Our story
CHA DONG began the way the best things often do - with a craving that couldn't be satisfied.
Having spent years living abroad in Australia and the UK, we've been searching for an authentic cup of Hong Kong milk tea and never quite found it. So we started brewing our own - inspired as much by Hong Kong's cha chaan teng tradition as by the craft coffee culture we loved in Melbourne.
What began in our home kitchen soon led to its first listing within two weeks. Within two months, we met so many people who loved the tea as much as we did that we outgrew the kitchen entirely and moved into a commercial space.
In the years since, we have become the first bottled Hong Kong milk tea to be recognised with a Great Taste Award - now with two awards across our range - and launched at Selfridges Food Hall.
But just as important to us has been a commitment to celebrating the culture our tea comes from. We've been proud to support the arts and Hong Kong's cultural story through partnerships with the Horniman Museum, The Barbican, and Cathay Pacific - sharing not just a drink, but the heritage and warmth behind it.
Four years and over 60 stockists later, we still brew our teas exactly the way we did at home - small batch, three ingredients, no shortcuts. It has been an immense joy to create something that brings a smile to so many people.
There's also a reason we're called CHA DONG. Cha means tea; dong means stall — the earliest form of licensed outdoor hawker in Hong Kong, serving milk tea, coffee and toast to workers on the go. Over time, the most successful cha dongs moved indoors and became the cha chaan teng we know today.
At the heart of every one was a single cup of Hong Kong milk tea. It felt only right to take the name back to where it began.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey so far.
— Cassandra & Lawrence, Founders
What is Hong Kong style milk tea?
In Hong Kong, nai cha - milk tea - is woven into the fabric of daily life. It's a drink for everyone: dashing through Central in the hands of someone running late, or downed by a labourer on bamboo scaffolding before returning to build the city. An estimated 2.7 million cups are consumed across Hong Kong every day.
The drink traces back to the British colonial era, when English black tea served with milk and sugar gradually adapted to local tastes. Hong Kongers preferred a stronger brew, so cafés developed their own blends and techniques — and with fresh milk hard to come by, evaporated milk took its place. The result is the rich, smooth, aromatic milk tea known today.
It even has its own name born of craft: si mut nai cha, or "silk stocking milk tea", after the cloth filter the tea is strained through, stained over time to resemble a silk stocking. The technique behind it is recognised as part of Hong Kong's intangible cultural heritage.
Did you know? A cup of Hong Kong milk tea contains more caffeine than a cup of coffee!
Why our tea?
A perfect cup of Hong Kong style milk tea is typically rated based on five factors: the colour, fragrance, flavour, smoothness and aftertaste.
At CHA DONG, we have perfected our tea and brewing method to ensure that each of these 5 factors are harmoniously balanced.
Did you know?
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A cup of Hong Kong style milk tea has more caffeine that a cup of coffee
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Hong Kong style milk tea is often referred to as ‘stocking milk tea’ (Si Mut Nai Cha). This comes from the use of a tea cloth filter which, over time, is stained with the colour of tea, making it resemble a silk stocking
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The craftsmanship of making Hong Kong style milk tea is a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of Hong Kong. Brewing a cup of tea involves 4 important steps:
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‘Injecting’ oxygen into the tea for maximum flavour
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Reheating the tea to the ideal serving temperature
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Combining the tea leaves and boiling water by pouring the boiling water into the tea leaves at high speed
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Brewing the tea to ensure the optimal level of flavour is extracted
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Tea is then served by combining the tea with the perfect ratio of evaporated milk to create a smooth and creamy finish.