Floating Leaves Tea

One of the few tea places in the city that emphasizes the phenomenological aspects of tea consumption and the art of appreciating the aroma, textures, and aftertastes of 乌龙茶! Too often do tea galleries have a knee-jerk tendency to list lots of supposed health benefits of teas without any consideration of the quality of the empirical studies underpinning such clinical claims. Unlike those places, this tea store sidesteps the whole 'health benefits' trend entirely and focuses on the much more straightforwardly accessible experiential dimension. The importance of this dimension ought not be underappreciated!

I can not recommend this place enough. My sisters and I went here for a tea class and the owner was knowledgeable, funny, and extreamly skillful. She taught us a lot and explained things in a way that even a beginner could grasp. Learning this style of tea has become a real source of joy for us and this class helped all three of us expand in that in different ways. We are already looking forward to coming back for another class on our next trip to Seattle. If you are interested in gongfu style tea, Chinese style tea, or Taiwanese style tea this place is a must. Make time for a class on your next trip. You won't regret it.

Floating Leaves sells high quality tea and has great service. I’ve ordered twice and things are always neatly packed with an additional sample and personalized note. Their descriptions come with a lot of transparency that gives me confidence in the product. Highly recommend the Alishan Black, and any Oolong they stock.

My husband and I have visited tea shops all over the world, but we've never found any that can rival Floating Leaves in quality, character, and customer service. Noah and Shuiwen are deeply passionate and knowledgeable about teas, and are happy to share their wisdom with anyone who walks in the door. You can sit for hours with them learning how to taste properly! We love their tea and love supporting their business. Can't recommend them enough! We're lifelong customers :)