Another great find in Ballard. Shuiwen and Noah are your go-to people for tea. Floating Leaves is one of Seattle's great tea shops. They have a wide range of teas and are knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and eager to share their experiences with the teas. Buying tea is like buying any fine wine, coffee, or scotch. There is always more to learn. These are full-leaf teas (see pics), not the chopped bits in tea bags. If you've never experienced a gongfu-style tea serving, ask FL to show you, or you can find it on YouTube. On a per-ounce basis, gongfu is more economical than tea bags and doesn't require a fancy setup. A small teapot, strainer, and second cup are all you need. You can, of course, buy a fancy setup. I dropped a before and after picture below. You start with the rolled and dried tea leaves and "rinse" the team each time you serve. This time I got two oolongs and a ridiculously reasonably priced pe'ur. I drink tea throughout the day with different teas for meals and sipping.They are right there in Ballard, go see FL! read more

Floating Leaves Tea - After six rinses. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Reasonable prices, very kind store owners, and a unique selection of teas! Would definitely come here again, especially for the oolongs!

Came here on Christmas Eve to grab some tea for my grandma. I explained to her the type of tea that I wanted and she recommended be a couple of types, explained their differences, and how both would be beneficial. She was very kind and had great advice on exactly what tea to serve and different ways to serve it. She was also willing to split the teas into multiple bags. Will be coming back soon to grab more teas. read more

Floating Leaves Tea - Oriental Beauty 2oz. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Shiuwen is a treasure! She has great charisma, is extremely knowledgeable about her tea, and gives thoughtful recommendations. Thanks to her I now have an oolong habit. Always high quality products and the only place I go for oolongs. read more

Floating Leaves offers some of the best tea I have ever had. I am so thankful for all of the work that the team does to create such an amazing and quality selection. I am always so pleased with everything I've tried from them. If you like oolong tea you simply must try their products. I really appreciate the extra sample they have included with my orders, it really shows the thoughtfulness and care of the team and this is especially reflected in their exceptional teas. read more

My partner bought me a ton of 1oz samples from Floating Leaf Tea for the holidays and they are all SO GOOD! The genmaicha matcha is my favorite and you can buy 2oz for $9!! Such a good deal for such tasty tea. I use one little moon cake at work every day and i can refill it at least 5 times before it starts to fade in flavor. It's also warm and brothy and makes me feel very healthy We bought a bunch of 1oz samples as gifts and refilled our genmaicha matcha supply and they wrote a personalized note with our order and gave us a free sample! We're drinking it now and it's so soothing that I felt inspired to write a review. They are a wonderful part of the Ballard community and if you are thinking about tea for yourself or a gift please consider them for your support read more

I feel so fortunate to live near their physical location! These folks are extremely knowledgeable and pleasant to talk to. The people I know that have purchased from them all have a striking fondness for the owners and I understand why. I really, really enjoy my tea from them and have gained a lot by the few interactions I've had here. read more

It's hard to tell, but they are actually open during COVID (hooray!). You can order ahead or at the door, and you really won't be disappointed by their selection of high-quality and very reasonably priced teas. I found the genmai matcha to be a suitable replacement for the much pricier teas I'd been ordering from Rishi or Japan directly. I've heard great things about what a joy it used to be to sit in the shop and sample teas recommended by the staff. Hopefully there will be a time in the near future when we can do that again... read more

Ah, Chinese furniture. So elegant to look at, so uncomfortable to sit upon. And you can never get your knees under the dadburned table! Furthermore--an oddity particular to Floating Leaves--some of the chairs bear price tags. "If you can bring it in, you can take it out!" the owner said. This makes a distinctly eccentric sort of sense. But anyway, many varieties of good tea available, served in a fashion that allows the leaves room to properly steep but doesn't involve too much extra fuss and equipment. The owner provides good advice without condescending, and is contemplating reviving a Go night she used to have (there are several nice solid wooden Go boards and sets of good, stony stones available, if you need something to amuse yourself with while you drink your tea) and starting a Mahjong night. The art on the walls is, unusually for Seattle, pleasing to the eye, and the sunken seating area makes for a very comfortable-feeling space. The tea equipment on offer (sale of teapots and cups seems de rigueur for tea shops) seems designed for actual use, not just to be set on a shelf to look pretty. I approve. read more

This place is amazing and has taught me the best way to know how to get the best teas and what to watch out for. I bought tea to take home and it is exactly what the lady has described and this has become my go to place for anything tea related. Highly reccommend read more

The owners of this delightful shop really know their teas! No matter what your level of experience may be with drinking tea, they are happy to explain and answer anything you may ask about. Stop by for a quick class in tea tasting or just relax and enjoy the artwork from local artists that adorn the walls. The soothing Asian atmosphere will have you returning frequently as will the hospitality of the owners. read more

Floating Leaves Tea - Relax and sip your day away... - Tea Rooms Near Me - Seattle, Washington

We walked in today and it felt really home-y. We did a tea tasting and ended up leaving with some tea. They have high quality tea and are both very knowledgeable. The owners feel really genuine and Seattle needs more small businesses like this. read more

Here is the note I sent to Floating Leaves after placing an order to be sent to my sister in another state. "I had you send Silver Needles white tea to my sister (again). She was so thrilled with her Red Peony sample. I didn't know you were going to send a sample! Thank you for your impeccable tea, your impeccable customer service, all the wonderful people who work for and with you." Every tea, every person, every interaction I've had with Floating Leaves in person or online has been excellent, truly as good as it gets. read more

Incredible ali shan oolong high mountain tea! The woman working there really knows her stuff and she's friendly and funny. This is the only place I would buy my tea. It's worth the extra dime. read more

Amazing tea shop with an amazingly knowledgeable and fun owner and staff. People in the US are now used to the complexities of wine and food, but if you spend some time with Shiuwen at Floating Leaves, you'll find a nearly infinite level of tasty and energetic complexities in the tea universe as well. read more

Tea houses and shoppes and rooms and lounges are popping up all over Seattle, like mushrooms on a cool autumn day. Most of them are silly places that offer strawberry oolongs, chai puerh, vanilla blueberry matcha, or booze-infused tea cocktails. No no NO! According to the bylaws of the Not Allowed Society, at least twelve unpardonable breaches of tea appreciation are hereby committed. Whew. Floating Leaves eased my mind and lifted my spirits immediately. A small, cluttered storefront smelling of freshly-steeped oolong. Unflavored oolong. My friends & I sat next to one of the regulars sampling the tea, and owner Shiuwen Tai immediately made us feel welcome. Her enthusiasm and humor are supported by her knowledgable appreciation for good tea. She swears she's no expert, and would shock tea fetishists with her nearly punk disregard for the "proper" brewing methods. Ask her about "Grandpa Style." In this way Floating Leaves encourages the shy and the curious to sip alongside the geeky know-it-alls. Thank you, Shiuwen. read more

This tea house is as unpretentious as it gets. If you like tea and want someone who can help you find the right tea for an occasion or person. This is the spot. The new space is more cozy but the selection and service is still top notch. read more

I used to live in Hong Kong, where there are truly hundreds of tea shops. I also used to give seminars to tourists on Chinese tea culture...While there is always more to learn, I know my stuff. Floating Leaves Tea is the best place in town. Best place for high quality, reasonably priced loose leaf tea! Hands down, absolutely the best in Seattle. Highly recommended for those who want great Taiwan tea (and some others i believe) at a well curated shop. Also, this shop is unpretentious and will answer all of your questions, regardless if you are a newbie or a nerd. Because I've had friends who made complaints, here is a little something: If you are new to visiting tea shops for quality loose leaf tea (anywhere), in which the tea is hand selected by the proprietor throughout the year, please remember: Although these are reasonable prices for quality tea, do not expect to pay $5.99 for 30 bags of low quality, broken up from the bottom of the pile, black tea as you can at your nearest supermarket. This is the good stuff, and rightly so will cost you real dollars to insure its quality. Good tea costs money! That being said I've found $20 bucks goes a long way in a such a reasonable place such as Floating Leaves Tea! Closed on Mondays I believe, p.s. Cheers! read more

This is a super charming tea shop, right in Ballard. The proprietor was kind and generous with her knowledge of tea. She offered us a wide variety for tasting, and the environment was calm and peaceful. I love tea, and make it often at home, and I am so pleased to have another source of expertise, and great tea, closer to home than Pike Place. What a treat to have a store like this in our neighborhood. read more

This place is like a good cry. The first time I went to Floating Leaves I was alone. I ordered a pot of genmaicha, took off my shoes, and sat cross-legged on a pillow, hoping to write a few lines in my notebook. In less time than it takes to drink a pot of tea (which isn't very long, for me) I'd covered five pages. I then managed to sink into a relatively deep meditation...especially considering the number of people in the room! My second trip to Floating Leaves was with a friend, and we chose a table instead of the raised pillow-covered area. I converted her to genmaicha (try the others, though - I just love genmaicha) and upon leaving we felt calm and content. The great thing about floating leaves is that it somehow manages to cater to those looking for solitary, serene reflection AND a friendly alternative to the typical Seattle coffee house. Whether you're with a group of friends looking for somewhere to chat or a lone writer trying to find some internal inspiration, Floating Leaves is the place to go. Believe me - I've done both. read more

What an amazing tea store! We visit Floating Leaves Tea every time my husband and I visit Seattle, and we usually end up purchasing a year's worth of tea. Although I love all of of the oolongs offered here - aged and otherwise - my favorites are oriental beauty (such a complex layers of flavors), dong ding (several variety in this line), and muzha tieguanyin (I cannot say enough how good this tea taste and feel). Though this year's batch of gui fei mei ren (refined and naturally sweet) and baozhong farmer's choice (lightly fruity taste) are unexpectedly good and delicate. Floating Leaves Tea is definitely a nice break from all the sightseeing and always deliver a variety of high quality tea. read more

I was so excited to discover Floating Leaves Tea. Back home, similar tea houses are sprinkled throughout the city, and I miss them terribly. Floating Leaves provided a good helping of comfort for this homesick girl. We went for a tea tasting session in late 2007. Rob was very personable. He shared a good combination of basic knowledge and anecdotes with the small group. I had a nice little chat with Shiuwen while she was packaging our purchases. She's such a sweetheart... just like all the girls from Taiwan. ;-) Grab a good friend or 3, and head on over to Floating Leaves. Even if you don't think you like tea, go for the experience, especially if you've only had tea from a teabag or at Chinese restaurants (which is a real tragedy, IMHO). read more

I really do miss the larger teahouse location where you could sit down and chill for a few hours but I'm so glad that I can still get quality teas from the owner. There are more than good teas here, there are great teas. There is no bad tea here. Even the less expensive tea is still great. The majority of teas come straight from Taiwan and the owner visits Taiwan (sometimes taking groups on tea tours) every year. The owner has great taste, is a very warm and friendly person and full of laughter, is very knowledgeable about tea and can set you up with a great tea (or three). You can ask to sample some before you buy as well. All samples are served upTaiwanese style. There is a small selection of teawares for sale as well. Come to Floating Leaves if you're serious about tea. I usually come away with a giant canister of bao zhong! read more

I thought green tea was an evil concoction until the folks at Floating Leaves showed me how to prepare it. Now I suck down a pint plus a day. This is a true gem of a shop. Ballard is across town for me, but it's worth the trip; the owner is extremely knowledgeable, patient and has a superb selection. The atmosphere is also very serene - a small oasis on the new craziness of Market street. Stop in, chat and listen and learn. It's worth your time and a few bucks. read more

I really enjoy this tea house. As others have said, the tea selection is quite good and the staff is friendly. They're also quite helpful. You can get a pot of tea here in the 'gong-fu' style which is a fun, decorative way to serve tea, and the staff will help you out and show you how it's done the first time. It's a great place to relax. When I've been there it has been very quiet and peaceful. My only complaint (and which keeps them from the 5th star) is that there isn't any wi-fi. On one hand that makes it a bit more authentic, but I'd love to be able to go and do work while drinking the tea there. read more

My personal favorite tea shop in Seattle. Shiuwen and Rob bring a love of Taiwanese oolongs (!! unheard of elsewhere !!) to Seattle. The tea list isn't absurd (as if you wanted 150 teas anyway) and they steer clear of the cheap 'flavored' teas, but everything they have is fantastic and a lot of it is inexpensive. If you already are a tea lover, you can expand your horizons to these fantastic oolongs (both dark and green) or have some of their delicious greens and blacks. A good pu-erh selection and fantastic teaware at good prices. Matcha, too. read more

Tea has been my obsession lately, so I took advantage to try a new place tonight with a friend. I've been familiar with this place for quite some time (I use to frequent another biz in the building), and finally got the gumption to go. I went with my friend who's not a big tea fan, and from the experience he left appreciating pu-erh (Cooked Leaf variety)! For me I took the opportunity to try Matcha. I've tried it before, but it came in a tea bag, smelled vile, and tasted only slightly better than vile, so I figured if I tried some authentic high quality Matcha that hopefully I'd have a much better experience. Indeed I did, though I'm not won over yet as a full fledged fan. At first I thought it tasted and smelled like fresh warm grass, and my friend said that wasn't it. We talked and enjoyed the atmosphere when it hit me...it tasted and smelled like fresh raw spinach. Indeed, we both agreed. Either way, I enjoyed it. The place itself has the authentic Asian flare you don't get at most local tea houses. It was quite lovely. There are games there you can play. I'm assuming they might have had wifi, as one gentleman showed up with his computer. Very relaxing and friendly. There was a tea tasting party going on, of a group of people from PDX. I was quite envious and wanted to join their group! I noticed both from the party and from their shelves of cups for sale, these little cups of different heights. I asked the owner what was up with those and she very kindly demonstrated for me how they work and what the benefit was. I was impressed with her friendliness and helpfulness. Also the young man who made my matcha at our table was very helpful and knowledgeable. I will definitely be going back there again and again. read more

I've been a customer of theirs for just over two years. They're always so kind, have incredible oolongs, and as I'm often not able to visit the store, mail is always quick, and I love receiving hand-written thank you notes. I'm so grateful for their business! read more

Shuiwen was an amazing guide through a range of Oolong tea on our first visit to Floating Leaves Tea. My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our tasting and our conversation -- two hours blew by in the blink of an eye! The tasting table is a great place for both amateur tea drinkers and experienced tea enthusiasts to 'level up' their tea palettes and knowledge. And there's no reason to be shy with such a gregarious and knowledgeable host at your disposal. Go in, sit down, and soak up every drop. We will be back! read more

I stumbled upon this place and almost passed it by. I'm glad I didn't! Excellent tea and conversation. I felt more like a guest at her house than a customer. Shiuwen has a deep and extensive knowledge of tea. I learned so much. Thank you! read more

Shiuwen was so kind and helpful when I came in looking for a tea selection. I'm replacing coffee with tea and she had so many great suggestions. I walked out with 5 different teas and I've really enjoyed them all since. Lucky to have this place in the neighborhood and look forward to becoming a regular! read more

Floating Leaves Tea is top notch. In my mind they set the bar for what a good tea shop should be. The owner goes to Taiwan yearly and purchases tea directly from the farmers and as a result brings back quality teas. Some are competition teas, others are rarer finds and some are good "everyday" teas that won't break your wallet. Like any good tea shop, Floating Leaves lets you sample the teas before buying and there's never any pressure to buy. They also have a quality selection of modern pots, traditional Chinese ware (yixing, gaiwans, gong fu cha accessories, etc.) and 'to go' mugs. I highly recommend Floating Leaves. read more

All the tea I've purchased from this location has been top-quality, and the owner will walk you through what to try next no matter what level you reached of tea connoisseur. My favorite tea shop in Seattle. And available online, too! read more

An update on the best Taiwanese teahouse in Seattle. Floating Leaves Tea is moving! The new location is three blocks east of the old shop next to Don Willis Furniture. It will open at the new location August 8th with new hours of 11am-7pm daily. The new address and phone number is: 1704 NW Market St. Seattle, WA 98107 206.276.9542 read more

Best high mountain Taiwanese oolong in town. Nuff said.

This place is a true gem. They have amazing tea and Shiuwen and Noah who work there are passionate and knowledgeable about sharing tea. They offer tea tastings that are a great way to learn about and try a bunch of different teas. But really, the most important thing is that they have AMAZING tea. Oh. And lots of beautiful tea ware to drink/brew it in :P read more

I've been getting tea from Floating Leaves for about 5 years. I started ordering tea online when I was living in New York and was excited to visit the tea shop when I moved to Seattle a couple years ago. The owner Shiuwen Tai is very knowledgeable about tea and a really nice lady to sit and chat with. In all honesty her high mountain oolongs are the best I have had. Over the last 5 years I have probably bought more tea from her than any other vendor because she reliably has high quality tea at reasonable prices. read more

I stopped in yesterday on a whim, thinking I'd grab something on the recommendation of the owner for my husband. Did not expect such awesome service! The owner took a ton of time to talk about tea choices, asked about our beer preferences, then made a recommendation based on that. She demonstrated the brewing method and told me all about the place the tea was from and how it was prepared. She was clearly very passionate about tea, which totally rubbed off and made me passionate about tea suddenly. I came home with an oolong that is just amazeballs. I'd give this lady more than 5 stars if I could. read more

An authentic tea house on Market Street! I really love the teas here, but the lack of really comfortable seating prevents the 5-star rating.

If I could describe my experience (and the owner) in one word, it would be "charming." Which is pretty fitting for a tea room. First of all, this place wasn't what I was expecting, especially in the new space, which is very cozy. But my girlfriend and I came in and found ourselves treated to a traditional tea ceremony by the owner, who was, as I said, charming. It was incredibly relaxing to just sit and sip tea, making conversation with someone who doesn't seem concerned about how quickly the world around her is moving, and just slow down for a bit. It was a great experience, and I would recommend it, especially to the workaholics that tend to populate the area. And at the end, she just bade us goodbye, we left her chatting with another friend that had stopped by, without paying her anything. I'll have to stop by to get some tea there sometime. I can't testify to the tea except for the kind that she served us, but that one was quite good - as someone who usually drinks tea that is about half sugar, it was a surprisingly tasty experience. read more