Interesting response from a local critic who lived in China:
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Not that unusual not to serve tea at authentic Chinese restaurants.
Tea is most often thought of as a “main event” in itself, so tea shops might have smaller snacks but the emphasis is on the tea. Just like you can have snacks at a bar but the spotlight’s on the liquor.
One exception is dim sum places but that’s because they are just a series of snacks and impossible to think of them without tea.
Overall, a Chinese restaurant serving full courses, though, might not feature tea because it’s not drunk with meals. Instead, soups are the liquid of choice. Even with lighter dishes, their tastes would be overwhelming; you couldn’t appreciate the subtleties of the tea. Hot water would be, aside from the soups, the liquid.
Having said that, my guess is that the place will quickly get enough complaints they will add tea to the meals.
