Q:
 I’ve heard not to drink tap water in China, but is it safe to drink hot tea in restaurants? Do they make it hot enough to kill bacteria, etc., in the tap water?

A:

It is absolutely safe to drink the hot tea in restaurant, becase it is Chinese tradition and the most fundamental work to brew the  tea in truly boiling water. 

However, you might find out that some locals don’t drink the tea in restaurant, that is because the free tea provided by most restaurants are made from inexpensive tea leaves,  their taster are not good enough. ( obvioursly, if your tea is not free, enjoy it … … :  )

In addition, it is necessary to explain why the locals don’t drink the tap water, first, the tap water iteself is clean and safe when it comes out of water factory , however, the pipes inside most buildings are quite old, as a result, the tap water tastes not so good when you get it at home. the second, chinese people prefer the hot water than the cold water.

For More information, you can check tea house ~

 * If you have any questions about Tea, Beijing Tea house and Restaurants, feel free to leave us a comment.