The Lung Wah Tea House in Macau: Savoring the Aroma of a Time-Honored Teahouse in a Time Tunnel

Having weathered history, Lung Wah Tea House still stands firmly through the passage of time, allowing visitors to explore the authentic flavors of 1960s Macau. The unchanged wooden booth seating and the taste of the dim sum not only attract local regulars daily but also enable travelers to follow the aroma of tea and experience the most local teahouse culture of old Macau.

 

The common memory of visiting teahouses doesn’t exist in the minds of most Taiwanese people. The teahouses we usually encounter are mostly modern and hotel-like. However, the teahouse culture of old Macau still survives. Thus, we came to the “Lung Wah Tea House,” which has remained unchanged for over fifty years, to feel what an old Macanese teahouse with remnants of the past looks like.

Located next to the Red Market, Lung Wah Tea House is easy to find. It’s a yellow building adorned with green windows, maintaining its original appearance. Walking up the long staircase, you’ll immediately see Mr. Ho Ming Tak, the owner, standing behind the counter. With a beaming smile, he is the second-generation proprietor of Lung Wah. Having taken over the teahouse from his father, he practically grew up here, witnessing its journey from prosperity to decline.

 

“In the past, there was no McDonald’s. Macanese would go to the teahouse every day to drink tea and eat dim sum. Now there are too many choices. But nowadays, many people come here looking for the old teahouses of the 1960s. Whether it’s the decor or the flavors, nothing has changed here. Even in Hong Kong, you can’t find this kind of nostalgic vibe that still exists at Lung Wah,” he said. Because of this commitment to tradition, the “oldness” has become Lung Wah’s defining feature and the reason people keep coming back.

In the spacious interior, you’ll find traditional wooden booth seating and checkered tile floors. The open green iron windows let in a natural breeze. There’s no air conditioning—this is how teahouses in old Macau used to be. The décor, unchanged for half a century, is old yet not dilapidated, showing the owner’s great care in maintaining its cleanliness. The walls are adorned with many pieces of art the owner loves, such as calligraphy, paintings, and old photos.

 

“Lung Wah was founded by my father in 1962. My father was born in Guangdong, first ran a teahouse in Hong Kong, and after moving to Macau with his family due to the war, he opened Lung Wah Tea House out of nostalgia for the flavors of home,” Ho Ming Tak shared about Lung Wah’s history. “That was an era when teahouses were extremely popular. Back then, Lung Wah had over seventy staff members; now, there are six. He added, “Back in those days, Macanese went to the teahouse every day—their daily lives were inseparable from the teahouse.” He continued, “Just look at that elderly couple over there—they’ve been drinking tea here for 50 years!” He pointed to a pair of white-haired seniors sitting by the window, who leisurely make their daily teahouse visit just like always.

 

“In the past, it was the waitstaff who wore silver trays around their necks, with dim sum on them, calling out as they walked through the teahouse. Now it’s been changed to a self-service dim sum counter where guests choose for themselves,” Ho Ming Tak explained.

 

At the dim sum counter, I picked out green pepper fish ball dumplings and char siu buns, and ordered a pot of aged Pu’er tea from Yunnan to make a classic “one pot, two pieces.” I then sat by the window, gazing at the green potted plants on the balcony, which formed a harmoniously contrasting color scheme against the backdrop of the Red Market. Above the window ledge were hooks for birdcages—allowing one to imagine the past sight of numerous cages hanging overhead.