Best Dating Sites
Looking for a dating site you can trust? Search no more.
Men's Dating
Updated:
|
Discuss This! |
The best things come in small packages, or so my grandma would want you to believe. But this proverb rings true when it comes to the world’s most popular drink (besides the old reliable water). Composed of only two ingredients in its most basic form, tea has been a popular beverage in the world for millennia.
Humans across the globe have been making and sharing tea for generations. From its ancient origins in China, where tea drinking was documented as early as the first millennium BC, to its widespread global use today, tea has shaped the trajectory of human history. In other words – tea is a big deal!
Tea has always been celebrated for its ability to bring people together. Sharing a pot of tea gives people time to be together and allows the conversation to flow naturally. That includes enjoying a cup of tea with a romantic partner. Setting aside time for tea, whether as a daily ritual or a special occasion, can bring couples closer and provide avenues for better communication.
Whether you’re a tea enthusiast or a casual drinker, this list offers suggestions of the best online tea shopping. All of these tea sellers value sustainable sourcing and well-rounded ingredients, meaning no matter which business strikes their fancy, customers can be sure they’re receiving the highest-quality, responsibly-sourced ingredients.
Imperial Tea Court is the first traditional Chinese teahouse in the United States and calls San Francisco home. Founder Roy Fong was introduced to tea in childhood and has spent years working with tea gardens in mainland China and Taiwan. Roy continues to be involved in operations, visiting select producers yearly to supervise the tea-making process, from planting and cultivating to processing and grading.
For tea lovers who can’t make it to their iconic teahouse in the historic Ferry Building Marketplace, the company has a wide selection of teas and teaware available online. Imperial Tea Court sells green, black, white, and imperial teas, along with oolong, jasmine, and herbal teas. It offers blends along with loose-leaf and biodegradable tea bag options.
Imperial Tea Court also carries authentic Chinese teaware. Different styles of Chinese teaware are used for different occasions. The Yixing teapot is made with a special clay from the Yixing area in the Jiangsu province. Couples who choose Imperial Tea Court for their date night can take time to explore the rich cultural history of Chinese tea and its accouterments.
Best for: Authentic Chinese Teas
Matchaful’s mission is to care for personal health, the planet, and one another. Founder Hannah Habes struggled with health issues after years of a diet that consisted of heavily-processed foods. She was introduced to matcha by a friend who had spent time in Japan. Beyond matcha’s deep history and unique health benefits, Hannah felt its positive impact on her life when she started drinking it.
Hannah’s vision of sourcing high-quality, organic matcha eventually became Matchaful, an online store that provides the highest-quality, sustainably sourced matcha. Customers can read about their matcha’s flavor profile, source location, and preferred preparation method. Matcha lovers can sign up for a subscription and have Matchaful deliver their selection of tea monthly.
Matchaful has several brick-and-mortar cafes in New York City, where customers will find specialty blends and seasonal menus. Their online matcha guide covers matcha basics, including the historical origins of matcha and straightforward directions for preparing it. Matcha is an energizing and rejuvenating drink, perfect for a tea-based pre-game before a night out.
Best for: Premium Matcha
Dilan Fernando and Lasith Lansakara co-founded teakruthi with the simple mission of serving authentic and high-quality Ceylon tea. Ceylon tea is a historical term describing tea from Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon. The name teakruthi comes from a combination of ‘tea’ and the Sinhala word for culture. Tea is more than a beverage for the co-founders and many Sri Lankans. It’s a deep-rooted and meaningful aspect of their cultural heritage.
All teakruthi teas are sourced from specialty tea gardens committed to natural and sustainable farming practices. All growers produce non-GMO teas and many are certified through the Ethical Tea Partnership and Rainforest Alliance. Teakruthi purchases its tea in small, fresh batches, which means the company doesn’t stock mass quantities of teas in a warehouse where they will wither and lose their flavor.
Couples who enjoy Ceylon tea will find teakruthi’s selection robust. Choices include plain black, green, white, and spice teas, along with herbal and fruit infusions. Flavor combinations are masterfully crafted with authenticity and flavor in mind. Teakruthi teas never have any artificial preservatives, meaning customers receive fresh and delectable teas.
Best for: Ceylon Tea
Adjourn Tea House is an artisanal loose-leaf tea company specializing in organic, full-leaf tea blends. Founder and self-proclaimed tea lover LaTonia Cokely had wanted to start a small tea and wellness brand since she was a teenager. After over 10 years as an educator, LaTonia shifted toward creative wellness practitioning, and Adjourn Tea House was born.
Intentionality and mindful practices are essential to tea drinking for LaTonia. Adjourn’s tea blends are designed to be enjoyed as a process – from filling the loose-leaf decanter to taking the first sip. Tea blends include Puddin’, a blend of African honeybush, banana, and vanilla, among other ingredients, and a breakfast blend called Slow Rise, which is a delicate black tea with vanilla, bergamot, and calendula.
LaTonia encourages Adjourn Tea House customers to use their tea time for mental peace and relaxation. The ‘How to Adjourn Guide’ recommends tips and tools to guide customers to integrate mindfulness and intentionality into their daily tea routine.
Best for: Curated Tea Blends
Tea Bar was founded by Erica Indira Swanson, a longtime tea lover. She lived in China for two years before returning to her home in Portland, Oregon, with a passion for tea with her. She founded Tea Bar when she was only 23 years old with the mission to make high-quality tea approachable. Tea Bar’s menu is highly curated and purposeful, with a focus on the idea that less is more.
Tea Bar’s brick-and-mortar shop in Portland serves boba, and matcha, among other selections, amid Scandinavian-inspired decor. The shop is sleek and simple and has been touted as one of the hottest tea spots in Portland. Online customers will find loose-leaf herbal tea, plus matcha, cardamom chai, and Grade A tapioca pearls. There are also several gift sets, like the Morning Matcha Kit and Wellness Kit.
Many of Tea Bar’s teas are sourced from family farms all over the world, with their matcha coming from Uji, Japan. Their teas are certified organic and fair trade, and Tea Bar’s sustainability initiatives don’t end there. Drinks served and consumed in the store are poured in reusable mason jars, and the shop offers a free drink by purchasing a reusable canteen.
Best for: Boba Tea
One Stripe Chai Co. is on a mission to source the best ethically grown Indian tea with full transparency. Founder and Chief Chai Officer Farah Jesani is Indian, so chai was present throughout her childhood. She has fond memories of drinking chai at mosque, chatting with friends while dipping crackers into a small white cup. Farah left her career in consulting to open a chai company that brought this South Asian beverage back to its roots.
After visiting numerous tea gardens across India searching for the perfect tea, Farah and her team came across the perfect partner. Chota Tingrai is a family-owned estate in the Tinsukia region of Assam in India that centers on ethical practices and sustainable farming. The estate utilizes biodynamic farming techniques, which include methods like composting, cover cropping, and crop rotation.
One Stripe Chai Co.’s offerings include chai blends like the rose and turmeric latte blends. All teas come in airtight bags with creative names and colorful designs. There are plenty of gift bundles as well, like the Superfan Bundle, which includes eight tea varieties. The Chai Lover’s Bundle is perfect for any chai enthusiast and includes five distinct chai blends.
Best for: Ethically Grown Indian Tea
Monica Sunny founded The Chai Box after having children and realizing how much she wanted to share her love of chai with them. Growing up in an Indian household, Monica started drinking chai at 2 years old and blending teas at 12. Her family’s daily routine revolved around chai, from the first cup in the morning to the last cup after dinner. The time Monica spent with her family inspired her to continue that tradition with her children.
For Monica, chai is more than just a drink. It is a key part of her culture and heritage. That’s why all of The Chai Box’s blends are crafted with time and care, many based on Monica’s mother’s recipes. The Chai Box sells sweetened and unsweetened chai concentrates, which are crafted in small batches in Atlanta, Georgia. They also offer blends like All Chai’d Up and the caffeine-free Lavender Nights.
The Chai Box also offers several gift sets and bundles. The Chai and Biscuits Set comes with a bottle of chai concentrate, True Blend, All Chai’d Up, and a pack of chocolate bourbon sticks. The Sweet Monsoon gift set offers a package of the Sweet Monsoon blend and a sleek stainless steel steeper. The Chai Box gives customers delicious blends inspired by Monica’s Indian heritage.
Best for: Authentic Chai Spice
Chai has been appropriated in the Western world, and Kolkata Chai Co. is here to do something about it. Kolkata Chai Co. co-founders and brothers Ani and Ayan Sanyal teamed up to extend the authenticity, respect, and tradition behind a cup of chai to New York City. They opened up their first shop and began selling their genuine masala chai.
Ani and Ayan are first-generation Indian Americans. Their parents moved to Massachusetts from Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in 1987 and would take the boys back every summer for a visit. Ani and Ayan grew up between these two cultures – hip hop and sneakers kept them busy in the United States, while cricket games and mangsho-jhol (mutton curry) entertained them in Kolkata.
The company offers masala chai concentrate, a signature masala chai mix, a decaf chai, and a rose chai. Kolkata Chai Co.’s branding is trendy and cool, so big fans of chai and the company can rep their favorite spot with a T-shirt or enamel pin. They also offer subscription gifts so couples can gift each other up to six months of chai delivered to their doorstep.
Best for: Family-Owned Business
Jesse Jacobs founded Samovar Tea after he decided he was fed up with the corporate grind. The business was founded on Jesse’s belief that society is focused on the wrong things. Hustling to make others happy or achieve career success can be exhausting, and distracts people from the real joys of life.
At Samovar, one of the real joys is tea and the peaceful moment savoring a cup creates. Taking time for a cup of tea is an opportunity to create a positive human connection. Samovar Tea offers black, green, white, and oolong loose-leaf teas, along with herbal infusions, Yerba mate, and pu-erh tea. The company’s teaware offerings, including mugs, brew teapots, and airtight tea canisters, balance utility, quality, and design.
Samovar’s tea bundles are the perfect gift for tea-loving couples. The Essentials Tea Set includes five organic whole-leaf teas, a teapot, a tea scoop, and an extensive brewing guide. Every kit is packaged in a satiny red box with gold and silver foil embossing. These kits are elegant, intentionally designed, and offer specialty Valentine’s Day, matcha, and chai bundles.
Best for: Specialty Tea Bundles
Married couple Eric and Lynnette Dodson always enjoyed tea time together. Their love and passion for tea led them to found Cuples Tea House, a small Black- and woman-owned business based in Baltimore, Maryland. The teahouse combines education, music, art, literature, and plenty of good vibes, while its online selection offers dozens of specialty teas.
Tea selections include the matcha-Yerba mate blend called Adrenaline! and an almond oolong, perfect for a dessert tea. Cuples Tea House offers several teaware products, including beautifully adorned glass tea cups and reusable silicone tea bags. Cuples teas are crafted to be rich in flavor, and all teas sold online include information about sourcing, ingredients, compatibility with dietary restrictions, and caffeine content.
Cuples Tea House’s mission is to inspire healthier communities by increasing accessibility to premium and enriching loose-leaf tea. In the long term, Cuples is working toward presenting tea as a more health-conscious alternative to over-processed and sugary drinks like soda. Cuples Tea House always has community on its mind, and the welcoming atmosphere of the teahouse attests to that.
Best for: Health-Focused Products
Firepot Nomadic Teas has always had the mission of connecting tea lovers with tea growers to improve the lives of both. Beyond providing a wide variety of high-quality teas, Firepot Nomadic Teas accomplishes this mission through responsible sourcing and partnerships. From their home in Nashville, Tennessee, to their tea farms in Rwanda, Firepot Nomadic Teas is dedicated to respect, authenticity, and connection.
All Firepot Nomadic Teas products are sustainably sourced. Team members travel to the origins of their tea to direct source high-quality, organic, and biodynamic teams. Firepot Nomadic Teas is partnered with Akilah Institute, a women’s university in Rwanda. Akilah Institute provides education and opportunities for women to lead a sustainable future.
All teas are packaged in minimal and compostable packaging, and the Firepot team is constantly working toward their ideal of social, environmental, and financial sustainability. Firepot Nomadic Teas’ business model is built around a dedication to every person involved in their supply chain – from those who grow and cultivate the tea to those who drink it.
Cusa Tea & Coffee began with a great love for tea. Founder Jim Lamancusa discovered his passion for tea while exploring the traditional tea shops of Hong Kong as a study-abroad student. An outdoorsman, Lamancusa wanted to enjoy the flavors of loose-leaf tea while backpacking. Since packing a kettle and bags of loose leaf isn’t doable in the backcountry, Jim embarked on a journey to make instant tea that actually tastes good.
Jim found a new brewing and dehydration process based on botanical extraction that gave instant teas the flavor and character of a loose-leaf cup. Cusa’s instant teas produce barista-quality beverages free from chemicals, additives, fillers, or excess sugar.
Cusa teas come in small, convenient packages that are easy to make into a hot cup of tea in a jiffy. All tea drinkers have to do is pour warm or hot water over the contents of the package and watch their tea dissolve – no stirring needed!
Making time for tea gives couples a warm and delicious excuse to spend time together. Whether couples integrate tea time into their morning routines or a nightly after-dinner ritual, boiling the water, selecting the tea, and waiting for it to brew is a custom that invites connection and intentionality.
Tea is always a reliable bet for those times when a birthday, anniversary, or holiday is approaching, and the gift ideas just aren’t coming. From herbal blends to authentic masala chai, no matter what niche a tea lover indulges in, one of the companies on this list can surely deliver.
Discuss This!