Kodama Tiquetonne

The culinary offering at Kodama Tiquetonne centers entirely on the art of tea, complemented by thoughtfully crafted pastries that elevate the experience. This isn't a restaurant in the traditional sense—it's a specialized tea house where the beverage takes absolute priority, supported by food designed specifically to enhance rather than overshadow the delicate flavors of premium tea.

The tea selection represents the core of Kodama's identity. The house offers an impressive range spanning all major tea categories: vibrant green teas with their fresh, vegetal notes; complex black teas offering depth and body; rare oolong teas that bridge the gap between green and black; delicate white teas prized for their subtle sweetness; and caffeine-free rooibos for those seeking alternatives. Beyond pure teas, the selection includes perfumed blends that incorporate natural aromatics, creating unique flavor profiles that range from floral to fruity to spiced.

The infusion program extends beyond traditional tea, offering herbal tisanes and the "grands remèdes" line—therapeutic blends designed with wellness in mind. The organic selections reflect a commitment to quality and sustainability, ensuring that what you're drinking is as pure as possible. The matcha program deserves special attention, featuring premium Japanese matcha powder prepared according to traditional methods, offering both the ceremonial experience and the concentrated flavor that matcha enthusiasts seek.

What distinguishes Kodama's approach is the attention to brewing technique. The house employs cold-infusion methods for certain teas, a time-intensive process that extracts flavors over several hours. This technique reveals nuances that hot brewing can miss, producing cleaner, more refined flavor profiles with reduced bitterness and astringency. Whether you're enjoying your tea on-site or taking it away, the preparation reflects genuine expertise and care.

The pastry program, created by Clémence Marchon, complements the tea selection with equal sophistication. As the sister of acclaimed chef Alexandre Marchon, Clémence brings culinary pedigree to her creations, but more importantly, she brings an understanding of how pastries should interact with tea. Her recipes avoid preservatives, ensuring freshness and pure flavors that won't overwhelm delicate tea notes. The pastries are designed for pairing—their sweetness, texture, and flavor profiles carefully calibrated to enhance specific teas rather than compete with them.

The food and tea pairing concept at Kodama goes beyond casual accompaniment. The staff can guide you toward combinations that create harmonious experiences, where pastry and tea elevate each other. A delicate green tea might pair with a subtly sweet pastry that doesn't mask its grassy notes, while a robust black tea could stand up to something richer and more substantial.

Pricing remains accessible despite the premium quality, with tea starting around €4-5 per cup (a chai latte, for example, begins at €5). This positioning makes regular visits feasible while maintaining the quality standards that define the Kodama experience. Whether you're settling in for an afternoon of leisure or grabbing a quick takeaway, the same attention to quality applies.