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You might recognise a familiar building that sits at the junction of Penang Road and Clemenceau Avenue, which looks like it came out of a different era. That's the House of Tan Yeok Nee, a recently restored Teochew mansion – one of Singapore's oldest – with a 140-year history. Now transformed into a lifestyle destination, the building houses a free gallery, a fine-dining restaurant, a cocktail bar, and most recently, a café specialising in Chinese teas.
Occupying a corner unit beside the courtyard, Jing Studio is a pocket-sized space with only eight seats, where guests are encouraged to purchase their tea at the counter and sip it within the café or at the benches outside while admiring the building's architecture. The menu is similarly compact, with a selection of 10 teas (from $7 to $12) which can be enjoyed hot, iced, with milk or as cold brews.
After trying several on the menu, our favourite is Jing Studio's signature tea, Ember Road ($12), a type of black tea from Fengqing, Yunnan that's served hot, with notes of honey and dried apricot. This is the cup for anyone who appreciates the pure, unaltered taste of tea, as the notes come through quite clearly.
If you usually gravitate towards milk tea, one of the more unique options on the menu to try is the Coco Pulut Pu-erh from Menghai, Yunnan. Served warm or iced with coconut milk ($8), the first sip immediately reminds us of pulut hitam, or black glutinous rice. If you're a fan of Chagee's glutinous green milk tea, this has that same rounded and full-bodied profile.
And to counter Singapore's relentless heat, William recommends the Apothecary Gold ($7 or $8), an aged white tea from Fuding, Funan, with notes of sweet pear, chrysanthemum and honey. It's available in hot and iced versions, with the option to add milk, but we much prefer it iced. The blend has just a small concentration of five-year-aged white tea, resulting in a much lower caffeine content.
Other interesting picks include the Phoenix Spring – oolong tea from Chaozhou, Guangdong – specially selected as a nod to the building's Teochew heritage, as well as the seasonal Isle of Green, a type of green tea from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, which was harvested in March. Pair them with snacks like nostalgic ice gem cookies, or a small range of pastries from Koko Patisserie, subject to availability.
Part of the experience at Jing Studio is watching your drinks being prepared at the open counter, lined with infusers. The first round of tea is gently tossed, then passed through the infuser twice again, before it's decanted into large pots and served in simple paper cups for takeaway. If you have time to spare, opt for the Gongfu tea experience, available with premium teas such as the Ember Road and Isle of Green. It's well worth it, especially because it allows you to have a chat with Tea Master William, whose passion for tea is infectious.
Having spent eight years in the industry, even training under a tea master in Hangzhou to refine his craft, he happily shares stories about everything from Tang Dynasty tea traditions like Dian Cha, to the ceramic gaiwans and teapots lining the shelves, most of which are from his personal collection. Come by in the morning, and if you're lucky, he might even offer you a taste of whatever he's brewing that day – in our case, a fragrant Da Hong Pao oolong from the Wuyi Mountains.
Jing Studio is open daily from 10am to 7pm at the House of Tan Yeok Nee, 101 Penang Road, Singapore 238466. Find out more about Jing Studio here.
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