Todd & Holland Tea Merchants Edit

A very nice shop with a little of everything. All of the teas are prepackaged (10oz is the smallest), which I am not a huge fan of because it eliminates samples or smaller amounts (something every other shop I visit does). It also eliminates the need to talk to the people who work there, which is really the whole reason of going to a shop as opposed to just ordering online. There are sample jars by each tea so you can smell and look at the teas, which is a plus and helps make the search a bit more fun. Don’t get me wrong, I was greeted and was shown around (this is here, this is there, etc.)… but its a lot more like shopping at a candle shop than it is like going to a tea merchant. They have samples brewed on a little bar for you to pour and sip as you walk around. Prices are hit and miss… some things were reasonable, while others actually evoked laughter (the pu-erh selection comes to mind). Nice selection of teawares but again the prices are not really enticing. Probably not worth a long trip, but if you are near the area it is for sure worth checking out. Other reviewers speak of “Bill”, who was not there (or at least not on the floor) when I was there… kinda wish he had been, I think I would have had a better experience. I will return, I just don’t know when as its a bit of a trip from the city…

Great selection, great shop. Champagne Raspberry!

This place is just down the street from me and that is a very dangerous thing! As the previous reviewer said, Bill Todd really knows his tea (although he does perpetuate the decaf tea myth). The store itself is wonderful, the largest variety of tea next to Teavana. Unlike Teavana though, Bill doesn’t hold his tea for ransom behind the counter. Instead there are rows upon rows of teas, each with their own smelling jar. I’ve had my nose declare a strike because I’ve spent so much time sniffing and resniffing as I decide which ones to take home.

There is always a tasting bar with at least two teas out and the employees will fill you in about those teas. Unlike Teavana, they do not add sugar to their samples. I typically do, but prefer this to Teavana’s sampling practices because you get an idea of how the tea itself tastes, rather than their rock sugar. If Bill is working, it’s likely that there’ll be a third, special pot of tea he made for himself, but he always shares!

In addition to the wide variety of teas, the shop also has a bunch of teapots, cups, and infusers. I love their selection of Beehouse teapots! They could use more tins, but it’s not a huge deal. They even have some honey and sugar!

Overall, basically a tea-paradise!

There are very few people on this earth that understand the nuance of tea quite the way Bill does. Others may think they are “into” tea but if you want a very precise flavor in your tea then describing it to him will get you exactly what you are looking for. This place is extremely special and rare. There are plenty of other places that can see you tea, but few that can take you on a tea journey the way Todd and Holland can. To walk in this shop is to walk into a little taste of heaven, but to order from this shop is to get your items so quick you are shocked. They are lovely, lovely folks whose prices are totally justified by the extremely high quality of their products.

If tea is the only drink you indulge – you need to keep Todd & Holland as your default page.