Victorian-Inspired Teahouse Opening In Dubble Dutch Hotel

Dubbel Dutch Hotel. Photo taken July 22nd, 2020 by Jeramey Jannene.

Agency is preparing to expand operations at Dubbel Dutch later this month, debuting a daytime tea and pastry concept that will see the cocktail bar transition from Campari to chamomile.

Novel Tea Room is set to begin its soft opening on Sunday, Oct. 20 at the hotel, 817 N. Marshall St. Its sister concept, Agency, relocated to the building in August after moonlighting for several months at Discourse’s downtown cafe,

Like Agency, Novel will focus on contemporary interpretations of traditional beverages; in this case, tea. Founder Ryan Castelaz and his team have already showcased their prowess with drinks like the Parisian, a matcha-based latte that has become a staple on the Discourse menu and Big, Wig, Beautiful, a Pride Month special made with bubblegum oolong tea.

There’s more to come at Novel, which plans to showcase 30 varieties of tea, along with experimental pastries and a selection of rare books — all with a Victorian-inspired ambience.

Castelaz will lead the upcoming business with his partner, Sean Liu. Along with Agency and Novel, the pair operate two locations for Discourse, one of which is home to The Green Room, an after-hours cocktail bar serving both alcoholic and N/A beverages.

The Novel/Agency space features three distinct areas: a 16-seat lounge, a 24-seat private patio, and a private event venue. The public-facing cafe and lounge is situated on the main level of the hotel, which includes 17 guest rooms on its upper floors.

Built in 1898 as the Charles A. Koeffler, Jr. House, the building was converted to its current hotel format in 2020. Due to its historic preservation designation, the ornate architectural details were preserved during the redevelopment process. Since opening last summer, Agency has embraced this aesthetic, adding royal purple lighting to the lounge area, which also features pillar candles, intricate sconces and a fireplace.

Now fully settled in the building, Agency, a hybrid cocktail lounge known for serving a dual menu of alcoholic and N/A beverages, has expanded its offerings with a seven-course tasting menu. The experience includes five cocktails and two culinary bites — plus a few “unexpected surprises along the way,” the business teases.

Before Agency and the soon-to-open Novel Tea Room, the space was occupied by Gülden Room, a cafe and cocktail lounge. Space Time Coffee and The Daily Bird have also operated in the building.

Novel is set to operate from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 20. Future updates and regular hours of operation will be shared via Instagram.

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