The wait is almost over for Thai tea fans in Vancouver.
Cha Tra Mue, widely considered Thailand’s most iconic tea brand, is officially opening its first Western Canada location this Friday, February 13.
“The tea-m is ready,” the brand wrote on Instagram on February 8, confirming the opening date.
If you are not familiar with the name, Cha Tra Mue is a massive deal in Thailand and across Southeast Asia.
The brand was founded in 1945 by a Teochew immigrant family in Bangkok’s Chinatown, and operates more than 350 stores globally, with locations across Thailand, Malaysia, and more recently, Los Angeles and Toronto.
The name Cha Tra Mue translates to “Number One Brand” in Thai, and the red tea bags the company produces are a staple in kitchens and street stalls across the country.
The Vancouver location is the brand’s second in Canada after their Toronto shop on Spadina Avenue, which opened in August 2025.
Last year we reported how the Vancouver cafe is led by Earth Setsawat, a UBC grad who helped bring the brand to the West Coast.
“My first Cha Tra Mue Thai Tea was from a street vendor in Bangkok,” Earth told Noms Magazine.
“He poured it from one jug to another from almost an arm’s length up. It was like a little tea performance. I took one sip and thought, wow. That memory is what I want to recreate here in Vancouver.”
Cha Tra Mue ran a pop-up at the festival that drew some serious lines, giving Vancouver its first preview of what was coming.
If you were at Thai Fest last July, you might have already gotten a taste.
The menu focuses on the drinks that made the brand famous, including their signature Thai iced tea, Thai green milk tea, rose tea, and Thai iced coffee.
There are also soft serve options, including a Thai tea flavour and a milk green tea flavour.
Drinks can be customized with different sweetness levels and toppings like chewy boba and pandan.
The Vancouver location is an intimate space with around 16 seats, designed with a mix of Pacific Northwest and Thai-inspired touches.
Cha Tra Mue has been on a major international expansion push in recent years, with plans to add more than 130 new overseas locations.
Vancouver is one of several new markets the brand is entering alongside Laos, Mexico, and Indonesia.
Expect lines on opening day.
According to the team, doors open at 12PM.
Cha Tra Mue Vancouver will be joining other recently opened food spots in Vancouver like Cockney Kings Main Street, UCHU, and Nine Bar Coffee.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 736 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC