The name is derived from Bodhidharma, who was a 5th century Indian monk to whom history has credited the introduction of Zen Buddhism to China and Japan. During a silent, nine-year cave meditation retreat, he fell asleep and being so frustrated on his failure to stay awake he cut off his eyelids to ward off sleep. According to the legend, the world’s first tea plants sprouted from the place upon which his eyelids fell. Thereafter, tea was taken as a stimulant during meditation. Tea is also known to be called “Bodhidharma’s eye lids”.

It is still not exactly known how coffee and tea evolved and their exact relationship in history. One theory is that when Admiral Cheng Ho removed tea supply to the Arabic Peninsula, their people turned to coffee which then spread through Europe and the rest of the world.

Monk Bodhi Dharma roasts specialty coffee on-site and rotates coffees from other specialty coffee roasters. Monk Bodhidharma uses a reserve range of teas and precise infusion methods.

On the food side, Monk Bodhidharma serves a global menu that will feed the weary traveler.