That's My Cup Of Tea: Why You Should Go To Mariage Frères

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères's Instagram page.)

I was in the ninth grade when I saw the movie Midnight in Paris, starring Owen Wilson and Marion Cottilard. The film's opening scene is a five-minute love letter to Paris as a person sees French monuments and everyday life. Since the first time I saw the movie, one of my goals has been to sit at a Parisian teashop reading a book or writing something that leaves an impact. I decided that Mariage Frères would be where I could make this dream come true. Although I have not been to Paris yet, I had the chance to speak with Claudia Mingori to learn more about Mariage Frères.

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères.)

1. What makes Mariage Frères different from other restaurants?

When you enter a Mariage Frères restaurant, you enter a different world. It is not only a restaurant. It is a tea counter, a tea museum, a tea restaurant, and a tea room simultaneously. A marvelous scent of tea will welcome you, and the unique setting and atmosphere will take you to the magical world of tea. Our restaurant merges French cuisine with a tea house to create an incredible experience. When you eat our food, we prepare homemade dishes from the beginning to the end of the meal.

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères page.)

2. How does Mariage Frères respect its past and embrace innovation?

For the past 160 years, Mariage Frères has been a part of the tea world. We have built special relationships with the tea planters. We work together to obtain the best quality tea while respecting nature and Fair Trade.

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères's Instagram page.)

Mariage Frères was the first French company to introduce green, white, blue, and red rooibos tea to the market. We are constantly creating new tea blends (hybrids of tea and other plants/beverages from coffee to a clover flower.).

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères's Instagram page.)

3. How does Mariage Frères incorporate its mission and vision into its product offerings?

Our mission is to offer the best quality teas. 95% of our current tea offerings are from the Jardin Premier label, our organic label. Our vision is to offer 100% Jardin Premier tea in the next two to three years.

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères's Instagram page.)

4. Why should someone eat at Mariage Frères?

Our menu changes monthly. Each month a person can have a unique tea-infused dessert or specialty tea. Our kitchen cooks only homemade recipes using the best ingredients. A person can visit us every day for lunch, brunch, and tea from 12 pm-7 pm.

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères's Instagram page.)

5. What is the future of the restaurant?

We will continue to innovate and offer new drink options using our teas.

(Image courtesy of Mariage Frères's Instagram page.)