Simple Tea
In architectural lingo, a space is a medium. A space is a volume that transforms lives. Simple Tea, Gulshan’s new premier cafe, is one such space. A soulful space that writes and tells stories. Simple Tea is an enterprise by architects and real estate entrepreneurs, professionals who devote their lives to spaces. This makes Simple Tea unique, as it offers a space grounded in thoughtful design, which shapes a comforting ambience, an ambience that allows the boutique cafe to emulate the elegance and warmth of home. Home, not in the literal sense of the word, but home as a state of mind that represents a physical space of comfort and relative ease.
Regarding design excellence, Simple Tea offers a dining and cafe experience like no other. In the dense, fast-paced urban fabric of Gulshan, it is difficult to imagine that a café located in a prominent commercial building could offer a genuine sense of privacy. However, Simple Tea offers just that. Conceived as a deliberate pause, a quiet threshold where the tempo of the city gently dissolves, the cafe sits on the first basement floor of Simpletree GSR, challenging everything we assume about subterranean spaces. As you descend, the noise of Dhaka gradually fades, giving way to the gentle sound of a carefully integrated waterfall surrounded by lushness, allowing any visitor to feel themselves embraced by the smell of pouring water and fresh leaves.
Interior designers of Volumezero, architect F. M. Faruque Abdullah Shawon and Lamia Wali Upama, under the guidance of the studio principal, imagined the cafe as a “subzero oasis”—a sanctuary that feels unearthed, as if it had been quietly waiting beneath the city all along and discovered only by those who take the time to descend. The space is artistically profiled by eminent artists Wakilur Rahman, with The Memory of Small Things, and Sabyasachi Hazra, with The Alchemy of the Pour, while the environmental graphic illustrations by architect Tarif Araf from Vizaviz lend the walls their own quiet narrative, making the ambience an all the more culturally captivating experience.
What makes the space truly remarkable, however, is its honesty. Simple Tea does not dress itself up; it reveals itself. The design explores slowness as a spatial quality, shaped not by ornament but by restraint, material truthfulness, and the careful orchestration of light, texture, sound, and proportion. The bare concrete of the ceiling is left exposed, raw and unapologetic, like the earthy interior of something excavated rather than built. There is a rustic sincerity to it all: nothing decorative for decoration’s sake, nothing pretending to be what it is not. The space unfolds with a quiet rhythm, encouraging visitors to linger, converse, and reconnect with the present moment. Every element is intentionally curated to evoke familiarity without imitation, comforting by instinct rather than by imitation of home, proving that minimalism and intimacy can, in fact, share the same table. An experience so relaxing and grounded, you might never want to leave. Additionally, if you are ever looking to change your year-old profile picture, Simple Tea is definitely worth the visit!
Moreover, Simple Tea’s space offers the best solution to Dhaka’s age-old problems, parking. Parking spots situated in both basements 1 and 2 of Simpletree GSR make Simple Tea the go-to spot for self-driven coffee lovers and people who would rather not have their car get in the way of traffic or get dirty. Simple Tea also offers world-class service from the cafe managers and servers who are present and willing to serve all your needs. With professionals who have been in the hospitality industry for years, Simple Tea’s courtesy and quality of service are now a well-established fact in the Dhaka dining scene.
The inspiration behind the name comes from one of the most significant parts of our identity as Bangladeshis, tea.
Tea, a staple of Bengali culture, roots itself in the heart of each and every household. A cup of tea can invigorate households, bring together loved ones, and allow us to celebrate special moments. Every Bengali individual has a story to tell with tea: the evening snack tea from your mom, the cup of tea during your office lunch break, or even the special and familiar ‘tong-er-chaa’ right outside your university.
At its core, Simple Tea is a place where warmth is expressed through atmosphere and where the ritual of sharing tea becomes a catalyst for human connection. Simple Tea aspires to create and celebrate such moments that make us Bangladeshis so fond of tea, honoring the universal desire for belonging, one cup at a time.
From the first sip to the last bite, Simple Tea does what its space does so effortlessly: it makes you feel at home, and it makes you want to stay.
