Tchai-Ovna House of Tea

I’ve been frequenting this delightful place for years now! It changed in some ways, what with the terrace now being closed due to the council granting licences for flats to be built. But they have worked it out and opened a new space at the new entrance.
The tea however, is just as yummy as ever. There is literally something for everyone! Yogi Yogi Chai is a favourite of mine, but the options are countless.
They also do an amazing falafel and one of the best flapjacks I have ever had Mmmmm!
It is a mismatched, higgle-​di-​piggldi, fairytale desk setting, delightful staff and very fair prices.
All I hope is that Tchai Ovna stays in existence for a long time to come.
Along with food and tea, they also offer Hookahs in the outdoor seating area, which can be very fun!

I love this place! They have an amazing selection of teas and provide the history behind the teas as well which I appreciate. Excellent vegetarian food and the yogi yogi chai is absolutely amazing! Every time someone visits me in Glasgow I take them to Tchai Ovna because it is a place that can be easily undiscovered but it is definitely a place not to be missed!

Good food, great tea. Lovely place, really chilled :) Just took a while to figure out the ordering system, menus are by the kitchen

This was only my second visit to Tchai-​Ovna (I know, what have I been doing with my life) and it was nice to get along to see the changes.
They’ve recently been having some issues with nearby developers, so there is no longer a verandah and they’ve actually moved the entrance. You now enter from a doorway by Mixed Up Records — it’s really well sign posted though so you shouldn’t miss it. Walk down a long corridor and it takes you to a (new?) backroom and the rest of the sitting area of Tchai-​Ovna.
We got a seat in the backroom on a Saturday afternoon which was nice although the place was pretty busy. My previous visit was last year and I feel like they’ve updated the menu but maybe my memory is going. Either way, they have a very long menu of teas which you could spend ages reading, however I make a quick decision so went for the rize which comes with free Turkish delight. I actually didn’t really like this tea unfortunately, it had quite an unpleasant taste to it which wasn’t even disguised by the Turkish delight. No matter though, I like that they have so much tea here and it’s always going to be trial and error, so I’ll know not to get that again.
It’s definitely worth taking a detour in your west end wanders to check this place out — it’s got a very serene, chilled out vibe and is pretty popular with students. Staff are welcoming and friendly and generally it’s pretty cheap. I’m yet to try the food here so perhaps I’ll do that on my next visit.

Tchai Ovna is probably one of my favourite wee gems to go to, just to relax, have some tea, catch up with friends, play board games with my partner, maybe a bit of shisha? Why not!
I was sad to see the verandah go! 90% of the time I went to Tchai Ovna, I sat outside, even when it was cold. But it’s okay because they recently renovated and extended the space inside. It looks pretty rad now! I’m so happy they managed to keep the tea room!
We went over last Wednesday for some tea and some chilling time. And just our luck, we caught a jazz band playing live! What better than tea and jazz eyh? Tchai Ovna is known for having local performers, be it musicians, artists, even magicians, come by and host/​perform a show for fellow tea-​lovers! It’s nice to know that they provide some space and are open to inviting the arts community to use it! It’s a wonderful thing for such a small business to support artists (They have a calendar that shows what events are happening throughout the month so check it out!).
Anyway, back to the tea. Yes, Tchai Ovna has a wonderful selection of tea! My fav is probably the Turkish Apple Tea, and also the more recent one that I had, which was the Honey Spice tea (helped me go right to sleep when I got home!). It’s not pricey either to me because one pot of tea can last me a very long time, and my belly is just always full of tea afterwards!
They also have cakes from Bakery47, which is a mega win for me, and they have vegan curries and such (which I remember were really nice but I’ll have to go back to try it and give a proper update ;)).
The folks in the tea room are also very friendly and accommodating.
I love Tchai Ovna so much! :)

Been here a few times over the years & always had a pleasant time.
Very hipster indeed & the seating areas are rugged & worn, but I guess it adds to the vibe of the place. Nothing matches, it always reminds me of a cross between a child’s den & a rustic rural farm house.
I have tried a few of the teas that come in rustic or quirky little tea pots, I think you get whatever they have clean.
My favourite part about this place is the shisha, you get an array of flavours (my favourite is blueberry) they last a long time & you get to puff them whilst listening to the sound of the nearby river.
Down side of this place is it’s very small & on a busy day you need to sit outside which isn’t great if it’s cold. They do have outside heating now, but it’s not that powerful.
The food is also not great. I find it bland & most of it seems frozen or made by the staff, but not well. I got 2 slices of normal bread last time & really cold hummus that tasted of salty ice. I have had the baklava before, which was good, but again don’t think was home made.
I go for the tea & the shisha & the quirky location & vibe. not for the food or comfort.

Oh Tchai-​Ovna, what a scare you’ve given me recently! Due to continuous harassment from a big nasty developer, poor TO has been through some tough times this past wee while, but it’s come through it well and I seriously hope it’s here to stay!
I’ll skip the boring legal details but thanks to a crowdfunder (which I gladly participated in) Tchai-​Ovna can continue to trade on Otago Lane — albeit without its lovely veranda which I will definitely miss on the few sunny days we get in Glasgow!
It really is a very special place, I discovered it while at Uni through some friends of mine and while I don’t get to come here as much any more, when I do I always absolutely love it.
Tchai-​Ovna is, as the name would suggest, a tea house and this is definitely one of the main reasons I come here. They have so many interesting and unusual types of tea to choose from — my favourites are the Turkish Apple and their own Faerie’s Blood (freshly squeezed from the faeries in their garden) which is extremely refreshing and tasty, it makes an excellent hangover cure as well.
I’ve always really enjoyed any food I’ve had here too, everything’s very reasonably priced and you feel like you’re getting something wholesome and healthy into the bargain. (Unless of course, you order the biscuits and nearly scoff them all yourself, but who would do such a thing? Definitely not me anyway, dunno what you’re talking about!!!)
But the thing that really makes Tchai-​Ovna special is the feel of the place. It’s so cosy and welcoming with a super-​relaxed atmosphere, many a time I’ve passed several hours here — drinking tea, chatting with my pals, seeing some live musicians or playing board games, and it is genuinely one of my favourite places to come in Glasgow. The cups and teapots they have are always pretty cool as well, I’ve heard rumours of them even having a cat teapot, but sadly I haven’t had the pleasure of witnessing/​being given it as yet!
I was heartbroken to think I might not get to go here any more, which really showed me just how much I love it… in fact, I think a Tchai-​Ovna trip is needed very soon!

Tucked away off Otago Lane, Tchai Ovna is one of Glasgow’s hidden gems and is almost an institution with the student population!
They boast the most extensive tea menu I’ve ever seen, and some tasty vegan food to boot (extra garlicky hummus! Bring mints if it’s date night). The Yogi Yogi Chai is delicious, as are the berry-​licious Faeries Blood and the Turkish Apple and Mint, but my favorite is the modest and subtle Little Buddha.
The atmosphere is REALLY chilled out; I can’t envision my grandparents settling in to the eclectic collection of seats and cushions for a cuppa, but for me it feels cosy and intimate. They’ve even got shishas and a wee outside area with a heater!
The service can be slow, you order at a little gap next to the kitchen, and the staff aren’t always super-​attentive. Personally though, I think the style of service fits Tchai Ovna perfectly and wouldn’t have it any other way; it encourages you to stop and slow down, enjoy the conversation, smell the flowers, etc!
They also host a live jazz evening which is a real treat, and stay open ’til eleven so you can sip your tea on your own time.

Tchai Ovna has something that many businesses lack and that’s soul. Soul and hunners of teas! I’m not even going to try and describe it because it’s a special place to discover for yourself and fall in love with.

I love Tea and i love comfy alternative vibes thus i loved Tchai-​Ovna. It was a really beautiful day and i took my time on the walk from the subway. Good thing too because i needed to check google maps a couple of times as I’m not a «local yocal». I eventually found my way to Otago Lane, there is a lack of signage on the shops on Otago Lane. Just keep walking to the end, turn the bend and you will see the outdoor area. A big lovely tree and the hippie signage welcoming you to Tchai-​Ovna. There were a few people sitting outside soaking up the Vitamin D and it looked very inviting.
I decided to pop inside not knowing the order of things and soon my eyes adjusted to the rather dark room. Here i will add is when you grab your own menu at the door, which i learnt later on. To order just pop up the the Kitchen and i believed we paid at the end. The entire room smells of Chai Tea (but actually) and there are cushions and odd furniture about the place. I instantly felt like i was calm, the lighting, the fabrics and the colours all work together to sedate everyone. The staff were also really chilled and lovely and very helpful when i thought my raspberry tea tasted and smelt like chamomile.
They have lots of tea to choose from all with descriptions of their taste and affects on the body. I also had Hummus with Pitta bread and it was the size of a main meal with some super fresh salad on the side!
I feel this would be a really lovely place for someone to come if they feel stressed. The environment is very sleepy and relaxed and really comforting. If you feel like you need a bit of a hug (in the form of a cup of tea) and to relax your mind, this is the place.

Cosy, quirky place, hippy-​ish, relaxed and full of character. You can sit and enjoy your tea inside or on the wooden terrace outside. Sampled several teas from the extensive menu — the strudel tea was spot on with apple and cinnamon flavours and the yogi yogi chai was deliciously sweet and spicy. At around 3 quid for a decent sized pot it’s very reasonable too. I didn’t eat there on this occasion but the veggie food smelled great!

I should have written about this place ages ago. The first time I found myself here I was a bit confused as I’d never seen such a long list of tea.
I took a wee bit of time to decide what I was going to have but the staff were great & helped me navigate the tea menu. They also serve great vegetarian food.
In a building that reminded me of Bothy’s in the Highlands, the furniture is a lovely odd jumble of mismatched comfyness. They even have board games you can play.

I love this place (when the students aren’t here making it excessively busy!)
The Kalahahi Rooibos is to die for and the veggy curries are absolutely splendid.
Hang out in the evenings and somebody may come in to play the piano, or if you’re lucky it’ll be jazz night and you’ll be treated to some pretty freewheeling «practice» :)
If you’ve not been here then you really owe it to yourself a visit. Take a date, they’ll think you’re the best person ever.

i love tea basically a tea junkie, so this is place is like heaven !
has a hippy feel to place always really busy place so try an coming in the evening which is quieter i believe, if you don’t know what to get go for the ‘yogi chai’ which is amazing its made of loose tea, ginger, cardamon, and spices they also do sheesha which goes nicley with tea.
i know they do live music during the week but still have’t got round to go to one of their events,
Great place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon !!!

Mehr als vier Jahre später muss ich eine Bewertung revidieren. Auch wenn der Yogi Yogi Chai immer noch sehr lecker und angenehm würzig ist, so war doch die Bedienung dieses Mal sehr unfreundlich, die Kekse waren eindeutig von ALDI (ich erkenne doch Butterspritzgebäck drei Meter gegen die Sonne ;)) und der Darjeeling First Flush wurde viel zu lange ziehen gelassen, so dass er sehr bitter war. Schade.

I love this place, mainly for its ambiance and the vast selection of teas. It’s perfect for a meeting with friends or brunch as they also do food. Try the Spice Master: great to chase away a cold!

Still winning the battle of Otago Lane against the destructive corporate masses, Tchai Ovna is a hidden nook, home to dozens of teas. From the sweet and milky Yogi Yogi Chai, to the fruity Faeries Blood, you can partner your warm beverage with a dish from their veggie friendly menu. Or just have a plate of biccies.
The inside is small and cosy, more akin to a beatnik den than tea room, with random seating, including the shoes-​aff zen room. There’s also a small outdoor area where you may see one or two patrons indulging in a Shisha Pipe.
This is a lovely place to visit with friends, or on your own with a wee book.

I love this place!
I think it is testimate to a business if after about 7 years after my first visit, I am still going there.
I love the chilled out atmosphere, the fact that nothing matches and the way that on a chilly night you can sit outside with a shisha and they will bring you blankets and hot water bottles.
The savoury food always looks nice whenever I go, but I cannot comment on it really due to allergies. However the chocolate flapjack is worth ordering with your tea! I have tried to replicate it at home but it never tastes as good.
They have tea from all over the world and is a great place to take a friend who is visiting, a catch up with a friend or a date.
They also have entertainment on some nights, which really adds to the chilled out atmosphere.
I imagine I will continue to visit here in future!

Tea anyone? This is thee place for tea, some tea and more tea. I ended up here as part of the UYE West End Wander organised by the lovely Sara T. It was our first stop so, what’s best that getting a good cuppa in before our walk?!
I’d been here before many years ago with Angela B but had the memory of we didn’t like it. The place is very very hidden in the West End, you’ve got to know or plan how to get to it as it’s down one of the many Glasgow’s West End’s hidden lanes. When I arrived it was puzzling me why didn’t we like it, then my man reminded me they do the shisha pipe and they used to be able to smoke it indoors before the smoking ban. Ahhhhh!!! Now I remember. They fortunately now take the shisha outside in their wee tea garden.
As it is a very small venue, it makes me think of a student’s living room, it’s that small. I think Angela and I being non smokers it was too smoky for us while trying to enjoy our tea and I hadn’t really enjoyed my choice the last time either. This time though was much better. Yay!!! With guidance from Sara I choose the Turkish Apple tea which was absolutely delicious. I would definitely have again. Slurp!
I still find it too cosy, I know that sounds weird but maybe because it’s very cluttered with stuff, lots of trinkets and just stuff. There’s also lots of soft furnishings so not short of cushions and blankets but for some reason I’m not the biggest fan. Maybe it’s just me and I just find it too claustrophobic, especially if it gets very busy. I still say it’s somewhere worth popping into if your out visiting the West End for the experience.

Lovely wee tea room. Great selection of tea. Very relaxed vibe. My friend and I sat in the snug which was super lovely and chilled. I had wanted to try a shisha but due to the lovely day it was really busy in the outside seating area.
I had wanted to visit for a long time and I wasn’t disappointed.

This is the kind of place you only know about from hearsay or if a friend whisks you off there randomly.
Being a tea snob, I was heavily enthused to come here. It’s very hidden and once you walk down the right path to get here, there’s a few other things that will catch your eye: a bookshop and a huge apartment complex. It’s awkward seeing that while you’re sitting down, looking at windows. But, it’s really not that bad. It’s really quiet, too. What’s sad is that the apartment complex people want to take the land of Tchai-​Ovna and tear the place down. I don’t know the status of what is going on with that, but for now, Tcha-​Ovna is here to stay.
I sat outside and spoke quietly, not because the sign told me to do so but because it just seemed right. I got the Mate Rancho tea today which, in my opinion, was rich in flavor but not the kind of flavor I would get again. I also had a lovely Indian curry dish. It tasted very authentic.
I would highly recommend this place for hanging out, studying, and for a good meal.

Wie schon beschrieben, eine Oase für Teefreunde. Aber in der Region erwartet man ja auch einen guten Tee. Putzen wäre mal eine Lösung, zu mindestens so ein wenig. Man darf nicht vergessen wo man ist.
Eine gute Adresse, für den Nachmittag. Mann sollte aber deutlich vor 17:00 Uhr da sein, sonst kann es eng werden.
Zahlen Sie mit Schottischen Pfund, nicht mit Englischen.