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Perennial Tea Room
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Food Tea Rooms Coffee & Tea, Tea Rooms [Edit]
1910 Post AlySeattle, WA 98101
Neighborhood: Downtown
(206) 448-4054
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9:30 am - 6 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
25 reviews for Perennial Tea Room
Review Highlights
"A refreshing step from the bustling Pike Place Market."
(in 5 reviews)
"It is a cute little shop, hidden away in post alley."
(in 8 reviews)
"...learned to really enjoy a good cup of Earl Grey and Rooibos."
(in 3 reviews)
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25 reviews in English
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Review from Jonathan M.
Reno, NV
1/2/2012
When I traveled to Seattle, Washington for the first time in June 2008, I found the Perennial Tea Room. It is tucked away in an alley near Pikes Place Market. As I walked into the alley and saw their sign I thought, "brace yourself for tourist prices and snobby people." Coming from a very small and friendly place in Nevada at the time I was afraid of "big city people." To my surprise, I walked into the building and there were people in their 20s behind the counter and they were friendly! I was amazed by the selection of teas on the left side and the accessories on the right side of the building. I was pretty new to tea so they helped me out by teaching me and allowing me to smell the different varieties. And the prices are wonderfully inexpensive, never "cheap (haha)." The experience with the employees was great and for the week that I was in Seattle, I made the Perennial Tea Room my "home base" for relaxation while I explored the city. It is now 2012, and I haven't been back to the Perennial Tea Room in person; however, I have been ordering online from their store ever since 2008. Their service has always been top notch when I have had questions over the phone. The processing times for shipments are quick, straight-forward and efficient. I am not afraid to drop $100+ buying teas, tea bags, etc. from The Perennial Tea Room. I've looked locally in Nevada for something comparable but whomever started this Tea Room has an awesome idea continuing. I am probably going to be a life-long customer. And my friends all know of this place, whether they order or not!
I recommend Coconut Pouchong, Moroccan Mint-Organic and Jasmine Pearl Tea. None of these have let me down since 2008 and I am always trying new teas. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Cypress, CA
4/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am a tea fanatic and was excited to find a place for loose leaf teas..The best way to drink it! Perennial Tea Room is a little shops in a small alley way near the farmer's market downtown.
There is always the same people that work there one gentlemen and one older lady. The young gentlemen gets 5 stars for great service. Very knowledge about all the tea blends and gives out samples of the 4 featured teas they serve up different daily. I also enjoyed an 8 oz tea for $2!! That is a steal!
The older lady ...not so nice when it comes to serving the young crowd like myself. I came here in february and they had a special tea for the month that was a rooibos romance blend. Smelled so good I should have bought it when it was in front of me.
Last time I went in she was not so helpful and very rude. I asked her about the romance blend and she replied with a rude tone of "we don't have it anymore because it was valentine's and valentine's is in the month of feb." ..How am I supposed to know I' from L.A lol....
Anyways I kept looking for teas that had the similar scent and as I was smelling different teas she kept saying "you are not smelling rooibos you're smelling green tea."
I know lady!! It says on the damn bottle...geez talk about making me feel like an ignorant idiot. I finally found a strawberry & creme black tea and bought 4 oz for $11 which is a lot because I still have half the bag full and it's practically almost May. Well I still like this place and a mean old lady can't ruin a good tea place like this one. -
Review from Anya P.
Arlington, VA
7/17/2011
Has a fabulous mango sunshine tisane that's great for the taste buds. Came here with the SO after a full day of wandering about Pike Place Market and ended up buying tea, a couple of tea books and a tea cosy. The shop was very inviting, in my defense. They also had a good selection of available teas for sale.
We came back a couple of days later. The tea was that good. -
Review from Sarah B.
Seattle, WA
3/8/2007 2 photos
A beautiful, quaint little tea shop that caters to all levels of tea lovers. It's nestled in the wonderful row of shops in Post Alley and offers a great retreat.
My love of tea has slowly been evolving. From basic Lipton, to various new flavors, to decent bagged tea, and now moving onto loose tea. And not that I don't appreciate a good cup of fresh brewed Lipton. But I've learned to really enjoy a good cup of Earl Grey and Rooibos.
The store is set up perfectly. An area for tea cups, tea pots, and tea time goodies. And another area of all the bulk loose teas and even some seats inside and out to enjoy a cup of tea.
The staff is the icing on the cake. They know their craft, drink their tea, explore new flavors and are eager to teach you whatever you wish to know. I like that you can go in, tell them the flavors you seek, and go home with a perfect blend.
They always have a few blends to try daily and promote the whole tea culture by hosting special dinners across town and having authors and tea connoisseurs visit and hold events. It's worth it to get on their list.
I recommend even the tea skepticals to pop their head in and enjoy a free sample to see what all the fuss is about.Listed in: Pike Place Public Market
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Review from Deborah S.
Seattle, WA
2/11/2007
"See we went to that other place for spices, and we come here for tea. Even though we've been in two other places that have tea, this is where we buy it"
This is how I was explaining market shopping to my sweetie. At home we were low on Lapsang, and knowing that he needed gifts to take home I knew Perennia Tea would be the solution.
We stumbled on the bergamot sale where everything with this fragrant additive was 15%. A fantastic reason to get the JP Morgan a mix of early grey and lapsang. Yum. The service was effusive, the prices were resonable and the selection divine.
They also have tea pots, British candy and crackers, and a variety of gift items.
In the market this is where you need to get your tea.Listed in: Date Night Girlie Style
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Review from Amy Y.
9/6/2010
1. Price- fair but more expensive than other place I've visited before.
2. Selection- fair (I've seen more extensive selection but Perennial has unique offerings)
3. Service- fair (owner is warm and welcoming but is distracted very often)
There's also discount offered for high volume purchase.
I bought White Champagne Rasberry (which the owner described the taste as a summer cocktail, my first taste of the tea is that it's very pleasantly fragranced but the tea flavor falls flat) and Tahitian Blend (yet to be enjoyed). -
Review from Robyn H.
Seattle, WA
8/11/2005
By Jove, old chap. Do stop in for a cup of tea and a dash of culture. A lovely gift shop and tea room with a lovely variety of tea. By George, I think we've got it!
Pip, pip and cheerios and all that rot. -
Review from katya l.
1/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
They don't have hundreds and hundreds of types of tea, but what they do have is high quality and delicious. You can grab some loose leaf to take home, or enjoy a cuppa by the window, watching people pass. They have a good selection of tea pots, cups and other paraphernalia, and overall the shop looks like a kitschy old British lady's parlor. Not everyone's cup of tea (ha ha see what I did there) but it's nice to stop in for a hot drink and get away from the bustle of the market.
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Review from Kate S.
11/13/2010
Why haven't I reviewed this place yet!? I have been coming here for years, even before I moved to this side of the state.
It is a cute little shop, hidden away in post alley. Walking in the door is always fantastic because the place always smells ~amazing~.
The shop owner is usually very helpful and friendly, although I think i caught her on a bad day one morning and she was unusually gruff.
They let you poke around the large selection of teas they have available, giving you free rein to sniff and enjoy the lovely smells almost all of them have.
You can buy quantities in measurements as small as 2 oz, and from there can pretty much get as much as you want as long as they have enough to fill your request. The teas can get a bit expensive--this is no Stash tea bag crap you can get from the grocery store, so be prepared to pay for quality. All the teas come in bags with steeping instructions.
Part of the shop is dedicated to tea pots & strainers as well. most are a bit on the pricey side but all are cute and would make a great gift for the tea fanatic that you know. -
Review from AJ P.
Seattle, WA
7/1/2007
We get almost all of our rooibus tisanes from PTR. Friends and family get us black teas from England at least once a year, but if we wanted more for ourselves or for gifts we come to PTR. You can smell the bulk loose leave teas they keep in airtight glass jars, as well as samples they keep out for the packaged teas on the other side of the room. For loose leaf bulk teas, they send your purchase home in individually labelled paper bags that include brewing instructions. They also have a selection of tea pots/sets, tea makers, filters, and other accessories like tea cozies.
It's in a quieter section of Post Alley with Kell's Irish Pub on one side, and Rose's Chocolates and a baby clothing store on the other. There are some seatings both inside and outside the store for your sample/purchase of brewed tea. Parking is difficult at Pike Place Market when it's busy/on weekends. There are paid meter parking on First and Second Avenue that have higher turnover. -
Review from Cxxxx L.
Greenwich, CT
4/11/2007
We love tea, and our visit to Perennial Tea Room had us returning since they were brewing the Pu-Er Tea later on in the week while we were visiting. The service was wonderful, and we truly enjoyed each visit.
We enjoyed the teas they brewed, and it's a delightful store to look at all the tea related items.
If you are a tea lover, this is definitely a place to stop in. -
Review from S alicia S.
Seattle, WA
7/15/2009
The Perennial Tea Rose carries an impressive array of tea products. Dehydrated, crushed herbs that smell wonderful, and taste fabulous when peculated in water should be appreciated. The mission is obviously geared towards connoisseurs. You know... the uppity class that delights in novelties, finger sandwiches, everything pretty and/or British.
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Review from Michael O.
Seattle, WA
12/7/2010
One of my favorite tea shops in town. Some people may think it's a little "kitschy", but I think the place is quaint like an old British victorian cottage. This shop tends to have more limited varieties, but not having 200 teas on the wall doesn't bother me - the uniqueness of some of the teas I've bought here (see below) is better than a million choices. The environment is so quaint - i stop to drink a cup and read my book quietly.
Sue, one of the owners, is so friendly and very knowledgeable. I bought some Natela's Gold Standard black tea which is absolutely gorgeous (whole, big, untorn leaves) from the Caucasus Mountains in the ex-soviet Republic of Georgia. The smoothest black tea I've ever tasted (and I grew up drinking a LOT of tea). I believe they're one of only two shops in the country that have this tea ... what a treat to get a taste of tea from a region that you never hear about.
Lots of beautiful teapots (you can even "test pour" them which is awesome since I hate drippy teapots), British munchies, books, and tea-related gifts.
Like I said, the ambiance is wonderful tucked away in Post Alley with a quaint little patio and half-door opening into the shop.
Go ahead, stop by and taste / smell / explore their loose leaf teas along the wall. Nice to have a good tea place in the middle of this java city. -
Review from Evie B.
10/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
Such a cute tea shop! You can't help but want to buy everything in there! We were recommended by our waitress at Lola and all of the teas she suggested can be found here. I think most are hard to find because they're all Seattle-based teas. Try the Barnes & Watson teas...we especially like the tahitian blend for iced teas and the lavender earl grey. Both are so soothing to the smell and deep in flavor. Yum!
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Review from Mina I.
Boston, MA
6/26/2007
A refreshing step from the bustling Pike Place Market.. there are lots of really great tea options that you can get bagged up.. the staff is very knowledgeable about the different flavors and they encourage you to smell and mull things over at your own pace. I've gotten some great teas here as well as a cute heart shaped infuser for my boyfriend for Valentine's Day!! As a gift I received a super cute ceramic owl tea set I'd admired from here.. I'll be back again and again, they've gained a faithful customer for life! And - not only can you add to your tea collection for home but you can get a hot or iced tea right in the store!
Listed in: I heart Seattle!
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Review from Matt P.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2006
I discovered the Perennial Tea Room on a trip to Pike's Place Market; it is wedged in a small space next to Kells in Post Alley. The woman working couldn't have been more helpful in her knowledge and advice about the various black teas they stock. They also have a good selection of tea pots and cups. It is a good place to check out the next time you are in the area.
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Review from Garrett P.
8/16/2010
They have a multitude of great teas here, which you can buy in bulk if you'd like. I found something that was a bit chocolatey that I enjoyed enough to buy a large can. They sell the teas, along with everything you'd need to prepare them.
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Review from Chloe H.
Seattle, WA
2/15/2006
I'm guilty of being a hopeless Anglophile, so it was wonderful to turn down a little back ally in downtown Seattle and find this shop. Sentimental, I know. In any case, the tea isn't bad.
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Review from Charlie H.
Seattle, WA
7/1/2009
Perennial Tea Room has a wonderful selection of teas, teapots, and accessories, and they serve several different types every day. I'm not a tea expert, but I've never been disappointed with anything they recommend. They're hidden away near Pike Place Market, but well worth looking for,
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Review from Meredith S.
Bellevue, WA
10/15/2009
I always feel really fancy when I go here. They sell Harney & Sons teas here, which I love (especially the Holiday Tea in the red tin, a ceylon with citrus, almond and cinnamon). They come in those cute little sachets inside a regtangular tin. My friend loves the Princess Grey tea they have at Market Spice, but found out she had to stop drinking caffeine. Perrenial Tea Room to the rescue! All I had to do was buy some bulk decaf Earl Grey from them (which they don't sell at Market Spice) and buy some organic lavender from Tenzing Momo (also in the Pike Place Market) and voila - I had a makeshift decaf Princess Grey. Looking forward to trying more of their teas...
Listed in: Pike Place Market Faves
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Review from Karla R.
Woodside, CA
7/19/2007
I'm a big tea drinker and always visit tea shops when I'm in a new city. Yes, the have lots of teapots etc. for sale, and being in the alley is really nice because the outdoor seating is cute and it's not too busy... but I was disappointed by the actual tea experience. When I buy tea, I like to smell it... but most of the teas are behind the counter so it's not easy to do this. I also expected to be able to get any of the theirs to drink, but they only have a around 5 teas to drink every day.
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Review from Maria C.
Seattle, WA
2/24/2006
I collect teapots and this place could bankrupt me. From traditional to modern to whimsical, they have all kinds, including the really cool Chinese bamboo steamer teapot I got, perfect for green tea - which of course should be steamed, not boiled. Buy your tea loose leaf and get a strainer - they're really cheap. It's the best way and they have tons of tea. They also have reasonably priced mugs with strainers included. Get a cuppa while you're there and sip away. Great tea shop.
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Review from Dave R.
Seattle, WA
12/12/2006
Generally an ok place for tea downtown. True tea snobs may find the quality lacking in the single variety teas, such as darjeeling and keemun. For the tisane and chai types, you will be happy here with the quality. Pleasant staff and nice tea pots.
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Review from Don M.
Seattle, WA
4/13/2007
I love the PTR. The people have always been friendly and they carry my favorite tea, I'm addicted, tippy yunnan. Nothing comes close. I will always be a loyal PTR shopper as this is where I discovered my favorite tea.
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Review from Meghann M.
Seattle, WA
12/11/2010
great loose leaf tea selection, always multiple tea sample cups available, the place smells delicious, and the staff is knowledgable and helpful. a few tables and chairs are available should you be so inclined to sip a cup of tea and read a book (like reviewer michael o.), and the shop is full of tea paraphenalia - anything and everything you can think of! the shop's physical location in post alley (also next to a chocolate shop) is super if you are downtown. prices for a 2 oz bag of tea ($4-5) seem reasonable, too. my current favorites are "winter chocolate spice" and "sparkling sugar plum", the latter is literally sparkly and so pretty in a dark colored mug!
