A smiling vendor in a green shirt pours a small tasting cup of tea for a customer at an outdoor market stall. — Credit: James Higgenbotham

After months of searching for the perfect home in St. Pete, Noisy Crane Tea House has landed in Tampa’s SoHo.

The new location, tucked inside The Paper Seahorse at 213 S. Howard Ave., officially opened its doors on March 12.

Following the digital detox ethos of their bungalow-mates, phone use is discouraged, laptops are not allowed and drinks aren’t available to-go. Tea is prepared and poured table-side, and the space encourages guests to sit and spend time, whether that be with friends or your local alt-weekly pub (wink).

Noisy Crane’s offerings are just as thoughtful and intentional as the service. While guests shouldn’t expect lattes, nor cream and sugar, they can order classics like matcha, green teas like genmaicha and hojicha, aged pu’er, whites, blacks, oolongs and inventive herbal blends. Tea can also be purchased for retail and classes are offered to bring the gong fu experience home.

Founder KC Cavanaugh is no stranger to Tampa Bay’s tea-loving crowd. From February 2024 to March 2025, she ran the teahouse from inside In Between Days in St. Pete, blending traditional Asian tea culture with a modern, intimate experience. Before that, she brought her products and drinks to local markets, participating in pop-ups and offering tea-centered classes.

Since its soft opening earlier this month, Noisy Crane has already hosted its first two events with Wild Flavors Tea, including a DānCóng Oolong workshop and Chinese Tea as Medicine. More classes and workshops are on the way, covering everything from tea history and regional traditions to hands-on brewing techniques and guided tastings.

Noisy Crane is open to walk-ins Thursday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and requires reservations Saturday-Sunday 10 a.m.–3 p.m.