I have always said I do not like tea. The mixture of boiling water and leaves never appealed to me; frankly, the smell makes me nauseous. I have tried to enjoy it, dabbling in those cold infusion tea bags and wandering the isles of Sainsbury’s looking at the ingredients in those gorgeous Pukka boxes but it’s never been for me. My conclusion?
I should accept my fate and stick to coffee.
However, just as I thought all hope was lost for me, I found Bird and Blend Co. nestled in the Royal Arcade. Originally, I was going to succumb to my past thinking and not go in because ‘I don’t like tea!’ however, once I noticed a Taylor Swift-related tea pun on the window, I could not resist going in.
It’s a lovely shop with a relaxing, warm atmosphere and incredibly friendly staff who were more than happy to answer my questions and provide samples. They offered suggestions and pairings and were very welcoming and knowledgeable about tea, which eased me as I was absolutely in the dark about where to begin.
Bird and Blend’s aim is to spread happiness and reimagine tea, both of which I feel were successfully achieved as I left the shop smiling and actually liking tea! Particularly, the ‘Buttermint’ blend with lemonade was a stand out as it was fresh, unique and completely redefined what tea meant to me. It was no longer the bitter smell of Earl Grey or countless shelves of the same Chamomile blends, this was new and exciting.
All of the distinctive flavours are loose-leaf blends and come in a variety of flavours meaning there is something for everyone, and at affordable prices too. With flavours such as their award-winning ‘Sticky Chai’ to their ‘Pina Colada’ blend or ‘Welsh Cake Cwtch’, this tea can transport you anywhere from a tropical beach to the natural beauty of the Valleys between brewings.
...this tea can transport you anywhere from a tropical beach to the natural beauty of the Valleys...
With shelves of colour-organised teas and the most creative and delicious flavours, combined with a fabulously curated playlist of Olivia Rodrigo, Lorde and Taylor Swift, it really is a place worthy of a visit.
Even if you don’t fancy doing the brewing, there is a little on-site tea bar with an amazing selection of cold, hot and matcha products. There is a 10% student discount too!
I would recommend Bird and Blend Co. to anyone who thinks tea is not for them and to anyone at all because there really is something for everyone! to enjoy!