The Best Tea Houses In New York City
Tea houses can be the perfect place in which to relax at any time of the day, any day of the week. From your typical English afternoon tea to traditional Chinese teas, these top 10 tea houses offer you the chance to try something new or indulge in old favorites.
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Bosie Tea Parlor
Located in the West Village, Bosie Tea Parlor provides an authentic afternoon tea experience. There are over 100 loose-leaf teas to choose from and a choice of savory or sweet snacks to go with them. Their Tea Service can be for either one or two people and comes with a pot of tea, treats, macarons, and high tea sandwiches.
Cha-An
This Japanese tea house is a perfect place for an afternoon tea. Asides from tea, Cha-An serves dessert made by Chef Tomoko Kato. She is trained in home-style Japanese cooking, but also in French pastry-making after apprenticing with the Obama family’s pastry chef Bill Yosses. The restaurant’s decor is traditional, with rice-paper-shaded lamps providing a warm ambiance.
Tea Drunk
The owner of Tea Drunk, Shunan Teng, wants to make sure her guests are receiving the highest quality teas. Every tea season, she treks through the backcountry of China for three months, visiting over 20 tea plantations, picking out the products she sells herself. Tea Drunk even offers tea classes, tastings, and other tea events throughout the month.
Alice’s Tea Cup
This Alice In Wonderland tearoom on the Upper West Side is quite the experience. Alice’s Tea Cup provides a whimsical atmosphere and menus for breakfast, brunch, and all day fare. Who said teatime needed to be in the afternoon? You can order a pot of tea accompanied by a three-tiered platter of treats at any time of day.
T Shop
The T Shop is an intimate, cozy cafe serving up Taiwanese teas. Don’t know what to order? That’s not a problem here. The owner is extremely knowledgeable and happy to help in choosing teas for a sampler. With her expertise at your disposal, the tasting is the best option – you receive five steepings of the tea of your choice. This teashop is a hidden gem that is definitely worth checking out.
Tea and Sympathy
This is more of a restaurant than a tea house, but with their extensive list, unique blends, and authentic British feel, it had to make the list. Tea and Sympathy consider themselves to be a corner of England right in the heart of Greenwich Village. They have breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, and their teas are available to enjoy with each one. If you stop in for lunch you can try the ‘afternoon tea for one’ which includes assorted finger sandwiches, scones, a selection of cakes, and a pot of tea.
Prince Tea House
This little tea house gets rave reviews for its customer service, prices, and of course, its amazing tea. Their Flushing location became so popular that they recently opened up a new location in Brooklyn. Prince Tea House offers a perfect place for a relaxing afternoon spent with friends. They’re open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1:00am Friday and Saturday, so stop in for a dessert and a pot of tea after dinner.
Chalait
Right in the heart of the West Village, this neighborhood cafe is known for their matcha green tea. Matcha is a recurring ingredient here, indeed, their matcha latte, hot or iced, is a crowdpleaser for those who love the traditional drink, but they also switch things up a bit with their matcha hot chocolate. If you’re feeling adventurous or if you just want a classic drink, Chalait will serve up exactly what you’re looking for.
Physical GraffiTea
Physical GraffiTea sells organic and fair trade teas on the ground floor of the historic Physical Graffiti building that graced the cover of the Led Zepplin album of the same name. They have over 200 teas to choose from, with everything ranging from green to rooibos to special house made herbal blends. Don’t know where to start? Their knowledgeable staff will be sure to help you out.