The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.

Loose leaf tea?

MugenmidgetMugenmidget Registered User regular
edited November 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
In the DFW area, specifically, where is a cheap place to buy loose leaf tea? I know there's plenty of places like Cost Plus World Market and Whole Foods, but it seems like you can't buy it in bulk for very cheap at these stores.

There's a place called "Asia World Market" that has far more reasonable prices, but I don't think you can get things like Passion Fruit Tea or other varieties. It's mostly green tea and jasmine tea, or funky bags just labelled "Chinese Tea" (but admittedly still pretty good).

Online stores are nice too, but local suggestions (vague or specific) are welcome. Thanks!

e3ORbfq.png
Mugenmidget on

Posts

  • OctoparrotOctoparrot Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    In the DFW area, specifically, where is a cheap place to buy loose leaf tea? I know there's plenty of places like Cost Plus World Market and Whole Foods, but it seems like you can't buy it in bulk for very cheap at these stores.

    There's a place called "Asia World Market" that has far more reasonable prices, but I don't think you can get things like Passion Fruit Tea or other varieties. It's mostly green tea and jasmine tea, or funky bags just labelled "Chinese Tea" (but admittedly still pretty good).

    Online stores are nice too, but local suggestions (vague or specific) are welcome. Thanks!

    How much do you mean by "bulk"? You can go into any asian store and buy a bigass tin of loose leaf tea for at most $5.

    Octoparrot on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I would say World Market or Trader Joe's, but my neighborhood supermarket also carries Twinings loose tea.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • radroadkillradroadkill MDRegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Try Teavana. Online and in the DFW area becuase that's where we first went into one.

    radroadkill on
  • MugenmidgetMugenmidget Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Octoparrot wrote: »
    In the DFW area, specifically, where is a cheap place to buy loose leaf tea? I know there's plenty of places like Cost Plus World Market and Whole Foods, but it seems like you can't buy it in bulk for very cheap at these stores.

    There's a place called "Asia World Market" that has far more reasonable prices, but I don't think you can get things like Passion Fruit Tea or other varieties. It's mostly green tea and jasmine tea, or funky bags just labelled "Chinese Tea" (but admittedly still pretty good).

    Online stores are nice too, but local suggestions (vague or specific) are welcome. Thanks!

    How much do you mean by "bulk"? You can go into any asian store and buy a bigass tin of loose leaf tea for at most $5.
    Hm, I guess I need to find more Asian stores in this area, or at least more of a Southern Asian/Indian store because the one I currently know about that sells tea for cheap mostly sells things like I mentioned above. The variety is very lacking, which is alright but I'd love to try out a whole lot of different things while still having enough to make a few batches without having to go out all the time. "Big ass tins" are perfect, but when buying from Whole Foods you have to pay like 2 bucks for a tiny bag...
    I would say World Market or Trader Joe's, but my neighborhood supermarket also carries Twinings loose tea.
    Damn, there's no Trader Joe's franchises in Texas. Sucks too, looks like they'd be fun to visit.

    Mugenmidget on
    e3ORbfq.png
  • MugenmidgetMugenmidget Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Try Teavana. Online and in the DFW area becuase that's where we first went into one.
    Ah cool, I'll try to visit them soon. They're sort of out of the way (I'm in the DFW general area but farther north) but I think maybe the DART rail will go out to one of those locations, thanks a bunch!

    Mugenmidget on
    e3ORbfq.png
  • DeathPrawnDeathPrawn Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    If online isn't too much of a problem, Upton Tea (http://www.uptontea.com) is fantastic. Really high-quality stuff.

    And Trader Joe's is indeed an awesome store.

    DeathPrawn on
    Signature not found.
  • radroadkillradroadkill MDRegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Try Teavana. Online and in the DFW area becuase that's where we first went into one.
    Ah cool, I'll try to visit them soon. They're sort of out of the way (I'm in the DFW general area but farther north) but I think maybe the DART rail will go out to one of those locations, thanks a bunch!

    We fell in love with the tea. Even if it ends up being too "pricey" they tend to have some good sales and in the store they can do custome blends, nd usually have a lot of pots brewing for samples and it's fun to do.

    Nom!


    Edit: We also got some fairly good bulk tea from Central Market.

    radroadkill on
  • TrowizillaTrowizilla Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Teavana is delicious and you can do custom mixes. I like blending lots of lemongrass green tea with a little rose rooibos tea. Mmm.

    Trowizilla on
  • Forbe!Forbe! Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Local co-ops.

    Hippies love tea.

    Forbe! on
    bv2ylq8pac8s.png
  • Judge-ZJudge-Z Teacher, for Great Justice Upstate NYRegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I buy my loose tea from Adagio.com . The prices are reasonable, and they have a tone of varieties. We're talking about 100 servings for $10, and it comes in really nice canisters. The only flavor I didn't like from them was the Earl Grey - the bergamont was a bit too strong and bitter.

    EDIT: Checked out Teavana after reading the above posts, and their prices are much higher than Adagio. I'll order some anyway to see if the quality is any better.

    Judge-Z on
    JudgeZed.png
  • PheezerPheezer Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited November 2008
    Pull out your local yellow pages and just go window shopping to see what's in your area.

    Once you know who's got what, if you can manage to do most of your shopping at one store, it'd probably be wise. It's nice to know the person selling you this sort of thing, can be a good source of recommendations for new things to try.

    Pheezer on
    IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
    CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
  • KivutarKivutar Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I usually go to local asian markets/world markets, etc.
    The largest asian market here has several aisles of loose-leaf tinned tea to choose from and covers pretty much everything you could imagine to some degree - they're not always good choices, but they're still available nonetheless.

    There are also a few specialty tea shops around that I tend to get rarer things from once in a while (which would be something to look into), and many coffee shops or co-ops and the like will have at least a token selection of teas.

    I don't order food items online, so couldn't really make any suggestions there.
    When I'm on vacation to various places, I'll occasionally hit up a shop there and bring some things back with me - Dushanbe Tea House in Boulder, for example. Boulder in general is rife with good tea though, at least compared to where I live.

    Kivutar on
  • HypatiaHypatia Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    I've started going to Adagio Tea because their service is great, they have a huge selection, you can do whatever mixes you want, and you get $10 back for every $100 you spend.

    Every time I've ordered from them they've thrown in mini-tins of some of their other teas for me to try, and the containers they send the tea in seal and are great if you don't already have tea containers (I didn't)!

    Hypatia on
  • illigillig Registered User regular
    edited November 2008
    yeah, definitely find your local china town.... at my favorite store you can get tea in dozens of different varieties (leechee tea :drool: ) either in pre-packed containers, or loose out of a barrel...

    illig on
  • Mad JazzMad Jazz gotta go fast AustinRegistered User regular
    edited November 2008
    Teavana is solid, that's where I usually go to restock when I'm home. There's one in the Galleria, and while some of the white teas can get pretty pricey, there are a bunch of varieties that are not only fairly inexpensive for good tea, they're also delicious (earl grey creme, zomg). Chinatown is also a good option. Really, it all depends on the kind of tea you're looking for.

    Also, Trader Joe's is very similar to Whole Foods, so you're not missing too much. TJ is actually whole foods's main competition.

    Mad Jazz on
    camo_sig2.png
This discussion has been closed.