The Ultimate Tea & Food Pairing Guide

For years you may have sipped on the iconic supermarket tea bag with two sugars and milk while eating your breakfast or a monte carlo biscuit, but what if I told you that your tea and food experience could be a thousand times more amazing if you paired the right tea with the right meal?

Just like certain wines pair perfectly with certain foods, tea is exactly the same. With their different flavour profiles, this makes for some delicious pairings that will enhance your culinary experience. You can see on the Australian Tea Masters chart below just how diverse each tea type can taste.

 
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But how do you know which tea pairs with what food? Luckily for you, we have come up with a comprehensive guide below, sorted by both tea and food varieties.

BY TEA TYPE

Black Tea:

  • Earthy: perfect for a Sunday roast with vegetables and mash potato. Does not go well with dessert.

  • Smokey: Mexican dishes, dark/blackened meats and chocolate. Tastes amazing with any dish with strong flavours.

  • Fruity: counterbalances sweet desserts. Pair with fresh fruit or drink on its own for a refreshing drink at the end of a long day.

    Green Tea:

    • Vegetal: perfect with soft cheese & seafood

    • Grassy: complements Asian cuisine perfectly

    • Smokey: pizza, bbq meats and roasted potato and root vegetables

    • Gunpowder: pairs nicely with bbq meats, mint, basil & lemon

    • Fruity: perfect with sandwiches & fresh fruit

    White Tea:

    • Complements light sweets and cakes, but is best consumed on its own to appreciate its flavour. Anything too rich will overpower the white tea and will cancel out its flavour.

    Oolong Tea:

    • Light: pairs perfectly with salty foods and lighter white meats such as pork, chicken fish, crab & scallops. Complements Asian cuisine and helps to cleanse the palate after a spicy meal. As for sweets, try a lighter oolong with caramel desserts.

    • Dark: complements darker meats such as duck, salmon and smoked meats. Works well with sweets, especially maple syrup

    Pu-erh:

    • Pue-rh’s rich, earthy flavour makes it best paired with any greasy/oily meal that needs to be counterbalanced.

    Floral Tea, Fruit Tea, Tisanes:

    • Dependent on the spices, herbs and flowers used to flavour these teas. This will be up to yours or the manufacturer’s discretion. Usually perfect with any dessert or sweet.

    Chai:

    • Perfect with meats & pastries.

 
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BY FOOD TYPE

If you enjoyed reading this blog, also try:

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Tea & Food Pairings: Breakfast Edition

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If there is a specific tea or tisane this guide did not cover, comment the name of the tea below or send us an email at dynastyoftea@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

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