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It’s easy to find awesome coffee shops in Manhattan and in Brooklyn. Tea shops, however, are a bit more obscure and difficult to stumble upon. We’ve rounded up some great tea rooms in New York that are ideal for either lounging, tasting, purchasing loose-leaf, or simply taking an afternoon teatime break. Not only are the teas stellar in these 10 shops, but they’re worth a trip for their atmosphere!
The West Village is filled with notable tea shops, most of them within a four-block radius of each other. At the heart of them all is Press Tea: your classic New York coffee-shop but with a tea emphasis. Unlike other tea rooms and storefronts, this is a great café for getting work done. Press Tea is sun-soaked and warm, thanks to the large windows, and there is ample seating, plus an inviting couch. If you’re not already intrigued, the intricate teapot display in the windows is sure to draw you inside.
Unlike Press Tea, which is located on bustling 7th Ave, Bosie Tea Parlor is valued for being tucked away on a quiet block of Morton Street. The storefront is teeny, but it oozes charm; small wooden tables fill the parlor and there are lounge chairs in the back. With a largely organic menu, hand-crafted macarons, and a selection of over 100 fine loose teas, Bosie is definitely a neighborhood gem.
Tea & Sympathy is quaint and unremarkable from the outside. Assorted teapots and British memorabilia line the interior walls; they also sell an assortment of British candy! The tea and scones are popular here, as is anything on the breakfast menu. Like most tea rooms in Manhattan, this shop is small, so bring a book or a date instead of a large party.
This award-winning tea company recently moved from London to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Bellocq is all about a luxury tea experience, with unique and seductively named blends like “Noble Savage.” Many of their teas are organic. With plenty of trees and plants, the store feels like a mysterious Brooklyn forest. There are some sofas in the back, but mostly the Tea Atelier is a tasting and design studio.
Check out Tea Drunk for a more traditional, authentic experience; the tiny tea room is quiet and decor is a minimalist union of wooden furniture and calligraphy. The menu informs you of each tea’s regional origin and of the season in which the leaves were harvested. The menu may not be too helpful when it comes to qualitative descriptors (earthy, bold, etc), but that’s what the owner is there for! She is super knowledgable and will elect a flavor you’re sure to enjoy. Overall, Tea Drunk is great for serious tea-addicts.
This casual, cash-only Japanese tea room is notable for its tea, but also for its desserts. If you’re not looking for anything sweet, then come here before 6 pm and grab a seat in this tiny St. Mark’s Place hideout. There’s typically a seating wait at Cha-An, but it’s worth it for the tea, ice-cream, and mysterious Japanese toilets.
Physical GraffiTea is surprisingly quiet and unassuming for such a historically renowned location— the café is located in the infamous “Physical Graffiti” building of Led Zeppelin’s sixth studio album. The tea room is slightly below ground level, which elicits a quiet-getaway atmosphere. Jazz music hums in the background of this East Village shop and the decor is always music-themed. Grab a cup of organic and fair trade tea while you sit back against GraffiTea’s exposed brick wall, or beneath their mural of a beautiful tree crawling up onto the ceiling.
The English may be more well known than the French for their tea-drinking traditions, but Le Palais des Thés proves that the French really know their tea. The teas are directly sourced by founder Francois Xavier-Delmas from tea plantations throughout the world. Though they run a tea school in Paris, New Yorkers will have to content themselves with Le Palais des Thés’ two boutiques on the Upper West Side and in Soho. The latter offers tea classes for the budding connoisseur.
McNulty’s has been in business since 1895, and the wooden floor looks even older. This is not a cute nor boutique tea room, but rather it is a wonderfully gritty supply store. On that note, McNulty’s is definitely one of the few tea shops that will not put a huge dent in your wallet. The store is packed with intricate aromas and it never gets too busy or crowded. They also have a wide selection of coffee beans from across the world. If you’re looking to buy tea in bulk, or simply learn more about the blends, these guys know what they’re doing (as they should, it’s been 119 years!).
John Harney started blending his own tea in the basement of his Salisbury, Connecticut home in 1983. Today, that same business globally operated and is one of the largest employers in the Hudson Valley. Their shop, which also has a tasting lounge and bar, offers over 250 blends of gourmet tea. The shop is located at 433 Broome Street in SoHo.
Radiance Tea House and Books specializes in loose leaf tea. Their philosophy stems from the ancient Chinese appreciation for tea. They also offer a variety of books, gifts and tea sets. They currently have two locations: 158 West 55th Street between 6th/7th Ave and 208 East 50th Street between 2nd/3rd Ave.
This beautiful shop has a huge selection of loose teas that they bring together from reputable tea companies from the United States and Canada. and a gorgeous selection of teapots and teacups, including children’s tea sets. While its headquarters are in New Jersey, you can find their New York shop located at 217 Mulberry Street at Spring Street.
At Serengeti Tea & Spices you can find imported teas from Africa and other places around the world. You can pick up tea to go or enjoy it in their tasting room. They even offer a tasting menu that is accompanied with 6 to 10 variations of tea that are promised to enhance the meals. Their shop is located at 2292 Frederick Douglass Blvd. at 123rd Street in Harlem.
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