Yinxi has chains all over downtown Shanghai. All of them have low-key entrances like a speakeasy. You need to press the head of a monk toy to get in (the second one from the right) then cross a small pond on wooden stepping stones to get to the reception desk. The tea rooms are a mix of neo-Chinese and Japanese style. The one on Yuqing Lu has individual glass houses built on the pond, which make them really popular among white-collar ladies. Yinxi has about twelve tea options, with a focus on pu’er and white tea. There’s also the conventional and popular black tea Zhenshan Xiaozhong (the smoky one), and rose oolong on the cheaper side. The staff will help you make the first brew.