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Teapluz, or Tea+, was another name that kept coming up when I was searching for interesting tea places in Kuala Lumpur.
Unlike a traditional Chinese tea shop, like Shiquan Tae Tea, Tea+ felt like it was designed to introduce Chinese tea to a younger, more modern audience. Needless to say, I was intrigued.
So, after visiting Hojo Tea at The Gardens Mall, where we enjoyed a very traditional Gongfu tea session, my brother and I decided to squeeze in one more tea stop before leaving. Luckily, we didn’t have to go very far. Tea+ was located in the same mall, just a short walk away.
Tea+ brands itself as the first artisanal tea bar in Malaysia.
With its sleek brewing equipment, nitrogen-infused teas, cold brews, and apothecary-inspired bottles, it definitely felt like a very different kind of tea experience.
Let’s get down to my review of Tea+ (Teapluz) in KL.
What is Tea+?
Before getting into my visit, it’s worth talking a little bit about Tea+ because the brand has some interesting history.
Tea+ is an artisanal tea concept established in 2018 under Purple Cane, one of Malaysia’s longstanding names in Chinese tea. Purple Cane itself was established in 1987 and has spent decades promoting not just tea, but Chinese tea culture through its tea houses, tea products, tea education, and tea cuisine.
In a Purple Cane teahouse, every single item on the menu uses tea as an ingredient. They also regularly hold workshops and courses to teach people more about tea and the brewing process.
Tea+, on the other hand, takes that traditional tea knowledge and gives it a more contemporary presentation.
Rather than positioning tea purely as something to be brewed in a traditional teapot and enjoyed slowly, Tea+ experiments with different brewing techniques and formats. Its offerings include hot brews, cold brew teas, tea desserts, and nitrogen-infused teas, alongside tea workshops and tasting experiences.
I think this is what makes Tea+ particularly interesting. It doesn’t seem to be trying to replace traditional tea culture. Instead, it takes elements of it and presents them in a way that feels more approachable to people who might not normally walk into a traditional Chinese tea shop.
And you can still see the Purple Cane connection throughout the space, with tea and teaware from the parent brand available for purchase.
My Visit to Tea+
We arrived at Tea+ after spending quite a bit of time at Hojo Tea, so unfortunately we didn’t have as much time here as I would have liked.
As soon as we walked in, one of the first things I noticed was the smell.
There was a lovely aroma of glutinous rice tea in the air, which immediately made the place feel much more like a tea shop despite its modern appearance.
There were also two staff members preparing tea behind the counter using some really interesting-looking brewing equipment.
The setup honestly looked more like a cool science laboratory than a traditional tea shop.
The whole place had a slightly apothecary-inspired aesthetic. Even the bottles used for the cold brew teas looked like old-fashioned medicine bottles, which I thought was a really nice touch.
It made the tea feel almost like some kind of carefully prepared botanical concoction.
Reviewing the Tea at Teapluz
Since we were already in a bit of a hurry, we decided to keep things simple and ordered two drinks: a Lychee Black Tea Cold Brew and a Nitro Yuzu Oolong Tea.
Lychee Black Tea Cold Brew
The cold brew was easily my favourite of the two.
It was mellow and smooth, with the lychee flavour coming through subtly rather than overwhelming the tea. I particularly liked the aftertaste, which was gentle and satisfying and made me want to take another sip.
This was quite different from some of the fruit teas you get at modern tea and bubble tea shops, where the fruit flavour can sometimes dominate the drink.
Here, I could still taste the tea underneath it.
I actually wish I’d had more time to sit down and try a few of their other cold brews because this one left a very good impression on me.
Nitro Yuzu Oolong
Unfortunately, the Nitro Yuzu Oolong wasn’t quite as successful for me.
I found the tea a little too bitter for my taste, so I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as the cold brew.
The nitrogen infusion did make for an interesting drinking experience, though. The foam made it look more like beer than tea. However, it wasn’t for me.
Visiting Tea+ Today
A quick note if you’re planning a visit: the Tea+ outlet I visited at The Gardens Mall has since temporarily closed. So you might want to check their latest information before visiting.
However, Tea+ has another outlet in 1 Utama Shopping Centre, so you can still experience the brand without making a trip to the outlet I visited.
Tea+ Overall Review
What I found most interesting about Tea+ wasn’t necessarily the individual drink I ordered, but the way the whole concept approaches tea. What Niko Neko has done with Japanese tea, Tea+ is doing with Chinese tea.
The traditional elements are still there. You’re dealing with Chinese teas, proper brewing techniques, and quality tea leaves, and the brand is backed by a company with decades of experience in Chinese tea culture.
But the presentation is completely different.
Cold brew bottles, nitrogen infusion, modern brewing equipment, and a sleek tea-bar environment make the experience feel much more approachable and contemporary.
One thing I regret about this visit is that we didn’t have enough time to properly explore the menu.
Tea+ offers much more than the two drinks we tried. Alongside its cold brews and nitrogen-infused teas, the menu includes hot teas, tisanes, and desserts, and the brand also runs tea workshops and tasting experiences.
I did eventually end up buying quite a few teas from a Purple Cane branch I visited later during my trip, though, and I’m looking forward to reviewing those for you guys soon!
If you’re looking for somewhere in KL to explore Chinese tea without committing to a formal traditional tea experience, Tea+ is definitely worth putting on your tea list.
And next time, I’m definitely giving myself more time to explore the cold brews.
