Building off of what Rob said, this place is (to my knowledge) the best place to buy high-quality teas in the downtown area. It’s selection is definitely wide enough for the common tea enthusiast, and thus far, I haven’t been disappointed with any of the teas I’ve tried from them.
So far, I’ve tried some Bi Lo Chun, a loose Pu Er, and a selection known as Kings Tea (a jade oolong with a ginseng glaze).
The Bi Lo Chun is top quality, though it can be temperamental. If brewed correctly, it gives a lovely sweet green-tea taste that’s strong, but not too astringent. The Pu Er was decent—a solid tea, but nothing to write home about.
I bought the kings tea off of a recommendation from the manager (an older, polite chinese lady whom I assume is also the owner or part-owner), and was pleasantly surprised. This tea, I found, is a great after-dinner tea. It gives all the satisfaction of a good oxidized oolong (nice and roasty), but the ginseng glaze leaves a film of sugary sweetness on your tongue and throat, which will stay long after you’re done drinking.
Unfortunately this place closed down, but while it was in business, this place had the best tea in the Austin area, hands down. A wide selection of all kinds of tea, almost entirely top-grade, whole-leaf tea.
