Tea shops · Chicago, United States
A Gold Coast shop with more than 200 pure teas, run by its founder, a certified tea sommelier, and sold mostly by the 100 g.
Illustrative image
The house
Chicago Teahouse sits at 1160 N. State Street, in the Gold Coast, a couple of blocks off Michigan Avenue. It is owned and run by Agnieszka Rapacz, who grew up in Poland, studied finance at DePaul and was director of finance at a German loose-leaf company before acquiring its US business in 2012. She became a certified tea sommelier in 2017 and a certified herbal tea blender, and she presides over the Chicago Tea Festival. The shop is woman-owned and local, and was named best tea shop in Chicago by Chicago Magazine.
More than 200 pure teas sit on the shelf, sold mostly in 100, 250 and 500 g, which is a European way of buying and unusual in an American shop. Earl Grey and Keemun Finest start at $19.95 the 100 g, Assam Marangi and Margaret's Hope Darjeeling are $29.95, a Uda Radella Ceylon $34.95. Japan is priced as a specialty: Yabukita sencha and an organic Kyushu gyokuro both by the 100 g, and a ceremonial matcha at $49.95 for 30 g. Darjeeling first flush is stocked by harvest year.
The events calendar is as long as the catalogue: group and private tastings, corporate sessions, a Tea 101 loose-leaf class, a matcha workshop, herbal and Christmas blending nights, a book club, and stalls at tea festivals and markets. Teaware covers teapots, kettles, infusers, tins, tumblers, mugs and matcha tools, so a first setup can be bought in one trip. Orders over $79 ship free, and every order leaves with a tea sample in the box.
Chicago · United States
1160 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60610
On North State Street in the Gold Coast, a couple of blocks from Michigan Avenue.
Published hours: Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00 · Sat 9:00–18:00 · Sun 10:00–18:00
Directions to this location →Check with the house before visiting. Published hours may include appointments, seasonal schedules or temporary closures; live status, where available, applies only to the named location and does not account for exceptional closures.
The FindMeTea edit
01 · Black tea
Darjeeling from a named garden rather than a generic blend, which is the whole difference between a region on a label and a specific hillside.
from US$ 29.95· 100 g
Explore this tea →02 · Oolong tea
A Tung Ting-style rolled oolong grown in the Lam Dong highlands of southern Vietnam with Taiwanese methods, sold in 50 g, the smallest step on this shelf and the sensible size for a rolled oolong you are meeting for the first time.
from US$ 25.95· 50 g
Explore this tea →03 · Yerba mate
Organic Brazilian yerba mate: the cheapest item on the list, the only one that is not a tea leaf, and the only one you drink from a gourd instead of a pot.
US$ 14.95· 100 g
Explore this tea →The one worth the trip
Organic gyokuro from Kyushu, shade-grown for weeks before picking, and sold here by the 100 g, the same size as the everyday blacks. It is the second dearest tea on the list, and buying that much of it only makes sense in a shop where someone behind the counter can tell you the water temperature it wants. That is the argument for walking into State Street rather than ordering a shaded Japanese green blind.
US$ 57.95· 100 g
Explore this tea →Prices
Prices are indicative. Each price keeps its currency and pack size; this selection does not necessarily cover the house's complete range.
12 prices
| Tea | Type | Price / pack |
|---|---|---|
| Yerba Mate (organic, Brazil) | Yerba mate | US$ 14.95100 g |
| Earl Grey | Black tea | from US$ 19.95100 g |
| Keemun Finest | Black tea | from US$ 19.95100 g |
| Nepal White Tea, Prakash | White tea | from US$ 23.9550 g |
| Tung Ting Oolong (Lam Dong, Vietnam) | Oolong tea | from US$ 25.9550 g |
| Yunnan Pu-Erh | Pu-erh tea | from US$ 26.50100 g |
| Assam Marangi | Black tea | from US$ 29.95100 g |
| Margaret's Hope Darjeeling | Black tea | from US$ 29.95100 g |
| Uda Radella Ceylon | Black tea | from US$ 34.95100 g |
| Saemidori Ceremonial Matcha | Matcha | US$ 49.9530 g |
| Japan Gyokuro Kyushu Organic | Green tea | US$ 57.95100 g |
| Sencha Yabukita | Green tea | US$ 77.95100 g |
Indicative prices, with each product’s pack size. Prices may change; check with the shop. Price verification dates: 2026-09-07 · 2026-09-30.
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Images are cropped to fit the layout. The generic cover, when used, is illustrative and does not show this shop.
