When was the last time you stopped what you were doing and made yourself a proper cup of tea?
For Joanne and Zachary, the husband-and-wife team behind A Moment of Tea in Salamanca, that simple ritual is more than just a daily habit. It’s a philosophy.
What started as informal tea gatherings around their dining table has grown into one of Hobart’s most unique tea experiences, where customers are encouraged to slow down, sip thoughtfully and find a little calm amongst the chaos of everyday life.
Savour the moment
Joanne and Zachary never intended to open a tea shop.
Originally from China, the pair had dreams of running a tourism business. But when COVID halted those plans, they found themselves turning to something much simpler for comfort – tea.
In 2020, they began inviting friends to their home for small weekly tea sessions.
“It turned out that sitting together over a pot of tea gave people something they needed,” Zachary says. “A quiet hour where they could just be present.”
As the gatherings grew, so did people’s curiosity.
Joanne began sharing her knowledge of traditional Chinese tea culture, introducing guests to Gongfu tea ceremonies – the mindful practice of brewing tea with precision, patience and care. Joanne’s knowledge comes from years of formal study. She trained in Beijing before moving to Australia, returning regularly for advanced courses, visiting tea-growing regions, learning directly from producers.
Friends encouraged the couple to take the idea further.
What started as workshops at home soon expanded into pop-ups at community halls, cafés and markets before Joanne opened A Moment of Tea in Salamanca in 2022.
“When she opened the shop, it was really busy,” Zachary laughs. “I was working as a gutter cleaner at the time, but I quit to help my wife run the shop. You know what they say – happy wife, happy life.”
These days, the business is very much a team effort.
“As the shop got busier, I started learning and practising in earnest myself. Now it’s a two-person craft.”
From Beijing to Tasmania
The couple first met while studying at university in Beijing and later worked for the same company.
After years of saving, they decided to take a gap year in Australia, staying with host families and immersing themselves in local culture.
“Through homestays, we learned a lot about Australian lifestyles and how people drink tea,” Zachary says.
The one recommendation from the locals? Visit Tasmania.
So in 2017, they boarded the ferry and made their way south.
Driving through Tasmania’s Central Highlands on the way to Hobart, Zachary felt an unexpected sense of familiarity.
“The landscape reminded me of my hometown in northern China,” he says. “It felt so familiar, and I knew I would fall in love with this place.”
The couple continued travelling between Australia and China, where Joanne deepened her tea education through formal study, advanced courses and visits to tea-growing regions.
Eventually, Tasmania became home.
A moment for yourself
The name A Moment of Tea perfectly captures the spirit of the business.
According to Zachary, the idea came to Joanne while she was sitting on a sunny balcony, enjoying a quiet cup of tea.
“Suddenly she had that feeling – yes, this is what I’m going to do.”
For the couple, tea isn’t really about the drink itself. It’s about creating the time and space.
“It can be just five minutes away from your work,” Zachary says. “Or it can be a planned trip to the mountains with a thermos of tea. We want people to find a peaceful moment in their daily lives.”
Tea with a Tasmanian flavour
While traditional Chinese tea remains at the heart of the business, A Moment of Tea has developed its own distinctly Tasmanian identity.
The shop specialises in three tea traditions: Chinese, Japanese and Tasmanian tea.
Joanne carefully sources loose-leaf teas directly from producers and has built strong relationships with local growers, including Allens Rivulet tea producer Tassie-T.
One of their most popular creations combines Chinese Puerh tea with Tasmanian lavender.
“Puerh is good for digestion and lavender is relaxing,” Zachary says. “A lot of customers tell us it’s become part of their after-dinner routine.”
The blend recently won a Silver Medal at the 2025 Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards.
Whether customers order a simple pot of tea or a guided tasting experience, education is always part of the process. He compares it to wine tasting.
“We spent a lot of time learning about tasting notes,” Zachary says. “Sometimes traditional Chinese flavour descriptions don’t mean much to Australian customers, so we looked for ways to build those connections.”
More than a tea shop
Step inside A Moment of Tea and you’ll immediately notice the calm.
Plants spill across shelves. Natural wood features throughout the space. Carefully selected teaware sits alongside steaming pots of loose-leaf tea.
It’s all intentional.
“Wood, tea and green plants help create a space that feels relaxing,” Zachary says. “Tasmania has such beautiful plant life and that became part of our inspiration.”
The shop also stocks teaware designed to make quality tea more accessible at home.
“People often want to drink better tea but don’t know where to start,” he says. “A good kettle, the right temperature and the right brewing time make a huge difference.”
And then there are the tea pets – the small clay figures that sit beside tea trays during ceremonies.
“They’re like little companions when you’re drinking tea.”
Turning tea into a ritual
One of Zachary’s favourite parts of the job is helping people discover teas they never thought they’d enjoy.
“At Salamanca Market, people often tell me they don’t like green tea because it’s bitter,” he says. “I ask them to give it one chance. Most of the time, they’re surprised.”
Matcha has become particularly popular in recent years, fuelled by social media and a growing interest in specialty tea.
The shop’s strawberry matcha regularly sells out.
But trends aren’t really the point.
“We want people to find a tea they like and create a ritual around it,” Zachary says. “That’s what tea is really about.”
A perfect fit for Hobart
For Joanne and Zachary, tea and Tasmania belong together.
“Tasmania is peaceful,” Zachary says. “That matches the experience we want to create through tea.”
In a city that often celebrates slowing down, A Moment of Tea offers something increasingly rare: a reason to pause.
Not for long, but just long enough to put the kettle on.
Visit them at Woobys Lane, 77 Salamanca Place, Battery Point or every other Saturday at Salamanca Market.
A Moment of Tea is a participating business in our Hello Hobart Gift Card program. Give the gift of tea and spoil that someone special with a gift card they can spend on matcha, loose-leaf tea or a tea brewing experience here.
