Heytea Opens First UK Lab in Chinatown With Biscuit-Inspired Treats
Heytea’s Lab Opens on Shaftesbury Avenue
Chinatown is about to get a new reason to queue. Heytea, the Chinese tea chain known for its inventive drinks, opens its first UK ‘lab’ store at 118-120 Shaftesbury Avenue on Friday 30 October 2026. The shop sits across two floors of a Victorian-era building that straddles the line between Chinatown and Soho, so it will be easy to reach for anyone already wandering between Leicester Square and the restaurants on Gerrard Street. It is the fifth lab the brand has opened outside China, following sites in New York’s Times Square, Toronto and Bangkok.
The format is more of an experiment than a standard café. The ground floor and upper level are split into three areas: a Tea Lab for drinks, a Bake Lab for pastries, and a Tea Ice Cream counter. Twelve items are new to British customers, and three of those are exclusives built around something very local: the cup of tea and biscuits that many Londoners treat as a daily ritual.
For residents, the building itself matters too. Shaftesbury Avenue has changed a great deal over the past decade, and a new flagship in a historic frontage adds another name to a street that already draws theatregoers, office workers and tourists. If you are heading into the West End from the western boroughs, the Piccadilly line runs directly from Hounslow West to Leicester Square, a short walk from the new store.
The Biscuit-Inspired Menu and Who It Is For
The headline items are the UK exclusives. The Rock Oolong Caramel Biscuit tea is topped with a caramel biscuit cloud, torched brown sugar and crushed biscuit crumbs, which gives it the texture of a sweet teatime treat in a cup. The Caramel Biscuit Croissant Egg Tart combines flaky croissant pastry with a custard centre, while the Caramel Biscuit Milk Tea Ice Cream is made with freshly brewed black tea. The Bake Lab also serves its Original Croissant Egg Tart, with a lightly caramelised top, and the ice cream range includes a Jasmine and Rice flavour for anyone wanting something lighter.
The timing is notable. Milk tea has become one of the most talked-about drinks in London, and Heytea is betting that British customers will embrace a version that nods to their own habits. The usual drinks menu is also available, including the Mango Coconut Sticky Rice, a fresh Thai sticky rice and mango drink with a coconut milk slush, created in collaboration with BLACKPINK’s Lisa.
The brand’s footprint in the UK is growing quickly. Heytea first arrived in 2023 with a Soho store and now operates 18 shops across nine cities. For students, office workers and shoppers in the area, this is a chance to try something that is not available on every high street. Those who prefer traditional Chinese tea can also visit Lotus Realm, a teahouse nearby that takes a more classic approach to brewing.
What Residents Should Know Before Visiting
Expect crowds in the first few weeks. Chain openings in central London almost always draw long queues, and a store with 12 new products will attract people who want to try everything at once. Visiting on a weekday morning or later in the evening may save you time, and it is worth checking heytea.com for updates before you travel.
Merchandise is also part of the draw. The store carries an egg tart plate, a ceramic mug, a tote bag, a tumbler, Longjing tea and jasmine tea incense sticks. For many customers, these items will be as popular as the drinks themselves, so it may be worth deciding in advance whether you are visiting for a snack or a souvenir.
The opening also offers a lesson for independent food businesses across west London. Cafés and bakeries in Richmond, Whitton and Hounslow often wonder how a national chain manages costs, pricing and product launches at scale. Owners planning their own menu changes can learn from this kind of rollout, and a local Hounslow bookkeeping adviser can help small operators track ingredient costs, seasonal stock and weekly sales before expanding. For residents, the main thing to watch next is how the Chinatown lab performs over its first months and whether Heytea adds more UK-specific flavours to its menu.
Source: Heytea’s Lab In Chinatown With Biscuit-Inspired UK Exclusives Is Here
