What’s the Tea at BonBonerie?

Photograph by HATSUE

Around 150 different teapots line the walls of BonBonerie’s café, bakery, and tearoom in O’Bryonville. From classic shapes to whimsical pieces with little teapots on top, co-owner Sharon Butler has amassed an impressive collection. It all started when the tearoom opened in the ’90s. Tea was originally served out of fun pots she was gifted or found at flea markets. “But I soon started finding that there was a lot of breakage, and it was really heartbreaking because some of these are never going to be made again,” says Butler. “Some are so old.”

It was then decided that the pots would be used mostly for display. Each room in the café has its own display, usually grouped by appearance: cat-shaped, Japanese, locally made, the color blue, you name it. Despite the over-the-top nature of many pots, some of her favorites are the more practical Irish and English ones. “It did such a beautiful job, and tea service really mattered to them,” says Butler. “I’m just so attracted to that whole period of tea.”