3-hour Morning/Afternoon Tea Tasting on Maliandao Street & Dimsum

Maliandao is Beijing’s tea-trading center, and this tour pairs a visit to its tea shops with a full dimsum meal. You’ll taste eight kinds of tea, then sit down for dishes that can be hard to identify from a menu alone. It’s a practical way to get a guided introduction to two everyday pleasures of Chinese food culture in one three-hour outing.

I like the two-shop tasting, which lets you compare teas rather than simply sample one brew, and the included dimsum meal, with soup buns, vermicelli rolls, chicken feet, shrimp ravioli, and spring rolls among the possibilities. A guide named Renny has led the experience, and the tour can help you return to the subway or get a taxi when it ends.

One thing to check before you set out: the meeting instructions give two different Wanzi Station exits, C and D. The tour is listed for a maximum of 15 people, while its detailed meeting description says eight or fewer, so ask about the expected group size and confirm the exit with the operator.

• Eight teas, two shops: Expect green, oolong, black, pu’er, white, and other varieties during the tasting.
• Tea ceremony included: The tasting is more than a quick sip at a counter.
• Dimsum is part of the price: The meal includes a range of steamed and fried dishes.
• Maliandao is the setting: This is a major tea-trading street, not just a restaurant stop.
• Choose your time: The listed starts are 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
• Allow about three hours: The tour starts and ends near Wanzi Station on Line 7.

Maliandao offers a different side of Beijing

Maliandao Tea Street is the heart of this outing. It is known as Beijing’s largest tea-trading street and market, with people involved in the tea trade coming from different parts of the world. For a visitor, the appeal is not only the chance to taste tea. It is also a chance to see a place where tea is bought and sold as a working business.

The tour takes you to two tea shops, described as having connections to real tea farms. That detail matters if you want to connect the drink in your cup with the people and places behind it. You may have time to ask about the teas and how they differ, but the supplied details do not promise a farm visit or a full lesson in tea production.

A guide gives the market context and keeps the visit moving. That can be useful in a large tea-trading area, where it might otherwise be hard to choose a shop or know what to ask. The group size is listed as a maximum of 15, though the detailed description says the group will be eight or fewer. Since those figures do not match, ask the operator what size to expect if that point matters to you.

Eight teas, tasted in a ceremony

The tasting includes eight different teas, with green, oolong, black, pu’er, and white among the varieties named. That range gives you a useful first comparison across broad tea types. You won’t just hear a list of names; the experience includes a tea ceremony, giving the tasting a more deliberate pace than a quick sample at a shop counter.

Tea can be an easy thing to buy and a harder thing to understand. A guided tasting gives you a place to start: notice how the teas differ in flavor and aroma, and ask your guide or the shop staff what you’re drinking. The information provided does not specify the exact eight teas, how long each tasting lasts, or whether you will have a chance to purchase tea. If you are keen to buy, ask about that during the visit rather than assuming shopping time is included.

The ceremony may suit you especially well if you enjoy food and drink but don’t already know much about Chinese tea. It offers a focused introduction without asking you to arrange a private tasting yourself. If you are already an experienced tea drinker, the two-shop format may still be interesting, but the precise depth of instruction is not specified.

Dimsum turns the tasting into lunch

After the tea visit, you’ll eat dimsum at a nearby tea restaurant. The included meal may feature steamed soup buns, steamed vermicelli rolls, chicken feet, shrimp ravioli, spring rolls, and other dishes. A recent account of the tour also described pork dumplings and hand-pulled noodles, so the exact spread may vary.

That variety is part of the meal’s value. Instead of choosing one dish from a menu, you get to try a mix of dumplings, rolls, and other small plates. Soup buns bring a hot, brothy filling; vermicelli rolls are soft and delicate; chicken feet are a more adventurous choice for diners unfamiliar with them. Spring rolls and shrimp ravioli offer more familiar entry points. You can approach the table at your own pace rather than treating every dish as a test.

The meal is included as lunch or dinner, depending on your departure time, but the tour details do not list portion sizes or a fixed menu. Come with an open mind and tell the company in advance if you need a vegetarian option. The vegetarian option is available, but you should advise the operator when booking. If you have other dietary needs, ask ahead; they are not specifically addressed in the tour details.

A guide named Renny has been associated with a warm, helpful experience, and the food has included dumplings and hand-pulled noodles. That is a promising sign for visitors who value friendly guidance and a filling meal, but it does not guarantee that the same dishes or guide will be available on every departure.

A three-hour outing with two start times

You can choose a morning tour at 10:00 a.m. or an afternoon tour at 3:00 p.m. The experience lasts about three hours, which makes it easy to fit into a day in Beijing without taking up a full day. The morning option runs into lunchtime; the afternoon option means you’ll eat later in the day.

The tour begins near Wanzi Station on Subway Line 7 and ends back at the meeting point. The overview names Exit C, while the detailed directions name Exit D. Confirm the exact exit before you leave, rather than relying on one version of the directions. When the tour ends, the guide can send you back to the station or help you get a taxi.

A small group can make it easier to hear the guide and ask questions during a tasting. Still, the group-size information is inconsistent: one part says a maximum of 15, another says eight or fewer. If you are booking for a group or prefer a smaller outing, contact the company to confirm what to expect.

What the $99 price covers

At $99 per person, this is not simply a restaurant meal or a walk through a market. The price includes a professional guide, a tea ceremony, eight tea tastings, dimsum, and local taxes. You are paying for a guided introduction to Maliandao as well as food and drink, with the practical benefit of having someone lead the way through a place that can be unfamiliar to a first-time visitor.

The value depends on what you want from the outing. If you would happily spend time comparing tea and tasting several dishes, the bundled format may be a good use of three hours. If you only want a quick meal or already know the tea shops you want to visit, you may prefer to explore independently. Personal expenses are not included, so keep any tea purchases or other spending separate from the tour price.

The meal also makes this a more substantial outing than a tasting alone. A recent account described leaving full after the food, which suggests the meal can be satisfying, though the tour does not promise a particular portion size or menu. Treat the listed dishes as examples, not a guaranteed plate-by-plate lineup.

Who is likely to enjoy this tour

I’d choose this experience if you want a structured introduction to Chinese tea and dimsum, especially if you’re curious about both but unsure where to start. It suits people who enjoy tasting several things in one sitting and who like having a guide explain the setting rather than simply arriving at a restaurant.

It could also work well early in a Beijing visit. The tea tasting gives you a starting point for understanding different tea types, while the meal lets you try several dishes without having to order each one on your own. The group format can be a comfortable option if you prefer a guide to handle the route and restaurant arrangements.

This is less compelling if you want a long, in-depth tea course, a private meal, or a guaranteed menu. The details establish that you’ll visit two tea shops and taste eight teas, but not how much time is spent at each stop or how technical the tea instruction becomes. It is a tasting and meal, not a full-day food tour.

Most travelers can participate, and the activity is near public transportation. A vegetarian option is available if you advise the company in advance. For other accessibility or dietary questions, check directly with the operator, since the tour information does not describe those arrangements.

Booking details worth checking

The tour is listed at $99 per person, with group discounts available and a mobile ticket. It is booked, on average, 19 days ahead, which is a useful planning guide rather than a guarantee that a particular date will sell out. Confirmation is provided at booking.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience starts. Changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted, and a cancellation inside that window is not refundable. The child rate applies only when the child shares with two paying adults.

Before booking, I’d clarify two practical points: which Wanzi Station exit to use, and whether the group will be eight people or could be as large as 15. Those are small questions, but settling them makes the start of the outing smoother.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a guided taste of Maliandao, an eight-tea tasting, and a varied dimsum meal in one manageable outing. The combination is its strength: you get a look at a major tea-trading area, a ceremony, and several dishes without having to plan each stop yourself.

Skip it if your priority is a highly specialized tea lesson or a guaranteed list of dishes. The menu and the depth of instruction are not fixed in the details provided. For curious eaters who like trying several things and appreciate a guide to make an unfamiliar food district easier to approach, the $99 price can make sense. Confirm the meeting exit and group size before you go.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

It lasts about three hours.

Are there morning and afternoon departures?

Yes. The listed start times are 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

Where does the tour meet?

It meets near Wanzi Station on Subway Line 7 in Beijing. The directions give different exits, C and D, so confirm the correct exit with the operator.

How many teas will I taste?

The tour includes eight different kinds of tea. Green, oolong, black, pu’er, and white teas are among the types named.

What food is included?

Dimsum is included. Examples include steamed soup buns, vermicelli rolls, chicken feet, shrimp ravioli, and spring rolls. The exact dishes may vary.

Is there a vegetarian option?

Yes. Advise the company when booking if you need a vegetarian option.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel for a full refund at least 24 hours before the experience starts. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not refundable.