Restaurant Background

A proudly homegrown brand, ChaYi is the brainchild of Chinese-Filipino entrepreneur, Winchell Tan. Growing up in a traditional Chinese household, Winchell shares that tea was a big part of his formative years.

“ChaYi was inspired by my love for tea and the cultural traditions I grew up with,” he shared. “As a child, I often watched my dad brewing tea at home or during business meetings. For me, tea became more than a drink, it was a way to connect with our culture and traditions.”

After studying in China, Winchell became more even immersed in the richness of tea, taking time to learn about the technical aspects of the time-honored beverage. His experiences have now birthed ChaYi, a tea stall serving cold brew tea, lemon tea, and tea lattes (which are unlike the milk teas you’ve probably tried!).

Vibe And Venue

Located in Lucky Chinatown Mall, ChaYi taps into the love that Chinese-Filipinos have for tea. Its demure façade showcases white walls with blue accents, reminiscent of Ming porcelain. “The design of our stores and packaging reflects the elegance of porcelain while feeling fresh and modern,” Winchell commented. “This approach ensures that ChaYi remains rooted in tradition but accessible and relevant to today’s customers."

How much does it cost?

A competitive brand, beverages at ChaYi are priced between P140 to P195.

What is the menu about?

As of its opening, ChaYi highlights six different kinds of tea: five from China and one from Sri Lanka. Of course, there are plans to add more flavors in the future!

At the moment, there is the artisan Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka, which is bright, bold, and citrusy. From China, there is ChaYi’s bestseller, White Peach Oolong, which carries a strong aroma of fragrant peach. Pu’er is another exciting offering; this type of tea often comes shaped as a tea cake and is known for its mellow, earthy taste.

Osmanthus Oolong, much like the White Peach Oolong, boasts a floral, fruity scent that is a bit milder than the peach variant. Lastly, the Oriental Jasmine – which Winchell suspects will be a big hit with Filipinos thanks to the familiar scent of jasmine – and the Da Hong Bao. Da Hong Bao translates to “Big Red Robe” and offers a taste that is rich and complex, with hints of roasted earthiness.

These teas can be translated into cold brew tea, tea lattes, or even snowy lattes. ChaYi also offers a lemon tea series. Sweetness is customizable for all drinks; customers can choose between 100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, or 0% sugar.

What We Tried

The White Peach Oolong cold brew is a great start to anyone’s morning. Its mild, floral taste serves as a gentle wake-up call because while it does contain caffeine, it offers it in less amounts than those found in sugary coffee drinks. The best part? It contains a negligible amount of calories making it a fantastic option for dieters or calorie counters. Other cold brew flavors include Da Hong Bao and Oriental Jasmine.

The star of the show at ChaYi, however, has to be the brand’s tea latte. Unlike milk tea, the tea latte is light on one’s stomach. It carries the same refreshing quality but is only 200 calories per cup. Its formulation also allows the tea flavors to stand out, while carrying a comforting, milky texture. The Peach Harmony flavor is a definite must-try and uses White Peach Oolong as a base. For something more unique try the Yunnan Pu’Er or the Wuyi Rock Tea flavor (which uses Da Hong Bao). Each drink can be made iced or hot and comes with a unique three-holed straw that can be used as a stirrer too.

For something more indulgent, go for the brand’s Snowy series. These drinks come in two flavors; one uses Artisan Ceylon as a base, while the other uses Da Hong Bao. They are similar to the tea lattes, but feature a cream topping and a sprinkle of delicious pecans.

You can drink this in three simple steps: taste the cream topping with pecans, sip a bit of the tea latte, and then mix it all together for a creamy treat that’s sure to leave you wanting more!

Location: ChaYi, 2/F, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Reina Regente St., Binondo, Manila. Follow them on Instagram.