About Tebí

We come from Nantou, a hilly county in Taiwan, and home to Taiwan's best oolong tea. There is a rich cultural history in Nantou revolving around oolong tea. People crowd around tea stands and tables, indulging in the ritual and cultural rite of passage that is brewing, serving, and enjoying tea with loved ones.  Growing up in Taiwan, all of us here at Tebí have precious childhood memories of sipping hot oolong, chatting and listening to friends and family as they tell wondrous stories and enjoy their tea.

 There is an old table in my Grandpa’s living room; it is like a small stage. Always set and prepared for a show. It is here that my Grandpa prepares tea. Always, a pot of oolong fills center stage, with steam wafting and filling the room with the scent of fresh tea and a rich, misty haze. Even now I can hear him greeting friends and family at the door an offering them a cup. Tea truly connects people and serves as an important cultural staple in everyday life in Taiwan. To us here at Tebi, tea is the touching hospitality and the connection between people who share a pot of tea. No matter how far we are from home, the steam of brewing our tea is like the steam that comes from my Grandpa’s tea table.

Our name, Tebí, comes from a Taiwanese phrase popular in our hometown; it is actually 2 words—”Te” meaning tea and “bí” meaning rice. Together, Tebí means something close to “rice-like tea” or “grainy tea leaf”. A colloquial phrase that usually refers to the tea leaves after preparation. Our logo even features Phoenix Mountain and the vast tea gardens as seen from our hometown. We wanted to honor our heritage, and so Tebí was created.    

We want to share this important part of our life and history with you in the best way we know how--by giving you a taste of our home. We specialize in Taiwanese oolong tea and teaware straight from our hometown; and we would like to share it and our tea lifestyle with you.