Traditional Chinese baked cuisine will make its way to Iowa State when the Little Taipei Tearoom opens Tuesday, Dec. 12, in Campustown.

“There are a lot of American bakeries in the area,” said Joe Chang, owner of the Tearoom. “We thought we would provide the campus community with baked goods in the traditional Chinese style instead.”

The Tearoom is located beneath the Chinese fast food restaurant on Welch Avenue, also called Little Taipei. It will be offering patrons a choice of teas, rolls and pastries made Chinese-style.

“Most people in this country have coffee with their pastry,” Chang said. “The Chinese traditionally drink tea instead. People don’t realize there are many different ways of making tea, like there are with coffee.”

The Tearoom will offer hot Chinese teas flavored with lemon, orange or other flavorings, and chilled teas blended with milk and other flavorings.

“We’re also going to make sub sandwiches in the Chinese style, using a different sort of bread than the customary bread rolls,” Mrs. Chang said.

The sandwiches will be made using a flat, layered type of bread, stuffed with the usual assortment of meats and garnishing.

The Changs, who also own Little Taipei, arrived in Ames 10 years ago, and opened the first Chinese restaurant in Campustown a year later.

“Business has been good from the beginning, Chang said. “We’ve always wanted to open a bakery, but we were never able to find a suitable location.”

The Changs leased the lot below their restaurant after Subway relocated over the summer.

The new place restaurant is furnished with high chairs and tables.

“Quality should be pretty good here,” Mrs. Chang said. “The prices are not set yet, but we want to keep the prices low as we have with Little Taipei.”