This is a wonderful library of teas and spices! It's every spice and tea lover's dream come true. BUT: filling your basket might lead to a bit of sticker shock, but I truly believe it's worth it. The quality of the loose-leaf teas here is exceptional, and I find myself replenishing my stock at least twice a year. My personal favorite is the blueberry black tea. read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - it's the fairest tea shop of them all! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Adorable place. A bit pricey, but you always have to account it's VA and Old Town Alexandria so they do think highly of themselves here! The manor owner is friendly and knowledgeable so we ended up purchasing a few canisters of tea, honey and some xtras. read more

This is my favorite tea shop I always try to stop at whenever I visit the area! They have so many varieties of tea, spices, and even sugar and salt blends! I was able to find some roasted dandelion root that I've been searching for a while ($8 for 1oz). They have a 3 rotating tea samples and you can get any of the samples to-go for $5.50! Their prices are what to be expected from a specialized business, and the quality matches the price. The workers are super welcoming and happy to help and recommend! read more

This is a very spacious shop with a great variety of teas and spices. The people who work here are very helpful and friendly. But it is very pricey. However, if you want an exotic spice or tea this is the place to go. I wish there were benches where you could sit and just take your time glancing at the array of offerings. read more

Service was immaculate. Went in looking for specific teas and came out with a lot more than I expected to buy! Regardless I am happy with my purchases and would definitely come back! read more

What a quaint shop that's tucked away from the sidewalk. If I hadn't been looking for it specifically, I would have missed it. They have an amazing selection of teas and spices. Store employees were very helpful in selecting teas I would enjoy. I'll be back for sure. read more

This is a great place for anyone who loves to cook. They have nearly everything you could imagine in the store when it comes to spices. The smells of all the fall spices were filling the air today, how lovely it was! The staff are so very helpful and knowledgeable about their products, if you need anything they are right there for you. read more

Walking into this spice shop I felt the stress leave my body and like I was inside of a candy shop from the amazing aroma inside. The young lady that helped me was very educated and gave me great recommendations on teas. The shop is very clean and very organized. When I went back it was another young lady rearranging certain things and she was sweet as well. She also told me it was female owned. That's a plus. I was able to smell different teas as well. The young guy who made me an ice mango tango tea was great. He allowed me to get some footage as well. I think if I would've gotten the tea hot I would've been able to taste more of the mango. I will definitely be going back to get the tea because after adding some more sweetener to it when I got home it was much better. If you're a tea drinker please go you won't be disappointed. read more

Really great selection of teas and spices. I picked up two bags of tea, a berry kind and a chocolate chai and both are absolutely bursting with flavor. We didn't get to try any of the spices or salts but would love to come back and pick up some in the future. The staff was very helpful explaining all the different teas. The one thing that has been incredibly annoying is that I gave them my email address for their company perks and unsubscribed from all of their emails (was a lot) and every few days they email me requesting to resubscribe even though I've repeatedly indicated I don't want to do so, which is mega annoying. read more

Disrespectful and Offensive Customer Service Experience!!! I am extremely concerned, confused and disappointed with the offensive treatment I received during my recent visit to this store. I drove 30 minutes specifically to purchase a specialty tea I needed for a high tea event this weekend. After selecting the tea, I stopped to look at the mesh tea balls located on a lower shelf, which required me to bend over slightly to examine the items more closely. At that moment, I was startled by a sudden gasp behind me. A young female store attendant quickly approached, bent over to look directly at my hands, under my coat, and Coach crossbody bag and commented--WITH a faked smile and tone of voice--"Oh, I love your shoes. They are awesome!" While doing so, she continuously glanced at my hands, my crossbody Coach bag, and under my long coat (it was 45 degrees that day). I was confused for a second but It became immediately clear to me that she suspected I was stealing merchandise. I remained calm and composed, as I truly needed the tea I came for, but I found this behavior extremely invasive and inappropriate. As I turned to proceed to the cashier, I noticed the same attendant, along with another young employee, standing right behind me and watching me closely. When I said I would like to pay, one of them directed me to the cashier by the door and completed the transaction. The name on the receipt was Caroline. I found this entire experience not only humiliating but deeply offensive. I am a 68-year-old Asian woman, and in all my travels--both within the U.S. and in over 20 countries--I have never been treated in such a disrespectful, racist and demeaning manner. I urge you to consider adopting more respectful and discreet approaches to loss prevention. For instance, installing a few unobtrusive security cameras in the store would allow for appropriate monitoring without making customers feel profiled, unwelcome and insulted. Customers deserve to be treated with courtesy and dignity, regardless of age, appearance, or background. I hope you will take this feedback seriously and ensure that no other customer is subjected to such treatment in the future. read more

This is a great shop to find gifts for the spice, tea, or other flavor aficionado in your life. Definitely worth a visit if you can find a parking spot! Came here after I saw an ad for it in a magazine and thought it might be a good source for Christmas gifts. I scoped out a tea flavor online that sounded good and headed toward the shop. Parking on King Street is a nightmare on a good day, though if you park in the residential areas a block or two north you shouldn't have too much of a challenge. It was quite busy inside for a Sunday, so it seems I wasn't the only person in gift-buying mode. When I asked about the tea I was looking for, they reported they were out (bummer) and I was surprised that the employee did not have any recommendations for me when I asked for some. Ultimately I managed to consult a friend via text and found a nice alternative, and also got a little tea sample for doing so. However, the staff had to discuss it first, as none of them knew that the Yelp offer was even a thing, so expect some work to be involved in getting your free sample. The prices were high but fair for the fantastic packaging and product quality. While I wouldn't be likely to shop for myself here due to the parking challenges, lack of advice, and upscale prices, I would definitely consider returning as a source of gifts in the future. Their tea is alright by me! Overall: 3.5 stars ---- Pros: - Great products and packaging make for fantastic gifts. - Selection is impressive and labels are reasonably informative. - Prices are high but fair for what you get. - Free check-in offer is cool... Cons: - ... But it would be even cooler if the employees knew about the check-in offer so I didn't look like I was trying to hustle them for all the tea in China. - Service was friendly but not well-informed when it came to their products or recommendations. I get it's hard to hire right now but you could at least give your workers a one-page rundown of best sellers and the differences between the major varieties of tea. read more

I love tea so I was really anticipating this visit and it did not disappoint! Amazing combinations of teas and spices! Very boutique and lovely curated. Yelp also has a free offer with purchase so I was able to get a 1 oz sample of Fiesta Taco seasoning which I thoroughly enjoyed. Service is friendly and helpful. I will be back! read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Lovely shop and service! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

The place to find the perfect cup of tea. Get your tea fix and brewing accessories here!

I always like to stop in here when I am in Old Towne. This is a cute little spice and tea shop. I have purchased both- they make tea blends and spice blends and it's worth trying them out or giving as gifts! I find things here that sometimes are difficult to find elsewhere- like whole cardamom pods or whole nutmeg. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Recommend you visit if you're nearby! read more

The staff is amazing and friendly. Love going there, however, their prices have doubled.

I LOVE the Spice Exchange. I know they have several locations but I'm so glad they have one in Old Town. The people working there are helpful with suggestions on what to get. They have a birthday coupon (10% off but it's something) and sometimes will email deals so sign up for their rewards program! I love their spice sets for gifts. They have pretty much everything you could want from salts, spices, teas, and gift sets. They have things I didn't even know existed. Every time I come here I find something new. Glad to have them in the neighborhood. read more

Stuff very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable! I went there to buy a present for a friend and I had no idea where to to start. There are so many varieties of teas and sugar that I couldn't decide what to get! They walked me through everything and I found the perfect gifts, my friend loved them :) read more

Wow! I have been to 3 of these stores and I have never experienced such excellent customer service. I love tea & spices. They have a counter where you can order tea to go. I asked Franklin to surprise me with an herbal tea and oh boy did he! I looked at the products as my tea was brewing. I love their desert teas! Jos helped my SIL with all things spice and tea. Extremely helpful and helped her get everything she wanted. Overall, the quality of the tea and spic ed s is high and I wish I could give Jos and Franklin 10 stars for their above and beyond customer service. Whether you are visiting or a local, check this place out. read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

I absolutely love this place! Christy and the staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. They have a wonderful assortment of teas and spices. They also have seasonal teas that are available only during that particular season. Pick any of their teas and enjoy it right on the spot with their tea bar. If you buy 3 sample pouches of tea you get a free flavored sugar! See my pic. And they have a tea club! A little pricey, but quality teas. read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

Great staff and customer service! Really enjoyed being able to pick a tea and having it made in front of me. Also a lot of sugar and spices varieties. I'll definitely be back! read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Awesome tea, sugar and spices store ! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

It is always a treat to visit this store. The variety of teas and spices always seems to offer something new.

We saw this shop, after the Farmers Mkt across King St, and bought varieties of tea, spices, sugars, gum making kit, and a tea infuser for friends and family. We got a free 1/4-oz sampler of Garam Masala seasoning for checking in with Yelp. This is a nice little shop with a lot of spices and teas. You can order their products online. read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Lots of tea blends. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

This place is cool. Lots of spices, teas and gifts. Try the samples. Want a glass of tea to go? You can do that here too. If you are visiting, get the visitors guide and look for a coupon or try checking in on yelp! for a check in reward. We purchased a sampler pack of spices and a recipe mix. I was tempted to buy more, however I learned that they ship. That's a bonus. A great way to shop local and bring something home with you. Spacious store. Great hours. Open 7 days a week. read more

Interesting selection of infused teas. They have a lovely rewards program and we got free sugar sampling bags every time we spent a certain amount of money. The staff is kind and knowledgeable, but also will leave you to look at and smell the teas on your own. It's a small space so once a lot of people are in there it can be uncomfortable but I enjoy taking my time so it doesn't bother me. read more

I visited this place while visiting Alexandria. I can't say I would of ever thought of coming in here or a store like this, but my friend is a tea lover and loves this shop so we came in. I loved it and there was so much I wanted to buy but I didn't want to travel back with it like some of their truffle salts. I googled it and found there is one In Portland, OR where I live and we will definitely go check it out and buy all the things I didn't buy when in Alexandria. Great store with so many things I never knew existed and that I would use. I definitely look forward to going back to the local one here, but the Alexandria one was super cute, great stuff, lots of good things to taste test and staff was super friendly. Definitely worth a stop in and check it out when In Alexandria or find one close to wherever you are:) read more

Love this place. The staff is very friendly and helpful, especially Tao, the Asst. Manager who made sure I didn't forget about my rewards/ birthday add ons. I have yet to be let down by their tea so definitely give this place a try if you're into tea or spices. read more

Great little shop tucked into a nondescript building just off king street in old town. It may not be large but they generally have everything you might want, including a few loose leaf teas. They also carry some great items for preparing spices, like a mortar and pestle. The shop is well organized and employees very knowledgeable and helpful. It's a bit dim lit inside so keep that in mind if you have trouble reading in low light, or just ask the staff to help! read more

Wow! This place smells fabulous, and there is so much to look at, it's hard to determine which path to take when in the store. No one asked me if they could help, which I did find a little off-putting, because, again, THERE IS SO MUCH IN THIS SHOP, but my friend was pleased they were willing to ship for her. I love my local spice shop at home, but this one has definitely got enough to peak everyone's interests. read more

You can find seasons that you might never ever heard of and very friendly workers there.

First off, this place smells amazing. Came here to buy gifts to send to family back home. It's a small, tucked-away shop but the selections were really fun to browse through. The prices are obviously more than your typical run-of-the-mill teabags from the grocery store, but definitely not unreasonable. They have different sizes of all their tea flavors as well as little bundles of different complementary spices/seasonings that are great for trying things out and seeing what you like. Employees were friendly and helpful with offering discounts and the like. Planning to visit again soon and try out more of their products! read more

I first came to The Spice & Tea Exchange while looking for a more modestly priced alternative to Teavana. TSTE has a different vibe and serves a different niche because tea is only a part of its offerings. They have a whole host of interesting spices and seasoning blends, and you're able to mix up your own custom blends as well. I have always found the staff to be super friendly and knowledgeable without being salesy. The three rows of teas in the back are sorted by tea type and they have a nice selection of things from lighter summer teas to more robust winter ones. I found the Berry White to be a little lacking in overall flavor, even with sugar added, but I'm a HUGE fan of the herbal Cinnamon Plum that I picked up on my last visit. The herbal Bonita Peach Rooibos falls somewhere in between and was an OK choice for the summer. They recommend mulling it into cider or wine, which I'll definitely have to try. One of the most interesting things here is the flavored sugars. Unlike the rock sugars that are $$ per ounce at Teavana, they are like regular sugar crystals but with fun flavors like Salted Caramel--a nice addition to a warm late-season drink. I also like that you can buy tea by the ounce and mix your own blends. I haven't purchased any of their spices yet, but if you check in on Yelp, you can receive a sample spice! This place is now a bit far from me, but certainly worth a visit if I'm in Alexandria. read more

I don't this chain goes as far up north to reach us in New York but now every time I have come to dc I have stopped here. I love this little shop and all the great choices it provides. Yes it's definitely expensive but for someone like me a once a year shopping spree won't break the bank. I love love love their chainilla tea blend. I buy about 3 canisters to take home each time. I add a little honey and it tastes like dessert. My bf loves their little sample options, we actually recieved one of their spicy hot chocolates that way and next time we will def be buying a bigger amount of it. This time we also bought a few more spice blends and little nick nacks just because so many options looked so good. I'm excited to come back on my next trip. read more

See all

Just go in right now if you are just outside walking by! Totally worth the visit. I've been in several spice shops before but this place puts all others to shame. They have shelves upon shelves of spices, herbs teas, sugars, salts,....you name it. It was fun just touring the place and smelling AND TASTING some of their products. The staff are extremely friendly and really want your visit to be more of an EXPEARIENCE. Try smelling the pizza mixed spice blend as well as Viks Garlic Blend. As of this writing, if you check in you can get a free sample blend! Military discount offered -- 10% read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - ONE area of many inside this magical place. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

I like to come here to purchase tea (I'm a refined man). However, if you come here for one item, be prepared to find a half dozen other items you suddenly realized that you must have (even if you've never heard of it before). This place has a lot of really neat items. If there are spices and herbs you've heard of they'll have blends that you haven't. The staff is always helpful and polite and will assist you quickly. Sugar, herbs, spices, rubs... it's just awesome. I don't want to shop here. I want to move in. read more

Very cute spice and tea place! Visited from CA! I bought the Mystic Dragon, Mango Green, and Ginger Tumeric Teas! Very delicious teas! Just drank them last night. The Mystic Dragon tastes like strawberries and green tea. The Mango Green tastes like mangoes. The Ginger Tumeric tastes like the Chinese heb store with ginger. Make sure to allow the leaves to sit in the hot water for a few minutes to give you the true flavor. Next time, I want to try the salts super cute store and very friendly, helpful staff. =) read more

See all

I spotted this place while wandering the streets of Old Town one evening. Reading the other reviews, I was a little shocked that this was considered overpriced, but this was my first experience buying this type of thing. After seeing this was a tea shop, I stopped in because after recently returning from trips to Morocco and Germany, I found myself looking for a decent mint tea and others I had tried just didn't cut it. The woman working at the store was very friendly and helpful. I know nothing about tea, so I learned a lot. I ended up buying some peppermint and spearmint leaves, along with cinnamon and vanilla, so I could make my own blend. The total was around $15 and the results of using these ingredients I have been able to make some fantastic herbal infusions! read more

Excellent, attentive customer service. Plenty of reasons to make this a priority stop on my next visit to VA. They also gave me a rewards card. I can't wait to try the blueberry sugar I bought here. read more

The Spice & Tea Exchange - Tea galore! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Alexandria, Virginia

See all

Impressive selection of unique teas and spices. They will brew you a cup of any tea in the store. I've always received excellent customer service here. read more

I used to really enjoy this place but because they are no longer following CDC guidelines for employees wearing masks I can no longer come here. This place sells food and beverage and it is entirely unacceptable for them to not require that employees at very least wear masks. I find this lack of precaution disgusting. read more

Hidden gem in Old Town. Large assortment of spices, teas, tea-related accessories (teapots, etc.) and other odds/ends. It's the sort of store that's fun to poke around in and sample things. It has a great layout - not large but they've made really great use of the space. Friendly, attentive staff. Used my Yelp voucher for a free spice and tried the garlic blend. It's heavenly! Can't wait to try other spices and try some of their loose tea. read more