Coffee connoisseurs might loathe to admit it, but tea is every bit as important in Malaysian drinking culture – even integral, given how almost every restaurant, café, bistro and bar has it on its menu.

The beverage, of course, is mandatory in any self-respecting Chinese restaurant. But ordering it can be a daunting task – especially if you don’t speak or read Chinese – as the waiter will often blurt out a laundry list for you to choose from.

On World Tea Day today, here’s a handy guide explaining the different types of tea served in Chinese restaurants. Which are your favourites?

1. Jasmine tea

You would be hard-pressed to find a Chinese restaurant that does not serve this popular tea, which is known for its distinctive aroma and floral taste.

In Malaysia, you can order a hot, steaming teapot of jasmine tea by asking for “xiang pian cha” or “mo li hua cha”.

Jasmine tea is often brewed with a base of green or white tea before being flavoured with jasmine flowers. While the taste of green tea is typically strong, the pleasant floral aroma and flavour are often enough to compensate for it.

Recent research suggests that consuming jasmine tea will provide certain health benefits, including boosting antioxidant levels.

2. Chrysanthemum tea

Called “ju hua” or “guk fa” in Chinese restaurants, this tea is, of course, also sold in cans or packs at your nearby supermarket or convenience store.

While some people add sugar or honey, it is best to drink chrysanthemum tea unsweetened to fully appreciate its rich herbal taste. The aroma is distinctly sweet, the tea floral and refreshing, especially when served with ice on a hot day.

According to ancient Chinese belief, chrysanthemum tea is an anti-hypertensive food capable of lowering one’s blood pressure. Indeed, modern science, too, has suggested this to be the case!

It is common for some folks to fill a thermos with chrysanthemum tea and go about their day with a cooling, calming health drink within arm’s reach.

3. Pu-erh tea

Even if you don’t know the name of this tea, there’s a strong chance you would have drunk it at some point in your life.

Pu-erh tea is easily distinguished from its counterparts because of its distinct dark colour. Sometimes called “pu-er” or “po-lay”, it is generally regarded to be a notch higher than most other teas and has a price to match.

Pu-erh tea was originally cultivated in China’s Yunnan province and has a unique buttery, earthy taste to complement its reddish-brown appearance.

Traditionally, pu-erh is presented in the form of flattened cakes. To brew a pot of tea, one must first break apart some leaves with a tea pick.

4. Pu-erh with chrysanthemum

Can’t decide whether to enjoy the floral taste of chrysanthemum or the rich taste of pu-erh? Here’s a solution: drink both at the same time!

Blended teas are common in most Chinese restaurants. They are often a mixture of different types, including oolong, green tea, and chrysanthemum.

As each tea has its own distinct and delicate flavour, mixing them together creates an entirely new taste.

In Malaysia, one popular blended tea is pu-erh with chrysanthemum, commonly known as “guk bou”. It is said to help ease indigestion and, for that reason, is a well-loved beverage option in dim sum shops.

5. Tieguanyin

Also known by its Cantonese name “Tit Kun Yam”, the “Iron Goddess” ranks highly among oolong teas of the world.

In Chinese mythology, Guan Yin is none other than the Goddess of Mercy herself and, appropriately, the tea named after her has a clean, purifying taste.

Rather than referring to a specific type of tea, Tieguanyin is actually a wide category of teas, each with a slightly different taste and aroma.

What makes them all similar, however, is that the tea leaves are shaped in tiny, tightly rolled balls with no branches.

The quality of Tieguanyin is also dependent on when the leaves were harvested, with the spring and autumn harvest considered to be the best.