It’s a weekday afternoon and Millennia Walk has a peaceful air. Most of the little human activity here is from office folk getting a quick caffeine fix, or Japanese housewives stocking up on groceries at Meidi-Ya. There’s the occasional group of students chit-chatting over desserts at the handful of cafés, but things are generally quiet. Often overshadowed by its larger, buzzier cousin Suntec City just across the road, this modest two-storey mall isn’t a regular haunt for most despite being smack in the middle of Singapore’s CBD area – so chances are, you’ve missed out on its newest gem, Golden Seed. But this zen tea atelier is definitely worth your attention.
Golden Seed specialises in Chinese tea, but it isn’t at all like your typical traditional teahouse. Instead, it’s sleek, modern and filled with natural light, with a clean and minimalistic white-and-neutral colour scheme. You might even mistake it for a luxury skincare parlour or interior designer’s office if you’re zipping by in a hurry – it’s sneakily camouflaged in plain sight alongside the mall’s high-end furniture, fashion and beauty boutiques.
A large bar counter flanked by heavyset pillars takes up most of the area by the entrance, and this is where your brews are prepared by Golden Seed’s tea baristas. Wander further in for various seating configurations: A long marble island with a mini moss garden stretching across its middle; a communal wooden table with benches; window seats suitable for lone patrons; and a cosy set-up against the wall with small round tables, perfect for pairs or foursomes. The window seats are supposed to come with fountain views, but the water feature was unfortunately boarded up for some maintenance work during our visit.
There’s also a semi-private VIP room where events like workshops and corporate sessions can be held. This, too, offers views of the fountain on usual days.
Golden Seed currently offers two types of tea appreciation sets: Tea Journey Awakening ($36 per person) which is suitable for those new to the art of tea, and a more premium Grand Tea Experience ($88, for up to two persons) for those with a more discerning palate. Each category comes with a decent selection for you to choose from; The former has more familiar flavours like da hong pao and long jing, while the latter has less common varieties like pu er that’s been aged for over 20 years, and ‘horse meat’ oolong. Don’t worry, it doesn’t actually contain horse meat and is named after its place of harvest.
Each set is paired with complimentary seasonal tidbits, which could include anything from nuts to mini cakes and Taiwanese-style pineapple tarts. We especially enjoyed the Japanese purple sweet potato mochi, though sharing proved to be a little tricky as it already came in a rather small bite-sized piece.
The books on the shelves are all for your browsing pleasure, so don’t be shy to pick one up and leaf through its pages as you sip on your brew. We spotted a Beatrix Potter art book, a collection of Dior fashion illustrations, and informative tea journals amongst the titles. There’s no seating time limit, so take all the time you need to relax, especially during non-peak hours. In fact, you’re more than welcome to hop on over with your laptop and spend an afternoon working here.
Some might find the tea here on the expensive side, and we won’t disagree. However, we were told that the pricing is as such due to the high quality of the tea leaves, which are personally sourced from China by the owner. The leaves are meant to be brewed multiple times per sitting, so it’s not a ‘one and done’ deal and you’ll be able to make the most out of your order with hot water refills. And of course, the tranquil environment is also a real treat that's hard to come by in this ever-busy part of town.
If you’d like to bring the experience home, pick up something from Golden Seed’s retail corner. Other than beautifully packaged loose leaf tea, there’s also drinkware like teapots and teacups and specially curated gift sets for sale.
Golden Seed is located at Millenia Walk (#01-72) and opens daily from 11.30am to 8.30pm. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations are recommended. Find out more and make a reservation via its website and Instagram page.
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