Tea’s On Tap At Old Rock Bottom Location

Once a site for grinding barley and hops, 50 Church Street, the former site of the Rock Bottom bar will now be brewing a beverage of a different sorts.

Around the corner from Tealuxe and Starbucks, the vacant building has been claimed by the founders of Dado Tea, who plan to start steeping and stewing their leaves within the next two weeks.

“We thought it would be fun to become a part of the Harvard Square community,” said Jennie Song, a religion graduate student who owns both the new store and its two-year old flagship on Massachusetts Avenue near Central Square.

Song said that because the Central Square location is out of the way for many students, she decided to bring Dado to the Square.

“As a student here, I know I never used to walk beyond Crate and Barrel,” she said of the stroll up Mass Ave. “A lot of students have probably never been there. After a certain hour, we really don’t get too much foot traffic.”

Song said bringing her business to the Square is a step towards her goal of bringing the Asian tea-drinking experience to Cambridge.

“We offer the authentic experience,” said Song, who has traveled throughout the tea shops and monasteries of Asia.

From her travels, Song has selected around 30 teas from China, Korea, and Taiwan, all of which she serves in an individual pot.

Song says Dado also offers a naturally-brewed version of the now-trendy bubble tea—tea with milk and tapioca “pearls.”

“We use authentic ingredients for our bubble tea, none of those artificial powders they serve at Lollicup,” Song said of her competitors down JFK Street. But Patrick D. Blanchfield ’05, a student who has made it past Crate and Barrel to Dado on a walk from Mather, said he disagrees.

“I’ve been told by those in the know that Lollicup’s boba are more authentic—something about the texture,” he said.

But he said he still enjoys Dado’s version and also appreciates the store’s atmosphere. “It has a sort of homey charm to it,” he said. “You don’t get that everywhere.”

Song said that the store’s relaxed atmosphere is part of the charm. “We’re not really a franchise like Tealuxe,” she said “They do a lot of blends and probably import a lot of tea in bulk. We’re not big enough for that, but we actually know our farmer.”

To maintain that charm, Song said she will not offer wireless internet in her store, believing tea should be a more personal experience.

“People get hooked on that,” she said. “Here they can take some time off.”

Blanchfield agreed that Dado brought a new sense of tranquility to the neighborhood.

“I liked Church Street when it was a little rougher. Dado will certainly fill the void of Rock Bottom, but it can’t really take its place,” he said referring to the crowds the bar drew.

Despite Dado’s focus on tradition, Song said the shop is always trying new things, like fruit smoothies with tea and various sandwiches, pastries, and even sushi.

But tea will always be the heart of her business.

“Tea is so wonderful because of its health benefits. It’s full of antioxidants and things that boost your immune system,” she said.

—Staff writer Wendy Widman can be reached at widman@fas.harvard.edu.