Oolong all round

Hugely popular in Liao’s native Taiwan, the wholesale tea company Té was founded in 2012 and counts New York institutions including Per Se and Atera among its customers. With its first bricks-and-mortar store in the city’s West Village, the oolong education begins in earnest.

Despite its small size, the teahouse stocks between 25 and 30 varieties of oolong, a semi-oxidised tea created by curling and twisting the plant after exposing it to the sun.

Seasonal blends such as Mountain Range Shiso, which uses a herb from the mint family, and Rose Scented Evergreen, can be enjoyed with a slice of Spanish tortilla or biscuits inspired by a traditional Taiwanese pineapple cake.