Kolkata's 98-Yr-Old 'New Orphan Tea' Shop Named By Tagore Stands Unique With Its Exotic Varieties
'New Orphan Tea' shop, located next to Lalbazar police headquaters, was established in 1928 and named by Rabindranath Tagore.
Published : January 9, 2026 at 1:55 PM IST
Kolkata: For Kolkatans, tea is not merely a beverage but a lifestyle element, deeply embedded in its social and cultural fabric. Originating from British colonial influence, the 'elite drink' entered ordinary Bengalis' kitchen, becoming an essential part of their lifestyle.
Among the host of tea shops in the city, a striking one is the nearly century-old 'New Orphan Tea' shop, named by Rabindranath Tagore to reflect the colonial-era feeling of being orphans in one's own land. What makes this shop unique is the wide varieties of tea it offers, from 'Alfonso Tea' and 'Blue Tea' to 'Wine Tea'.
The shop is located at 20/1B Lalbazar Street, right next to the police headquarters.
According to the current owners of 'New Orphan Tea', the shop was established in 1928, a time when Kolkata was the capital of British India.
Currently, the shop is owned by Sandeep Biswas and Rajdeep Biswas. Rajdeep's wife, Dipanwita Biswas, said, "The shop's name reflects the feelings of the residents of the colonial era, who considered themselves orphans in their own country. Several institutes were named 'orphan' by Tagore and our shop is also one of them."
The shop proudly takes forward the memories, heritage, and the name given by the poet. The owners said that carrying on the legacy of Tagore or the historical significance of the place is a matter of great fortune for them.
Owners said the tea business suffered a major setback in the post-Covid period but the situation has started to improve in the last few months.
Shop owner, Rajdeep Biswas, said, "We are continuously conducting various studies and research to offer new flavors of tea to the younger generation. We have various qualities of tea, ranging from Rs 500 per kg to Rs 50,000 per kg."
Kalyan Sarkar (70), who has been working at this shop for a long time, said, "I am also an orphan and have been working in this shop for more than 30 years. Tagore gave this shop its name and the current owners still carry the name. Similarly, they have also retained an orphan like me."
Customers said that the quality of tea at this shop is excellent so they have have been coming here for the last 10 to 15 years.
Aritra Bandyopadhyay, a resident of Sankrail in Howrah, who is currently working in another state, said, "I don't know the history of this shop but an acquaintance of mine buys tea from this shop. He currently lives abroad and buys tea from here. I came to this shop on his recommendation."
Another customer, Tapan Das, said, "I have been buying tea from this shop for the last 10 years. The varieties of tea and quality available here is not found anywhere else."
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