In a residential corner of Longgang, Shenzhen, a small courtyard combines a guesthouse, vegan food and tea — some people call it Zijing Courtyard, others Wensu Courtyard.
The basics
In Longgang district, Shenzhen, about eleven minutes on foot from Wuhe station on metro lines 5 and 10. The courtyard is done in a Japanese manner: tatami, wooden furniture, bamboo matting and greenery. Walking in feels like arriving in a small Kyoto.
The food
The kitchen serves vegan omakase, cooked by the host — low oil, low salt, low sugar, most of the spices grown on site, the dishes following the seasons and plated with care. Booking ahead is essential, something regulars always mention.
Rooms and setting
Japanese tatami rooms, with a courtyard and an open-air tea seat inside the walls. It is not far from the city centre, yet one step through the door feels like another world — which is why it keeps getting recommended.
Service
Tea is the other half of the experience. The house keeps four teas — Milan Xiang, Da Wu Ye, Duck Shit Xiang and Zhengshan Xiaozhong — of which Duck Shit Xiang is the most recommended, each served with a piece of millet cake. Drinking tea and eating vegan food in a thatched seat is a rare slow hour in Shenzhen.
In one sentence: if you want one afternoon of vegan food, tea and a Japanese garden, this may be the most accessible place in the Greater Bay Area.
Details here were compiled from public sources, and the photographs are TeaVegVoyage brand assets rather than shots of the property. Prices, opening status and booking methods change — please check the hotel’s latest information before you travel.