Loved my visit here! Came by from Dallas for a quick drink, and ended up buying 4 bags of tea for friends and family. My husband and I got a sweet green tea and spice chai to go, and so far, has been one of the best teas we've had. They have a large selection of teas to choose from (loose leaf to buy) and come in 2, 4, 8 oz bags, along with some tea accessories. The guy who helped us out was very nice and gave some good recommendations as well. Very calm and peaceful inside, a few seats, but more of a grab and go kind of place. Will definitely be coming back in the future. read more

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I have been purchasing tea here for years. Great service and quality. Easy to call ahead and have it ready for pickup.

Talking about Great People and even better Tea,you can't beat this combination. The atmosphere is great intimate. The people are so knowledgeable about the product and fast in giving you the order inwhich you asked for Great service and quality products with very kind folks this is definitely a place I will continue to come to all the things they have no offer read more

I love this quiet spot to enjoy a cup of tea. My grandmother used to love to come and every time I go I think of her. This time I had an iced mint that was so refreshing for a hot day. Wonderful place to relax and the people serving your tea know enough to guide you to some good recommendations. Service was pleasant. read more

I enjoyed stopping by to this tea shop when I had the chance. They hold a vast collection of East Asian tea and hand you your very own tea handbook to look at their selection. Their prices aren't bad at all! They are reasonable and are packaged right in front of you once you choose your selected flavors. The people working are kind and knowledgeable about the tea that they serve and will help answer your questions to the best of their ability. In the place itself, it's calm and quiet and smells soothing. They serve iced tea, hot tea from the pot, and traditional matcha. A great variety of experiences in this shop and one I recommend! read more

Gong Fu Tea - Interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

It was really nice to find some really good tea in Iowa. The sales associate was really nice and shared some good information. We bought yummy puerh and jasmine teas. I wish they had tea tasting ceremonies. read more

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It was painful to spend $12 for every two ounces of tea leaves, but they smelled so good. They had the biggest selection I've ever seen, and types I've never heard of. No samples, but for $3.25 you can have them make you a cup of what you want to try - there may be limits on this - not sure if you could get a cup of gyokuro, for example. I didn't like the overly casual staff. There was a girl drinking out of her old coffee mug and just setting it right on the counter next to the scale. There's only a couple tables to sit at, and a dusty dark little tatami mat corner it looks like no one uses. The bathroom smelled so bad I couldn't use it. Overall - great selection - but I think they need to clean it up a bit, work on the ambiance and staff way of interacting. read more

Gong Fu Tea - shelves of various types of tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Gong Fu Tea was such a lovely tea shop, very laid back and Mike was so knowledgeable. I was lucky to spend a few minutes learning about tea and he even let me know that he could ship to Colorado. Love finding hole in the wall quality places like this! Will visit every time I'm in Des Moines! read more

Knowing I was almost out of tea at home, I jumped at the chance to shop at this small business after being referred by another local business. My purchase would be quick as I knew what I wanted. Entering the store, we were treated with a resounding " Just so you know, we close in 12 minutes". The clerk's body language clearly said he was totally annoyed with us coming in. I quickly went the counter with my order, while it was being packaged up I inquired about another tea. Feeling a bit guilty about coming to the store so late I now regretfully purchased it as well. The clerks temperament towards us being such an inconvenience won't be a problem in the future. Where every customer, every dollar counts, it's unfortunate that such a clean , beautiful, and well priced store can have such negative impact on the customer experience. Our apologies for taking the time out of our evening to stop in your store, make our purchases, leaving by closing time and being such a bother. read more

My first time at gong fu tea! Literally just went in there. Before 5:40 even, a very large man mopping the floor refused to look up from mopping and COMPLETELY ignored two attempts at a greeting made by my husband. I noticed he had ear buds, but only one was in his ear. We were right in front of him. I'm trying to figure out if he is special needs, deaf, or just really rude, disrespectful and terrible at his job. read more

This is my favorite tea store in Des Moines area. The selection is outstanding. Staff is very helpful. I highly recommend this place

Great tea shop! Plenty of selection. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Easy parking. We have visited this tea shop many times and really enjoy it. Friendly staff and quality service. read more

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My friend and I were looking for a spot to warm up our bellies and this cafe pop'd up as a local favorite. The shop has a large variety of caffeinated and un-caffinated options and I love that if you wanted to have a serene conversation with another there was a quiet space to do so. My friend and I needed to get on the road so we were directed to a couple of canisters to smell the leaves. I got the cream assam, which according to the brewer was very popular in the winter months. It was served pippin' hot and we were on our way. Great spot if you want to catch up with a girlfriend or do some studying! read more

This place is amazing. It reminds me of the movie Spirited Away and volcano High. I told my son he has to get one of those containers for his tea. We also got a teapot with the strainer for the tea leaves. We were very satisfied with our purchase here. They had everything we needed! read more

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I popped in to pick up a gift certificate and ended up also purchasing a pretty tea canister to gift as well. Staff were friendly and wearing masks. I'm not a tea drinker but was amazed by the large variety of tea they had available and from conversations I overheard the staff were very knowledgeable. Worth a visit. read more

Friendly, professional and knowledgeable staff. Wonderful selection of teas from around the world. The aesthetics of the shop are great. Pre-COVID-19, it would be a wonderful place to relax and enjoy a cup of tea after making selections. I went to pick up a gift selection for my Fiancé's daughter and they were helpful talking through selections for her. I also tried a cup of their limited edition holiday blend while shopping and it smells like the holidays in a cup, so picked up a few ounces for myself and as a gift. It is also fantastic that they share the temperature to brew the water, amount of tea to steep and steep time on each package. They also have great accessories from teaspoons, pots, storage canisters, etc. read more

Gong Fu Tea - Holiday blend; wonderful tea! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Gong Fu has such an excellent and relaxing vibe that just thinking back on past visits makes me feel content. I started this is an update to past reviews, but in truth, Gong Fu remains (happily) largely unchanged. The tea selection remains expansive, the staff friendly and knowledgable, the products tasty and tasteful, and the environment conducive to reflection and quite conversation. One of my more memorable experiences at Gong Fu involved a tea tasting workshop that my wife and I attended. I thought I knew something of tea beforehand, but came out much more informed and appreciative. Time to brew up some Genmai Macha... read more

Sometimes a business deserves multiple 5 star reviews- as is the case with Gong Fu Tea. My recent visit to this peaceful tea haven in downtown Des Moines' East Village kicked off with a mini lesson in Japanese teas by the owner, Mike. (Thanks for prepping me for my upcoming trip!) I can't help but keep ordering the 22 oz pot of dragon pearl jasmine tea - it's both flavorful and fragrant. The darling sweetener section offers a cherry on top with crystallized ginger, honey and more. Definitely well worth the visit of you find yourself in Des Moines or nearby. read more

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Gong Fu Tea is an amazing Des Moines spot. They have an absolutely massive selection of tea that is equally matched with knowledgeable staff who know more about tea than you ever will. I was able to describe some of my favorite flavors to them and they picked out a blend that I am completely in love with. What's really cool about Gong Fu is that you can get a cup there, sit and relax in the amazing ambiance of the shop or get a bag to-go. The to-go bags even have all the brewing instructions right on the back so you're sure to brew for just the right amount of time. As I mentioned, their tea menu is endless, so be sure to grab a copy when you're in and peruse it. You'll have a million options to try! They are extremely friendly and welcoming and have the best selection you'll find anywhere. read more

Gong Fu Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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High end tea shop that sells both hot and iced tea made from the loose-leaf that you can buy and drink at home. If you are interested in unique and hard-to-find tea, or just a nice place to drink a cup, this is a solid choice. read more

Hands down the best tea place in Des Moines. I always get the piña colada tea! I really love bringing people here who aren't big coffee people because it gives them a fun selection of non-coffee drinks to choose from - like a whole booklet. read more

This is by far the finest tea house in Iowa. Friendly helpful staff and great prices. I try to visit at least once a month to stock up on loose leaf teas. A must visit for any tea enthusiast or anyone who is interested in trying a coffee alternative! read more

Great location. Great selection. Great service. This place was featured a while back in National Geographic Traveler. It's been around longer than many of the other neighboring businesses. Get your Zen on and dive into the quiet sipping non-action. read more

Driving from KC to Madison I needed some coffee and pull into downtown Des Moines to find a coffee shop. Seeing the tea sign at Gong Fu, I assumed there would also be coffee - wrong. I know nothing about tea; and I haven't drank it unless I'm poured a cup at a Chinese restaurant. With a few questions from the accommodating lady behind the counter she pushed me in the direction to a few teas that she believed I would enjoy based on my response to her questions. I ordered a blackberry current to go but stayed a while to unwind from the drive and enjoy the space. Gong Fu lady, thank you for educating me and giving me a reference point to continue my tea exploration. read more

Gong Fu Tea - Scary decision for a rookie. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Located in the super hip East Village, Gong Fu Tea offers a wide variety of teas. The staff seem to be dedicated to their work and have a love of teas. I visited twice so far, once in the middle of winter and once on a bright sunny summer day. It was incredibly busy in the winter and much more calm in the summer. I did not buy any bulk tea because I have way too many right now! The price point is a bit high for me, but the teas are of high quality. Today I tried their "Cloud Nine" which was their special iced tea of the day. It was wonderfully refreshing on a hot day. Very subtle green tea flavor with a hint of fruitiness. I was also pleasantly surprised by how affordable a cup was- $2.39 which included tax. I would recommend this spot for any tea lover. read more

Gong Fu Tea can be intimidating to walk into if you don't know about tea, but the service here is amazing, and with just one visit you'll feel like a tea guru! There are a huge variety of teas to choose from (I love to grab a chai before I go to Raygun, Salon Spa W or East Village Spa). I highly recommend just talking to the staff and perusing the menu. It's a cute spot to go with friends or have a tea presentation with your date! read more

I'm still relatively new to the Des Moines area, about 3 years or so now? I still remember seeing Gong Fu Tea downtown and reading about how awesome and unique this place is. I always thought to myself, I have to find some time to come here! Well ladies and gentlemen, finally I was able to find that time to come! You can either choose street parking or park in their private lot just south of the building (It's a small driveway, so once you see the building, keep driving South and turn at the driveway/parking lot connected to the building, NOT the big parking lot). There are limited parking spaces! Once inside you definitely feel like you've entered a unique shop. It almost feels like a miniature tea museum of sorts with tea in glass jars on the wall and various tea pots displayed. There were a few tables in the front for comfortable sitting and drinking tea. If you don't know what you're doing for your first time (like me), approach the counter and let them know it's your first time here and ask how the ordering tea process works for drinking here. You could also ask about the purchasing tea leaves process to-go if that's what you're here for. The staff member was very friendly and helpful right off the bat. She showed,us a small menu/pamphlet that showed prices for different ways the tea could be served (hot, iced, to-go, etc). She also gave us a pamphlet that had ALL the tea they carried and stated a good majority of them can be prepared for enjoyment in-store, the others can only be purchased as a loose leaf. The list was HUGE and there were a paragraph description for each, so I just asked her what is the most popular. She stated it was the Ancient Happiness, she gave me a smell of the loose leaf and it smelled amazing! We went with the hot tea Ancient Happiness for our first time. We were informed there was also additional sitting in the back, we saw it was Japanese style seating (I don't know the proper term) with a few flat tables on an elevated ledge where you remove your shoes and sit next to the table. It was very comfortable! The tea came quick and the staff member did a great job serving, the whole process is very quiet, relaxing, and smoothing. The tea tasted great! There was a sweet light peach flavor that I really enjoyed, I am not really a tea drinker, but I had a good experience. We took this time to read more about the various teas they had and now I want to come back and try all their different teas! Also, the prices? Yeah it's far cheaper than anything you'll get at Starbucks that's for sure, great prices! They unfortunately do not serve food, they have a few bags of snacks for sale, but it's just like nuts/dry food. The atmosphere, the tea, the staff, the prices; all these are reasons for you to come and see what they offer! read more

Gong Fu Tea - Ancient Happiness tea! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Looking for a gift set for my mom's friend.. Leaving Des Moines in a few weeks time.. She loves tea so much and of course... I Yelped "TEA" and Gong Fu Tea just came out to be the best place.. Gong Fu Tea sounded like KungFu Bubble tea in NYC... NO THAT'S not what it is!!! So I stopped by this morning... first step walking into the shop... Nice relaxing place.. You can simply order a cup of tea by enjoying your morning time/afternoon/evening... anytime during the day with a book/newspaper..... isn't it great??? They have a variety of green tea/oolong/black/herbal/white.. and yellow tea.. I have a hard time in choosing... The bamboo wrap gift set looks nice as a gift... with your choices of 4 different kinds of tea.. Under their recommendation... I chose their best selling green tea, white.. and 2 herbal tea... They really know it!!! They recommend it according to seasons.. well.. It's whole year summer back in my country... so season doesn't really matter.. but everything looks good to me because I LOVE TEA as well.. I might come back to buy another gift for my mom!!! :) read more

Gong Fu Tea - Bamboo wrap gift set - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is such an excellent place and a staple in the east village. Their tea selection is outstanding. Their atmosphere is calming and comfortable. Their staff is incredibly knowledgable. A+ for every aspect of this local establishment. My personally favorites are jasmine dragon pearls and cloud nine. Loose tea is available to go to be brewed at your own convenience as well as brewed by the wonderful staff to stay-or go. read more

Gong Fu Tea - Fabulous tea selection. Best staff. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I have been back to this establishment multiple times. I like loose leaf tea. I like how you can go in and sit with a cup of tea, or load up and head out to make your own. I have been in lots of times and I really enjoy their decaf vanilla chi tea. They are always so friendly. The people behind the counter take the time to go through and have you smell and understand the different types of tea they provide. Don't have anything for loose leaf? Don't fret, they also have all the things you need to get hooked on their loose leaf tea. read more

I remember when this place opened, and sadly shortly after that we had to move out of Des Moines. I've been to several states and this place is by far the cheapest, friendliest, and best selection of teas I have found. (unless you're talking about say teavanna but ugh). The quality is top notch and I make a point to stop by when I can. I recommend lapsang souchong for an interesting tea experience or cream assam for something more relaxed. The serenity now is great for those who can't handle caffine. Heck even just going here for the free smells makes it worth it. Oh and make sure you try the snacks they sell also. Very yummy! read more

We love Gong Fu Tea. Not only can you get a cup of wonderful brew, you can get plenty to take with you. The staff knows their stuff and can help you find what you need based on a few simple questions of what you like. My wife says they have one of the cleanest restrooms in town, she keeps track of these sort of things. Whether you're up for a relaxing cup, a small break or some delicious options to take with you (in great foil containers so they stay fresh), this is the place! read more

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Great selection of teas and love all the tea pots. Service has always been spectacular and knowledgable.

Gong fu has a great selection of white, green, black and rooibos/herbal teas. All their available tea is listed and described eloquently in a pamphlet that's readily available at the counters, they also have the listed teas on the "tea wall" neatly displayed in glass canisters so you have an sense of what your tea will smell like when brewed. The loose-leaf teas or sold by the ounce or can be brewed in store as a single serving, served hot or cold. I recommend Ancient Happiness or Jasmine Sencha, both have a hint of floral thats sure to calm and soothe. read more

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Amazing tea from knowledgeable staff. A shop made by two guys who followed their heart and passion for tea. This is an awesome place to hang out with a book or a friend. When you order a tea "for here" you get a whole pot. An awesome excuse to hang out for while. Don't be shy to ask the staff about all their different teas. They are more than happy to let you take a whiff of all the different ones offered, or answer any question you may have. Personal favorites: German breakfast, jasmine green tea, autumnal flush Darjeeling read more

Gong Fu Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is by far the best tea place I have found. I am very particular about my tea. They have a lot of varieties of loose leaf tea and great accessories for brewing. You can order online and you get your order in 2-3 days. We live in Arizona but I always get my tea from Gong-Fu Tea. Enjoy! read more

Good tea, bad employees. Try not to disturb them while they make up strange names for tea that are 5-6 words long and contain 6 numbers.

This is the place to buy tea for your diehard tea loving friends and family. The helpful counter associates are professional, knowledgeable, and there to assist you with all of your tea questions. They will happily guide you if you are unsure of what to buy and will steer you straight to a potential new favorite tea! Highly recommend stopping in for your holiday shopping and everyday tea needs! read more

If you love tea, this is the place for you! I visited after receiving one of their samplers for Christmas. So many different teas to choose from, knowledgeable staff that can help you select something delicious. They have an amazing selection of tea cups, tea pots and accessories. I wish we had one in Iowa City where I live, but never fear, they have an online presence. I can order my tea, and receive it in 2 days. Also they have wonderful customer service when you order off shipping. Couldn't recommend this place more! read more

This is one of my favorite places in Des Moines. The staff are amazing and know their tea. The atmosphere is so chill and they always play great relaxing music. The prices are also awesome! I try to go in weekly, but it ends up being a couple times a month. I've got some of their tea at home and drink it daily! If you like green tea, try the ancient happiness. It's my favorite! read more