Artist Choke Opened Floating Lotus Tea in Fort Worth
The new tea house in Near Southside offers educational classes and late-night tea service as an alternative to bars.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Tea
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Artist Choke has launched Floating Lotus Tea, a new teahouse located inside Hao's Grocery & Cafe in the Near Southside neighborhood. The business focuses on tea education and meditation while providing a relaxed social space.
Why it matters
The establishment was created to offer an alternative to traditional nightlife settings by providing a space for social relaxation. It aims to share the owner's knowledge of tea properties and meditative practices with the public.
Floating Lotus Tea is located at 120 St Louis Ave. and offers a six-hour tea foundations course alongside one-hour meditation exercises.
The players
Choke
Choke is an artist and the owner of Floating Lotus Tea who previously operated an herbal apothecary with three distinct locations.
Hao's Grocery & Cafe
Hao's Grocery & Cafe is the local establishment hosting the new Floating Lotus Tea business within its premises.
The details
The space at 120 St Louis Ave. features wall-mounted tea products and provides materials for live figure drawing events, integrating the owner's own artwork. Guests can access tea tastings, foundations courses, and matcha 101 classes featuring tea sourced directly from Southeast Asian farmers.
Timeline
Floating Lotus Tea held its soft launch in July 2026.
The business celebrated its grand opening from September 17 to September 20, 2026.
Culture Shift
The rise of late-night tea houses reflects the growing sober-curious movement that seeks social spaces free from alcohol. This establishment follows a pattern set by the broader trend of prioritizing wellness-focused community gathering spots over traditional nightlife venues.
Residents in the Near Southside neighborhood now have an additional venue for evening social activities that does not involve alcohol consumption. Those interested in the practice can sign up for tea foundations or meditation sessions to incorporate these routines into their daily lives.
The takeaway
The transition toward alcohol-free social hubs allows consumers to prioritize wellness while maintaining their evening social habits. Implementing regular meditation or tea appreciation sessions can serve as an accessible way for individuals to lower stress levels within a community setting.
Further reading
Discover more about the local beverage scene in our Tea section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fort Worth Report.
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Would you choose an alcohol-free social space over a traditional bar for your evening out?
