Red Blossom Tea Company

Red Blossom Tea Company sells a very, very large selection of loose teas. A significant portion of their inventory is devoted to Chinese green teas, some black teas plus a smattering of other types of teas. They have some herbal selections and traditional chinese herbs in the back of the store. There are no boxed teas and if you are specifically looking for herbal or Indian-style teas, don’t bother with this store, the strength is in the Chinese teas. Red Blossom offers reasonably priced teas for everyday drinking to genuinely exceptional teas whose complexity, bouquet and finish rival those of outstanding wines (and the prices to match). Customers are encouraged to browse the selection by opening the canisters of teas, and for the knowledgable, compare aroma, leaf size and shape. The teas are well labeled and there is a description of the flavor, point of origin, and notes about the harvest.

Some of the staff are bilingual but the older staff members seem to speak Chinese only. The store attracts many non-asian customers and the bilingual staff hold the tastings for English speakers. However, once you have made your selection, all the staff members can assist you with your purchase. Tastings are popular and the staff are sometimes willing to help you taste teas for hours (!). It’s best to go earlier in the day when the shop is less busy if you would like to taste the teas.

There is a well – organized web-page for mail orders