"Ordering anxiety is real, but not at Duo Cafe, a Chinese teahouse and dessert cafe in the East Village, where you choose what to get, one sniff at a time. They’ll place a caddy of around 15 loose leaf teas on your table, so you can uncap and smell each container before deciding whether you want to pair your black tea basque cheesecake with a milky oolong, or double down on the charred flavors of your caramelized sweet potato with a smoky lapsang souchong. It’s around $13-15 for a small slice of cake, but the desserts are plenty creamy, and the flavors are interesting, with versions like green tea and apricot mousse. They also offer an afternoon tea set with a small selection of sweets and a pour of tea for $39. The cement-gray spot plays smooth French jazz, and is a slightly pricey, but very pleasant option for a booze-free, rainy afternoon tea date. photo credit: Duo Cafe photo credit: Will Hartman photo credit: Will Hartman" - Will Hartman
