The city guide · United States
The city guide · United StatesTea shops inWashington, DC.
Washington's tea shopping clusters around Dupont Circle, where three of these four shops sit within a fifteen-minute walk: a Chinese tea house and gallery that moved here after twenty-five years in Georgetown, a shop selling loose leaf by the ounce on Connecticut Avenue, and a Fujian grower's own counter inside a hotel on Embassy Row. The fourth, the city's best-known tea company, keeps its retail shop in Penn Quarter two doors from its teahouse. Most shops sell in 2 oz increments, so a first visit can cover four teas without much outlay.
Illustrative tea photograph
4 places we’d send a friend to.
Our Washington, DC shortlist
Good tea is worth knowing where to look.
Places to explore, each with a different reason to stop by. See what to bring home before you go.
Showing 4 of 4 places
- 01Loose-leaf specialist
Teaism
Penn Quarter tea shop; teahouses at Lafayette Park and Dupont Circle
6 prices listedTeaism
400 8th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
The tea company that has been pouring loose leaf in Washington since 1996, with a retail shop two doors from its Penn Quarter teahouse.
In storeShips onlineSince 1996Tea shop: 11:00–18:00, 7 days · Teahouses 11:00–20:00, 7 days
Read the full shop note
Founded in 1996 by Linda Neumann and Michelle Brown, Teaism runs teahouses at Dupont Circle, Lafayette Park and Penn Quarter, and a retail tea shop at 400 8th Street NW two doors from the last of them. Loose leaf is sold in 2, 4, 6, 8 oz, 1 lb and 2 lb, so an organic Earl Grey is $10.50 for 2 oz, a Sencha $17.50, an Anxi oolong $9.50 and an organic Bai Mu Dan $10.50, with the organic chai starting at $17.50 for 4 oz. The ceremonial matcha is a 40 g tin at $38.00, and the page names Marukyu Koyamaen in Uji as the producer. The shop also carries handmade ceramics, brewing equipment and tea accessories.
What to bring home
Website: teaism.com 
02Loose-leaf specialistChing Ching Cha
Dupont Circle (moved from Georgetown)
6 prices listedChing Ching Cha
1314 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
A Chinese tea house and gallery that spent twenty-five years in Georgetown and now keeps the same idea alive in Dupont Circle.
In storeShips onlineSince 1998Mon–Tue 12:00–18:00 · Wed closed · Thu 12:00–18:00 · Fri 10:00–18:00 · Sat–Sun 9:00–17:00
Read the full shop note
A tea house and gallery that opened in Georgetown in 1998 and, after twenty-five years there, moved to 1314 21st Street NW in Dupont. The leaf is mainly from mainland China, Taiwan and Japan, sold in fixed packs rather than by chosen weight: a Keemun Supreme at $15.00 for 2 oz, a Lapsang Souchong $14.00 for 4 oz, a Dragon Well $22.00 and a Ti Kuan Yin $20.00 for 2 oz, a White Peony $16.00, and matcha at $38.00 for 3.5 oz. Hand-picked yixing teapots, artisan pottery and gift items from across Asia share the room; the new space no longer serves food.
What to bring home
Website: chingchingcha.com
03Loose-leaf specialistTea Mansion
Dupont Circle, Connecticut Avenue
6 prices listedTea Mansion
1627 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
The Connecticut Avenue shop where loose leaf is still weighed out by the ounce, across a dozen categories and a wall of teaware.
In storeShips onlineMon–Sat 10:30–19:30 · Sun 10:30–19:00
Read the full shop note
The Dupont Circle shop of a small group that also has counters at Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax and Westfield Montgomery in Bethesda. Loose leaf is sold in 2, 4, 8 oz and 1 lb across black, green, oolong, white, rooibos, pu-erh, mate, matcha, chai, blooming and iced teas, with ingredients listed on every page: an Earl Grey Gold and a Pai Mu Tan at $12.60 for 2 oz, an Imperial Dragonwell $15.00, a Japanese Sencha Supreme $18.00, a Milk Oolong and a Royal Garden Pu-erh $24.96. Several blends are sold as stand-ins for discontinued Teavana ones. Free US shipping over $50.
What to bring home
Website: teamansions.com
04Loose-leaf specialistValley Brook Tea
Embassy Row, inside The Ven at Embassy Row hotel
6 prices listedValley Brook Tea
2015 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
A Fujian grower's own counter on Embassy Row, selling its three tea mountains in sealed single-serving bags.
In storeShips onlineRead the full shop note
A Fujian grower's own shop inside The Ven at Embassy Row, at 2015 Massachusetts Ave NW, specialising in oolong, black and white tea from three tea mountains it says it farms, crafts and packs itself. Everything is sold in sealed single-serving bags rather than loose: a single sample bag is $3.50, and the multi-packs are $28.00 for eight 5 g bags — Lapsang Souchong, Jin Jun Mei, Dragon Well, Bi Luo Chun, Silver Needle — or $21.00 for six 8 g bags of the Wuyi oolongs such as the Da Hong Pao. The shop has its own hot and chilled tea menu. Free shipping over $99.
What to bring home
Website: valleybrooktea.com
Prices keep each product’s listed currency and pack size. Check current prices and hours with the shop.
A good cup, closer than you think
Find your tea in Washington, DC.
These teas have an exact or close match in the local catalogue. Open a tea to see who sells it and at what price.
Matcha
Matcha
See local availability
Oolong tea
Milk Oolong
See local availability
Green tea
Sencha
See local availability
Black tea
Earl Grey
See local availability
Browse 15 teas you can find in Washington, DC
Also worth a visit
Pearl Fine Teas
Farmers markets (Dupont Circle, Mt. Vernon Triangle, Monroe Street)
Website: pearlfineteas.comA DC tea purveyor with no shop of its own: its own markets page lists farmers-market stalls and other people's shelves, so there is no storefront to send you to and no shelf price to quote.
Ask for prices in storeBlue Nile Botanicals
Columbia Heights, 2824 Georgia Avenue NW · 2824 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
Website: bluenilebotanicals.comAn herb and spice apothecary open since 1977 that sells rooibos, honeybush, peppermint and hibiscus, but publishes no pack weight on any product page, so there is no price per size to list.
Ask for prices in storeA little local knowledge
Before you head out.
Currency, grams & tea bags
Each price keeps its original pack size. A box of bags and a pouch of loose leaf aren’t a like-for-like comparison.
Check the right location
Hours and visiting conditions can differ between branches. Use the address and details for the location you plan to visit.
Pickup and appointments
Some sellers operate pickup offices or showrooms. Read the shop note and check its visiting conditions before setting out.
A guide with a point of view
Tea specialists lead the discovery. Other retailers keep their own category, for familiar blends and everyday essentials.
Keep following the tea
Where to next?
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Photography & credits
Tea photographs are illustrative unless identified as a photograph of the shop. Images are cropped or framed to fit the layout.
- 五玄土 ORIENTO · Original photograph · Unsplash License