Tea Leaves
Revered Rosedale teahouse and restaurant to close, but it's not all bad news
Well, it's a typical day in Austin: When one restaurant opens, another one closes. Rosedale's revered teahouse and shop, The Steeping Room, announced Thursday, September 1 that it will brew its last teapot on September 24.
Founded in 2007 by Emily Morrison and Amy March, The Steeping Room has served the Austin community for more than 15 years. The local business was one of the first to settle in The Domain, and Austin's first full-service restaurant and retail top dedicated to bringing connoisseur-quality teas from around the world to Central Texas.
The team opened their second location in Rosedale in 2012, later choosing to consolidate the business to that location in 2017, in light of the expansion of the Domain Northside. The consolidation allowed them to focus on growing their online tea shop, wholesale café and restaurant program, and launching their packaged baked goods and wholesale pastry line.
The tea shop built a very loyal following in its 15 years, attracting tea lovers and healthy food enthusiasts alike. And there are several silver linings for those fans. First, March and Morrison have decided to turn their attention to further growing their online tea market, expanding their wholesale tea program to partners in San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston. They will also continue to do special events, pop-ups, and seasonal catering.
Further, the team announced launch plans for the opening of a tasting room where they can hold classes and do small group tastings. In product news, March intends to introduce a new line of teahouse-inspired frozen doughs and baking mixes, as well as commence work on her “communitea” cookbook to share some of her and her team’s favorite treats and specialties while chronicling her journey into mentorship in both the service and wellness industries.
For now, the Rosedale location will continue brewing up delicious, comforting teas until the end of its lease on September 24.
"The Steeping Room’s guiding principles have always been based in community building," the team shared in a release. "It has been co-created through the years with a talented and loyal team of people who have become an extended family while being shaped by our local community. Now, the TSR team looks forward to celebrating the joy of tea and delicious food with their restaurant family and beloved patrons as they finish out their time in Rosedale and plan their next phase for Austin and beyond."