Oh my, do I ever love shopping at Murchie’s. They have a large savoury and dessert deli in half the building; everything there is absolutely delicious and made fresh. The line is always extremely long, but this is because they are one of the best delis in town.
I really appreciate the $4 samplers of 10 teabags for those of us who like to try different teas. They also have lots of teapots/cups and a selection of bulk loose leaf which are tasty.
The DAVID’s TEA in downtown Victoria is quite large. I like this because the store gets very busy and this way I can browse many pre-packaged tins before going to the counter when it quiets down. The staff are great and I enjoy their flavoured teas.
Even though I really like many of the teas offered, I find Silk Road to be REALLY expensive compared to other tea vendors or similar quality unless you buy larger amounts of the tea at a time. That being said, I think their tea is good quality and the store is always clean and organized. I also appreciate how helpful and approachable the staff is without being pushy to make a sale.
I really enjoy many of DAVID’s TEA’s blends so I visit at least a few times per year. I have been to this uptown location twice because it is located close to a bus route I take frequently. The sales people are always friendly and helpful. The store is busy, but looks clean and organized.
The reason I prefer David’s over most other tea stores is because there is no minimum purchase. I often buy ~12-15g of each new tea just to sample it, usually about $2-$4 worth, but you could do less. They are always nice about it, even when I buy 8 different tiny amounts and want to smell them all.
