Today I’m talking to Jon Riggie, owner of The Jade Turtle tea house, who has opened a traditional tea house at 1007 Elmwood Avenue. Recently, Jon prepared some loose leaf, Chinese high mountain red tea, Gongfu Cha style, during an impromptu meet up. The experience was beyond anything that I could have imagined. Not only is this tea house becoming a coveted cultural experience in Buffalo, talking to Jon (and a couple of other guests that happened by, who recently relocated to Buffalo from Seattle), it is readily apparent that this is one of the most traditional tea houses outside of China.
Listen to the podcast and learn about the simple beauty of cha chi (the tea’s energy), Jon’s commitment to serving the best teas from the mountains of China, and this city’s incredible good fortune that he ventured back to his hometown – a city that is quickly becoming a landing pad for unconventional entrepreneurs that are finding fertile grounds for their adventurous concepts.
Welcome back from Portland, Jon. Buffalo is happy to have you.
The Jade Turtle | 1007 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 | (716) 949-6559
