Tea Inspiration List

• Have tea with someone you love.
• Have tea with a group of friends.
• Try a tea that is new to you.
• Savor your favorite tea.
• Go on a “tea walk” and drink tea outdoors. (Here are some tea walk tips.)
• Use your fanciest teaware.
• Use you coziest, easiest teaware.
• Arrange your tea space to make it visually appealing.
• Try mindful tea or a tea meditation. (Here’s a winter playlist I made to accompany mindful or meditative tea time.)
• Attend a tea festival, take a tea class, or visit a teahouse. Or, do all three!
• Exchange tea with someone you know and trust.
• Support a local tea vendor, tea shop, or teahouse.
• Check out a tea blog. (Congratulations, you’ve already accomplished this one! )

Are any of these ideas from the tea inspiration list new to you–or already favorites? I’d love to know!

If you are interested in finding out about online and in-person tea events, tea meditations, notice of new blog posts, giveaways, and more, consider subscribing to Tea Infusiast News. It’s my monthly newsletter for tea lovers.

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It’s a Yemeni coffeehouse with over twenty locations in the USA. I have visited their Westbury, New York location several times.

Qahwah is the word for coffee in Arabic. I know, I know. You might be wondering why I am I reviewing a coffeehouse on a tea blog! It’s because they have several Yemeni tea offerings–and a surprisingly wide selection of other teas–that keep me coming back! There are other reasons as well.

Yemeni-Style Teas at Qahwah House

Every tea-lover’s review of Qahwah House must start with their delicious Yemeni-style teas.

On their menu, they have “Adeni Chai” and “Yemeni Tea.” Both have Yemeni black tea as their base. The Adeni Chai also includes cardamon, nutmeg, and milk.

The Yemeni Tea is made with cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves–no milk. The spices and tea really shine in both drinks. To my great pleasure, you can get them unsweetened and then customize to your preference.

I would caution caffeine-sensitive people–both of these Yemeni-style teas are STRONG. If I had to guess, I’d say they use more tea leaves and steep it longer than I typically do. (It could also be the tea cultivar they use. I have to investigate that.) The teas are delicious, yet I can’t even drink a whole (rather generous) serving. Well, I could if I wanted to levitate home! But, I am more caffeine-sensitive than most tea drinkers. So, after I enjoy some tea in the cafe there, I get a to-go cup and bring the rest home. I chill it for the next day. It really packs (a very delicious) caffeine punch!

Qahwah House also serves Yemini (and other) desserts. I can’t eat most of them due to some unfortunate dietary restrictions, but they look delicious and others have given me very positive feedback on them!

The coffeehouse also carries seasonal tea drinks that aren’t of Yemeni origin. For example, in Summer 2025, they offered Iced Matcha, including different seasonal flavors like Iced Strawberry or Mango Matcha. I tried the Iced Strawberry Matcha and it was delicious!

Other Teas and Herbal Teas

My review of Qahwah House wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that they have a very respectable selection of other teas, especially for a coffeehouse! In fact, there’s a whole category of “organic teas” on the menu. English Breakfast, Matcha, Cloud and Mist (green tea…I assume this is Yun Wu), Moroccan Mint (contains green tea), Ginger tea, and others! I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m so tempted by other teas on the menu.

The Space and Ordering at Qahwah House

Maybe I’m used to tiny NYC tea- and coffeehouses. But, to my mind, Qahwah House in Westbury is so spacious! There are lots of tables. The ceilings are high. And, the decor is rich brown (giving those coffee vibes) with pops of greenery. The vibe is casual, comforting, and very pleasant.

You order at one counter. They give you a pager that buzzes when your order is ready, and then you pick it up your tea at another counter.

Before I wrote this review of Qahwah House, I visited three times. (I already have plans to return.) I am not 100% sure how they decide whether to serve you in teaware or a to-go cup, but my current theory is that if you order a cup, the default is served to-go (although you can enjoy it at the cafe).

If you order a pot of tea, however, I believe you automatically get a teapot and teaware. The first time, I ordered a pot of tea, so teaware came with it.

Another time, I ordered tea for one and was surprised it came in a to-go cup. When I have asked, they were very gracious about providing me teaware. I’ll try to clarify this issue on feature visits and update the post.

Address and Parking

Qahwah House website

Long Island Address: 541 Old Country Rd, Westbury, NY 11590

Although there is an entrance that faces Old Country Rd, you can also enter from the parking lot. The door is between the Qahwah House mural and the sign for the nearby laundromat.

Parking: There is free parking behind Qahwah House in Westbury. But, make sure to park in section for their business.

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I’ve been to the East Village location of Té twice now. Once, before hours, for a tea tasting–a wonderful experience. The second time, I met my daughter-in-law for tea there. Also a wonderful experience. I like to visit a place more than once–if I possibly can–before I review it.

Great news: This location, as far as I can tell, has the same excellent selection of Taiwanese teas as the original Té. (See my review of the original, West Village location here.)

The East Village location of Té Company also has the same DELICIOUS savory and sweet snacks that I’ve enjoyed in the West Village tearoom. Think mung bean mooncakes, savory daikon biscuits, buttery pineapple linzer cookies, black sesame cakes, tiny bars of peanut and millet, and much more. Every single thing I’ve tried at Té Company has been delicious!

I really love the tea bar near the front of the shop at this location of Té. It’s close to the front window and it’s pleasant to sit there for a workshop, alone, or with a friend. You can gaze at the tea accessories and canisters of tea behind and beside the bar.

Additional seating–from tables for 1 to 4–are available in the back of the shop, too. There’s actually more seating at the East Village location of Té Company than at the West Village location. There’s a window in the back of the tearoom, but it doesn’t let in a lot of light because another building is close by.

I am delighted to visit either location of Té Company. Both tearooms are excellent. Between the two, I would love to sit at the tea bar in the East Village location. Or, it would be lovely meet a friend and sit in the back of this location, away from the sun, on a sultry summer day.

I also love to sit at a small table alone at the West Village location. If I were going to share tea with a friend and it wasn’t a blistering hot summer day, I have a slight preference for the West Village location. So far, at least. But, maybe because that’s because I’ve been there so many more times. I absolutely love how the sunlight comes in through the big window by the tables there.

Honestly, you really can’t go wrong. Both spaces are pleasant and the teas, snacks, and service are excellent at both tearooms. When I can’t get into the city from where I live on Long Island, I’m grateful that Té also sells its excellent teas online. You can even buy some of their snacks online, too.

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I also ruled out all the tea events (in person and online) that I ran, even though I found them deeply meaningful.

Top Tea Experiences of 2024

I’m sharing these favorites of the year in alphabetical order by how I’ve named the experiences. It was too hard to rank them!

Being Tea with Plush

Being Tea’s Sooz Hammond runs some wonderful online events.

This year was my second time attending their Being Tea with Plush event. Being Tea invited attendees to bring a plush friend (or even a special blanket or other cozy item) to the online tea session. We steeped and sipped tea, pondered topics related to softness and vulnerability, and chatted in small groups. We were able to share the story of our plush friend and hear others’ stories, too. It was like a big hug in communiTEA. So fun and uplifting! You can learn more about Being Tea‘s offerings here. [Photo of plushies having tea is courtesy of Sooz Hammond.]

Iced Matcha Libation at Kettl with My Daughter

Another top tea experience of 2024 was at Kettl, seated outside their tiny Manhattan location. I wanted to label this subheading: “Iced Matcha Libation with My Daughter on a Brutally Hot Day.” The title was too long. But the “brutally hot day” was definitely part of the reason this experience was so memorable!

It was a really hot and humid August day in New York City. My daughter and I were in the very hot subway stations, then the freezing trains, then back out onto the broiling streets. You know how city streets radiate heat in August? Yeah. UGH.

Arriving to our destination, we sat outside the tiny Kettl location in the Bowery. It was one of the last days they were offering their Peach Matcha and Shiso Soda.

It was SO delicious, and cold, and such a pleasure to sit and sip this iced tea together on a very hot summer’s day. Sadly, we didn’t get of a photo of us together. But, we bonded over delicious iced tea! (Credit for this photo of me goes to my daughter, C. Levy.)

Also, this was the first time we tried Kettl’s delicious Houjicha Chocolate bar. Sooo good! You can read more about this chocolate and other tea-infused chocolates I love here.

Té Company Seasonal Tasting Workshop

Té Company runs some wonderful tasting events. In 2024, I had a number of memorable tea experiences at this NYC teahouse. I’ll highlight one here. I attended a small seasonal tasting workshop. They served us delicious iced tea when we arrived. Then, we had several rounds of hot teas. The workshop was led by one of the Té employees. It was beautifully done tea-tableside, with short video clips, photos, and interesting information.

We were invited to taste and contemplate the teas before learning what they were. Té even included several poems and invited us to match each tea with a poem. Our group had fun conversations doing these pairings.

Té makes delicious snacks and desserts. They served us some of their lovely food during this event. I was focused on the experience and didn’t get photos of the actual tasting, so I’ve included a photo from another visit to Té.

Tea at the Musée D’Orsay

I had to think about how I could justify including this tea experience. The taste of the actual tea I had at the Restaurant Musée D’Orsay was not memorable; however, the food was very good. More importantly, the pleasure of having tea at this extraordinarily beautiful location was deeply memorable. Photos can’t do this place justice. The companionship of tea while I soaked in the art and beauty of this “restaurant behind the clock” at the museum in Paris made this one of my top tea experiences of 2024.

Tea with a Buddhist Sister

At a weekend mindfulness retreat led by monks from the Blue Cliff Monastery, I enjoyed an absolutely magical experience over tea. I worked up the nerve to approach one of the Buddhist monastics, Sister Spiritual Discernment. We started talking about her personal tea practice–which begins at 5 am–and the formal, ceremonial teas that are rarer.

I was surprised and delighted when she spontaneously asked me if I would like to have tea with her.

We walked to the edge of the designated eating space. She filled her thermos with hot water from the nearby dispenser. And, we sat together on the floor. She pulled out her teapot and a teacup, and I pulled out my teacup. We share some beautiful steeps of a Vietnamese green tea she brought.

I share more about this experience in this blog post.

Toronto Tea Festival

Here’s the last top tea experience of 2024 that I will share. I was lucky enough to attend the Toronto Tea Festival for the first time. Seeing friends, making new friends, attending workshops, tasting tea: it was all wonderful! I bought lots of delicious tea and some beautiful new teaware. The energy and tea vibes were superb! [In this photo: Helen of Secret Tea Time, at the 2024 Toronto Tea Festival, in front of her beautiful handmade teaware.]

I’m planning to attend the Toronto Tea Festival again in 2025! Please say “hello” if you recognize me there.

Your 2024 Memories and a 2025 Suggestion

Tea festivals are great fun! I highly recommend attending one if you can. I’ve even made it easier for tea lovers like us by compiling an ever-growing list of 2025 tea festivals in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Japan. (Also, I’m looking to add to these areas of the world.) I share charts of the festivals organized by date and location.

While looking forward, can we take a pause to look back? What were your favorite tea experiences in 2024? I’d love you to share in the comments!

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Background: Wisteria in Taiwan

The original Wisteria Cottage Tea House (note the different spelling) is located in Taipei City in Taiwan. That location has a rich history. According to the website for Wisteria Cottage, during the Japanese occupation, it “was the residence of senior official of the Taiwan Governor-General’s Office.”

Later, it became a place where critics of Chiang’s authoritarian politics met, gathering there with the encouragement of economist and professor Zhou Dewei. Years later, as the democratic movement took off, folks outside the dominant political party gathered at Wisteria. They were drawn by the economist’s son, Zhou Yu.

Besides political discussions, artistic, intellectual, and humanist activities centered there, too. Inspired to honor these legacies and continue to serve as a public space, Zhou Yu turned Wisteria Cottage into a tea house in 1981. (Find out more information about the history of the original location.)

Area Around Wistaria Paris Tea House

The Wistaria Paris Tea House is located in the sixth arrondissment. It is in easy walking distance to many shops, restaurants, small museums, the Seine, the Church of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the Saint-Michel Fountain, and more.

Despite the many nearby attractions, the tea house is on a quiet street.

Inside, the decor and ambiance is serene.

Dark wooden tables, lively art pieces, and beautiful teaware greet visitors.

I wish I would have taken more photos of the interior. I didn’t get a photo, for example, of the seating area in the back of the tea house.

Tea Setup and Food Options

During my visit in June 2024, the tea menu offered about 10-12 tea choices. There were options for white, green, oolong, black, and Pu-erh varieties of tea.

Tea entries included recommendations about which teaware would be best suited for your selection–porcelain and/or gaiwan, etc. The efficient server brought heated water me in a terra cotta kettle that had an electric warming base at my table. I immediately started dreaming about getting one of these kettles. I loved it!

Wistaria Paris also had a small snack/dessert menu.

Choices include mung bean pastries, pineapple cake (Taiwanese style), jujube pastries, and half-cooked and sweetened pears.

What I Enjoyed At My Visit to Wistaria

My heart was calling out for green tea the day I visited Wistaria Paris. They had Oriental Beauty, Dong Ding, and a number of other teas on offer. After perusing the menu, I was intrigued by a Bi Luo Chun from Taiwan instead of China. The menu described the tea as being from a tea garden in Sanxia with over 200 years experience producing tea. Not too long ago, I might have skipped this tea since it wasn’t from its historic terroir in China. These days, I’m more open and curious about different places teas can be made. I wanted to know what a Taiwanese Bi Luo Chun might taste like. Also, I was listening to my heart.

The tea was fresh, light in color and full of flavor. It was vegetal but also slightly herbaceous. The Bi Luo Chun was between savory and umami–and also a touch of sweetness and bitterness in early steeps. I pushed it and a stronger bitter note arrived in later steeps. Still, I enjoyed every steep. It was a pleasure to sip. Indeed, I bought some Bi Luo Chun to bring back home with me.

I also ordered a delicious assortment of pastries that included the mung bean cake, pineapple cake, and jujube pastry. They came heated and were absolutely delicious! I drank the first two steeps of my tea before digging into the pastries because I wasn’t sure how they would pair. Absolutely no regrets. I will dream about this tea experience (and those tasty bites) at Wistaria Paris for a long time.

Prices and Address at Wistaria

Immersed in the experience, I didn’t think to notice the price differences on all the teas I could have enjoyed at my table. Luckily, I did take a photo of the menu page describing the tea I ordered. My tableside tea was 14 Euros–about $15 USD at today’s conversion rate. The snack plate was 8.5 Euros–a little over $9 USD.

Tea House Name: Wistaria Paris

Address: 6 rue du Pont de Lodi, 75006 Paris

Note: They are closed on Wednesdays.

Always check the tea house’s website for the most recent information before you plan your visit as prices, hours, etc., can change.

Sharing More Tea House Info

Have you visited the Wistaria Paris Tea House? What about the one in Taiwan? If so, what was your experience? I invite you to share in the comments.

If you are looking for another wonderful–but very different–tea experience in Paris, check back on the blog soon! I’ll be sharing my experience at the Restaurant du Musée d’Orsay.

Read about my experiences at tea houses in other cities (in the USA)…

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The Parlour’s Address: 69 7th Avenue, (under the stoop) Brooklyn NY 11217

The Decor and Service

With draped curtains dividing the foyer from the main main rooms, as you enter The Parlour “under the stoop” of the brownstone, you feel the transition from the street to a lovingly decorated tea space. Teacups, jars of tea, eclectic framed photos, and nice draperies adorn the walls. Comfortable seating dots the long and narrow interior of this townhouse. The seating is a mix of small sofas (or loveseats) and high-backed upholstered chairs. I really enjoyed the physical space. This location has a front room and a back room. Both are very pleasant.

I focused on enjoying the experience and the company of my friend. Thus, I didn’t get enough photos, especially to get a sense of how cute the interior space is!

I appreciated the friendliness, helpfulness, and professionalism of the staff. The service was very good!

Tea Menu at The Parlour

The Parlour gears the tea menu toward flavored teas and herbal teas, with descriptions and ingredients of each. My sweet friend who treated me to this experience chose our teas. (I could have chosen some after the initial two that started us off, but I had enough caffeine to get one with…lol.) Thus, the teas we enjoyed there were all flavored. I enjoyed three of the four teas we tried.

My one critique is how easy it is to not realize that the The Parlour serves unflavored teas, too. My friend, in fact, said she didn’t even realize they had unflavored teas when she chose teas for our reservation. It’s easy to miss because of how the tea menu is designed. At the very bottom of the left-hand column are a handful of unflavored teas in a list. Unlike the flavored or herbal teas, they don’t have any description. Since they take up so much less space and are formatted differently, it’s easy to miss them. 

The Parlour’s unflavored tea selections include some classic British choices like PG Tips and Yorkshire Gold. I did note that they offer a Ceylon and a Darjeeling choice. (There were no details on which tea garden or flush). I did have the opportunity to try one of their unflavored selections later–since they gave us cute little jars of loose-leaf Ceylon black tea as we departed. I steeped that tea at home the next day. It was a classic and very enjoyable Ceylon.

How the Tea Was Served

The server brought the tea to us in ceramic teapots. I appreciated that the tea was already steeped and the leaves were removed before the server brought teapots to the table. No worries about removing the tea leaves so the tea didn’t over steep, or figuring out where to put a dripping basket of tea leaves! Some people may prefer to be able to control the steeping time. But, for afternoon tea, I prefer to have tea served to me in this convenient way and to not have to worry about over-steeped and bitter tea.

The BKHL: The Parlour has sweet, mismatched teaware, in a range of different styles and colors. One of our (eventually four) teapots, for example, was cream and orange with an art deco vibe. Another was rounded and brown with little white flowers. My place setting included a teacup, saucer, plate. When I expressed interest in not drinking the two very different teas we started with from the same cup, a server cheerfully offered to bring me a second cup, which I really appreciated. (Again, very good service!)

Food at the The Parlour

There was a nice assortment of food at this afternoon tea at The Parlour in Park Slope. We had a carrot ginger soup served in a soup cup. I enjoyed the presentation and the soup. A crumpet with a savory herbed butter spread was also tasty. We also enjoyed an array of vegetarian tea sandwiches–egg salad, cucumber dill, Branston pickle and cheddar, etc. They were good. I would say the Branston pickle sandwich and mint and peas with goat cheese (a special that day, I think) were very good. I appreciated their sharper flavors.

The scones were very respectable and served warm with clotted cream and strawberry jam on the side. There was a very tasty, tiny salad, too.

I enjoyed the desserts–particularly the small chocolate mousse and the chocolate dipped strawberry. I thought the chocolate was better than the chocolate on most chocolate covered strawberries I have had, and the little gold and silver edible stars made it particularly cute. We had other desserts on our three-tiered tray, too. https://www.brooklynhighlow.com/menu 

Cost and Reservations

Afternoon tea at The Parlour in Park Slope (or in NYC, in general) comes at a cost. At the time I am writing this review, the least expensive reservations at the Brooklyn High Low–The Parlour location is $60 per person. (It lasts 75 minutes.) There is also a $70 per person reservation that lasts 90 minutes. 90 minutes felt luxurious for two people in an NYC location. To order gluten-free is possible and is a $10 upgrade if ordered far enough in advance. Reservations are required for Saturday or Sundays, but walk-ins are accepted on Fridays from 2:00-5:00 pm at this location.

The Prospect Heights locations has some different choices–including a cream tea you can order to pick up.

Although I love going to afternoon teas–especially with a dear friend–I have my misgivings about the classic afternoon tea menu. Read my take here.

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I can’t believe I haven’t written a review of Té Company before! I have visited Té’s West Village location (the original location) more than any other teahouse in Manhattan. The calm and cozy space, thoughtfully curated tea choices, excellent service, and delicious snacks keep me coming back. 

(Photo: Traci at Té Company, West Village location in Manhattan, NYC, with her friend’s plushie bison AKA a “luff”. Photo taken by Taniya Gupta.)

Enjoying Tea in the West Village Tearoom

Elena Liao and Frederico Ribeiro own Té. Their tearoom serves tea gongfu-style. That involves steeping in small clay teapots with a higher ratio of leaves to water and a shorter time than in the Western style of brewing.

Té seasonally changes their tearoom menu’s selection of teas that you can enjoy during your visit, drawing from the wider selection that they also sell there and online. The menu always includes different tea types–black, oolong, white, etc.–and a couple of herbal, caffeine-free options. I’ve enjoyed so many of their teas! I’ll give special mention to their Oriental Beauty Grand, Mount A-li, and Blossom Dearie. 

Delicious Handmade Snacks at Té

The chef and one of the owners, Frederico Ribeiro, is a flavor wizard! Everything Té serves in their tearoom in Manhattan is delicious! (Full disclosure: I have only tried the vegetarian items. But, meat-eating friends have shared high praise for the non-vegetarian items.)

Although Té Company no longer sells lunch-type dishes, you can definitely piece together tantalizing sweet and savory items–even a perfectly roasted and irrationally delicious sweet potato–to make a light meal of sorts. In fact, I always plan to arrive hungry because I can’t resist ordering multiple snacks there! For example, the tiny bars–which come in pumpkin, almond, black sesame, or peanut–are tasty and slightly sweet.

Pineapple Delicacies

No overview of Té Company would be complete without mentioning their Pineapple Linzer Cookie. It is, year after year, my favorite. (You can enjoy them in the tearoom, buy them to go, or shop for them on their website.) The cookie is bursting with flavor. It has the most wonderful balance of sweet, salty, buttery, and bright flavors. It has a lovely crunch, and then melts in your mouth!

Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes inspired their Linzer cookies. My taste buds are delighted to report that, this year, Té started making and selling those cakes, too. Also delicious! 

Mooncakes to Savor

Their Taiwanese mooncake with a flaky exterior and lightly sweetened mung bean paste inside is very tasty, too. I have a friend who lives outside of the country that loves their mooncakes so much! She sometimes has them shipped internationally or encourages her spouse to pick some up whenever he is in New York (or New Jersey!) for work trips. 

Tips for Visiting Té

Be aware: it’s easy to walk right by Té’s location in the West Village. There’s a small teapot on their window and on the modest wooden sign they hang up outside when they are open.

Inside, there aren’t that many tables. This is the West Village, after all! So, if you come at peak times–especially during certain times on the weekend–you could have a wait since they don’t take reservations. You can buy tea and snacks to go. Alternatively, they can take your number and text you when a table is ready. It’s well worth it! (If you ever find yourself waiting, I heartily recommend perusing the nearby independent bookstore, Three Lives & Company.)

I keep returning to Té Company’s tearoom in Manhattan because it’s always such a wonderful experience. They serve delightful Taiwanese teas, prepared with care and skill. Moreover, it’s rare to find a gongfu-style teahouse in Manhattan that also serves food, let alone such excellent food! 

You can find Té on Instagram @tecompany.

Check out my short reel featuring the interior of Té’s West Village location (the side opposite the tables).

Interested in other teahouses in Manhattan? I have also reviewed T Shop in Nolita and Paquita in the West Village. On the opposite coast? Check out my review of four tearooms in Portland, Oregon.

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You can enjoy a pot of tea, tisanes, coffee, and a small assortment of baked sweets–including some gluten-free options–at Paquita.

It’s a very small and lovely space. Two tiny tables (very close together) are available inside by the front window. Wooden shelves and deep green accents provide an inviting and soothing color scheme. Cheerful copper tea canisters line the walls. Also, there’s a beautiful hammered tin ceiling. Additional seating is available outside.

Paquita also sells: teaware, accessories, small porcelain dishes, artisanal chocolate bars, small dried flower bouquets, and more.

You can purchase loose leaf tea and tisanes at Paquita, too. They require a 50 gram minimum purchase of most teas.

On my first visit, I enjoyed a floral and bright first flush Darjeeling. My daughter had a really bright lemon ginger black tea. We tried the blueberry scones and the chocolate tahini cookie (gluten free). I really enjoyed the cookie! It had a great balance of sweet, salty, earthy, and chocolate.

When we had our tea, I appreciated the cast iron tea pots, the small cups and saucers, and the beautiful teaspoons. The diminutive vase of dried flowers on the table added a lovely touch of color. I asked for an extra saucer so I could remove the infuser basket from the teapot once my tea was steeped to my preference. They were very obliging.

In short, Paquita is a beautiful spot to enjoy a pot of tea and a little sweet.

Interested in other tearooms in Manhattan? Check out my review of T Shop in Nolita and Té Company in the West Village.

Find out about new blog posts, reviews, giveaways, and events I’m offering by subscribing to my monthly newsletter for tea lovers, Tea Infusiast News. You can unsubscribe at any time.

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T Shop is a serene and welcoming teahouse on Elizabeth Street in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City (NYC). It opened in 2014. Theresa Wong and Hyun Lee run the shop as partners. They specialize in teas from China, Korea, and Taiwan, with a diverse and tantalizing assortment.

The shop’s white walls are calming and austere, a pleasant backdrop. Natural wooden benches and tables add warmth, while clay and porcelain teaware add beauty. I also admired the pops of greenery–pothos ivy (and other plants) in flower pots and soaking in glass jars scattered around the shop.

T Shop: Small but Spacious

Although T Shop is not large (at least by non-NYC standards), it feels spacious. The teahouse features seats at a tea bar (used for tastings and guided experiences) as well as a table that seats up to four. In other words, there is not a lot of seating, but that creates the luxury of not having everyone packed together. The arrangement also leaves room to walk around and admire their beautifully curated selection of gongfu teaware and accessories for sale.

Guided Tasting or Brew at Table

You can visit the teahouse for a guided tasting, “tea journey” (a more elaborate guided tasting), or self-paced “brew at the table.” Groups of one to four people can enjoy any of the experiences at T Shop in NYC. Reservations are always recommended. They are required for the Tea Journey. You can, however, stop by and try your luck without a reservation to sit at the tea counter or enjoy brew at the table. (Theresa told me that the shop is usually less busy on weekdays.)

Tea Journey sessions feature three teas and cost $60 per person. For the one-hour brew at the table, there’s a flat $20 reservation fee, regardless of whether you are reserving for one person or more. Happily, T Shop applies the table reservation fee toward the pot(s) of tea you order. At the shop, they sell cups of tea to-go, loose-leaf tea, teaware, and accessories. They have an online store, too.

I returned to T Shop in March 2024 and had a wonderful “tea journey.” You can read about my experience in the “Recent Teahouse Visits in NYC” section of my April 2024 newsletter.

My Lovely Visits to T Shop in NYC

I visited T Shop in NYC twice in the last two months–once alone and once in a small group–both for “brew at the table” sessions. I had a magical, fragrant, and delightfully warming Man Tang Xiang Dan Cong (2021) the first time.

On my second visit, I enjoyed the company of my son and daughter-in-law. We had a very friendly and tasty Korean Hwangcha with notes of cocoa and a Fu Ding Aged White Tea (2017) with a thick mouthfeel and a coconut aroma. It was a lovely way to take a break and connect with each other over high-quality tea and a leisurely hour.

The T Shop co-owners made the visits feel warm and appreciated. The first time, when I visited alone, Theresa thoughtfully answered my occasional questions about the Dan Cong I was sipping and the shop. The second time, when I visited with others, Hyun was very helpful, too. She explained, for example, some of the complexities of the classification of Balhyocha tea in Korea. After my tea sessions ended, I enjoyed chatting with each of them. On the last visit, I learned a bit about the relationships T Shop builds with some of the farmers they work with. I love to hear about those symbiotic relationships!

I heartily recommend T-Shop for a solo visit or in a small group!

Pro-tip: T Shop’s name is on the exterior glass door where you enter from the street. When you are walking on Elizabeth Street, you can’t see the shop’s name until you are standing almost in front of it. Use the street address (247) and you can’t miss it! After you walk through that exterior door, there is a short hallway to their interior entrance.

Interested in Other Tea Locations in NYC?

I’ve reviewed a number of other tearooms or tea locations in different neighborhoods of Manhattan in New York City.

• Té Company– East Village and West Village Locations
• Kettl — Bowery location (scroll down in the post) This location has been refreshed since I visited. I can’t wait to go again!
• Paquita — in West Village

The post Review of T Shop in NYC appeared first on Tea Infusiast.

My family and I were head to Luray, Virginia to visit the extraordinary Luray Caverns. (Pictures cannot adequately communicate the grandeur, beauty, and otherworldliness of the caverns. If you have the chance, visit!) After parking near the place we had in mind for lunch, I looked across the street and noticed a quaint brick building. It sported a purple door, a rainbow “Open” flag, and a sign reading “Compass Tea!” Truly delightful.

After lunch, my daughter and I walked back to Compass Tea, enjoying the small-town feel of Luray. The interior carries over the purple theme from outside the tearoom. The owner has charmingly decorated the shop with velvety armchairs and a loveseat. Handmade jewelry–some made by the shop’s owner, Lisa Smith, add more pops of color. In an adjoining room, there are colorful fair trade purses, pants, rainbow bandanas, pins, and more handmade jewelry.

The owner, Lisa, warmly greeted us. She kindly answered my questions about the matcha latte flavors on the board, the different kinds of chai she carries, and the fruit-filled bubbles in her bubble tea. We found out the tea room is vegan, using almond or oat milk in the lattes. I eventually settled on an iced Cochin Chai Latte, in case were wondering. It was delicious! I wish I could have ordered one of everything I inquired about.

Live near or traveling on the other side of the USA? Here’s my post about four teahouses in Portland, Oregon. Or, maybe you’d like to read about “What a Teapet Can Add to Your Practice.”

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