Tea House during the day and Moon Bar in the evenings. For now, Tian is the focus.

The tea house is currently dine-in only, inviting customers to slow down and sit with a pot of tea, many of them sourced directly from Thailand and China. Hubbard says that sourcing is made easier by her Thai Chinese heritage, which allows her to communicate directly with producers, something that can otherwise be difficult when working across borders.

The Columbus Park space was once a barber shop, and renovating the aging building took time. The result, however, is a warm, relaxed space with seating and a bar dedicated to premium loose-leaf teas. The menu spans white, green, oolong, red and black teas, alongside house blends like earthy toasted sticky rice, lemongrass and jasmine rose. There’s also matcha and hojicha from Japan, Thai teas, even blends formulated for things like menstrual relief.

Staff guide customers through the menu, offering recommendations based on caffeine levels and flavor profiles. Order the lemongrass tea and you’ll be invited to choose from a selection of small porcelain cups to sip out of. Small bites include tea jelly, gimbap from Kimchi and Bap and black sesame cookies from Thai baker Mooyueibaker, with plans to regularly rotate offerings from local chefs.

The atmosphere is calm and unhurried. Exposed brick, soft greens and warm wood tones set the mood, while a tiny TV in the corner quietly loops ’90s anime. Hubbard says customers can bring their own mug or purchase one from a small retail shelf for tea to go.

Tian Tea House sits across from KC’s first Vietnamese coffee house, Café Cà Phê, which also carries several of Hubbard’s teas. Look for the white curtains adorned with Chinese calligraphy. Eventually, Hubbard plans to host tea classes and rent out the space for events. The room’s projector will get its first test with a Stranger Things watch party on Dec. 27 at 7 pm.

Keep updated with Tian Tea House on Instagram, @tianteahouse.

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