At the storefront at No. 24 Nguyễn Huệ Street, packets of dried herbs sit neatly displayed, and staff skillfully scoop a pre-blended tea packet into hot water. The resulting brew takes on a pale amber color, with a mellow warmth of licorice, chrysanthemum, and a mix of other herbs. This 'royal herbal tea' is now available through retail channels across Vietnam and is one of the souvenirs visitors to Hue most often pick up.
A Hue Brand Now Found Nationwide
Several local Hue media outlets and business reports (such as Công Luận newspaper) have documented this brand's history, and its products are now widely distributed through retail channels across Vietnam. The Đức Phượng storefront at No. 24 Nguyễn Huệ Street is where the brand originated.
Honest Disclosure: The 'Royal' Recipe Was a 2005 Commercial Invention
Although this tea carries the name cung đình (royal court), multiple reports and investigations indicate that this sixteen-herb wellness recipe was actually developed in 2005 by a man named Đức Phượng while selling tea at a stall in Đông Ba Market - a commercial recipe of his own creation, not a royal tea formula handed down from the Nguyễn court with archaeological or documentary backing. In other words, this is essentially a modern brand's marketing product that borrows 'royal' imagery for packaging, rather than a historically transmitted recipe. This is worth disclosing honestly, so visitors don't mistakenly believe they've bought an authentic Nguyễn royal secret formula and pass the misconception along.
Buying on Nguyễn Huệ Street
- The Đức Phượng storefront at No. 24 Nguyễn Huệ Street is the brand's original location and the easiest place to find the full product lineup.
- The product is now available nationwide - if you can't find it in Hue, it's also worth checking Vietnamese specialty shops at the airport or in other cities.
- To ask in Vietnamese, try 'Cho tôi xem trà cung đình' (let me take a look at the royal herbal tea).
Don't Mistake Marketing for History
- This recipe was developed by Đức Phượng himself in 2005 as a commercial blend - it is not a Nguyễn royal court tea formula.
- The word 'royal' is a modern brand's marketing packaging drawing on historical imagery - worth knowing before you buy.
- It's more accurate to view this as a Hue-developed wellness tea souvenir than as a royal secret recipe.
A cup of tea bearing the name 'royal' is really just the craft and marketing ingenuity of a Hue tea merchant from 2005 - and that history doesn't make it any less worth drinking.