I'm in California right now drinking Kava and was inspired to write a review about Bantha. I've had Kava from places in Florida, Hawaii, Arizona, and California and all of it just makes me miss bantha. They have literally the best Kava in the US of A, their Kratom is phenomenal as well. They have lots of loose leaf tea options that are all very affordable and great quality. I buy a few ounces of whatever when I'm in there to mix in with my Yerba Maté at home. The staff are all super cool, hopefully you get Mark when you're there, super awesome dude down to talk about anything. From what I've seen in other Kava bars, the atmosphere tends to be greasy hippy vibes or something on the verge of being a vape shop, but Bantha is clean, unique, and relaxing with nobody blowing vape clouds in your face while trying to order. Can't wait to get back to bantha again. If you're ever in the Pittsburgh area, this is 100% one of the places you need to stop in to. Love the Bantha gang, can't wait to see y'all again soon. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Banthas most wanted - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Popped in on an 80 degree Sunday afternoon in October. Staff were welcoming and helpful. I was in search of a refreshing iced tea. Rites of Spring, a herbal blend of lavender, peppermint, and citrus peel really hit the spot! They use triple-filtered, reverse-osmosis water for all of their teas & coffees. The ice tasted remarkably fresh and pure. They offer their space for community events and a book making class was taking place during my visit. My go-to when in the Garfield/Friendship neighborhood. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Storefront - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Such a cute spot! I loved the unique architecture and that it had an abundance of seating. A great spot for anyone looking to sit down and study. I loved sitting by the open window on a day with amazing weather. There was a wide variety of tea options I don't see often as well. Overall, great space! read more

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We stopped by Bantha around 7:30pm today for a hot drink. The inside is charming with mismatched chairs and WiFi so you could work from there. There are some food offerings as well that we didn't partake in. We each ordered a drink and they came out pretty fast. There was a little confusion since there didn't seem to be any sort of organized line and everyone was just crowded around the counter to order drinks. So I got the chocolate reishi elixir which was pretty good. I want to come back to try their other offerings! read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Menu - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Lovely neighborhood tea shop with a variety of teas - iced, hot, etc. Also, giant indoor space perfect for getting some work done! Inside is very unique- kinda feels like being inside an earth ship! read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Great spot for a family outing and very cool decorations. Good product. It would be a cool spot for a wedding. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This place is so so cute! I love the vibes inside. It's very hipster and quaint honestly. I love all the teas they have and the prices are pretty reasonable for a quality tea. I got the Bloomfield Fog and it was decent but not super strong. I'd definitely come back to try more things. They have a really great selection if you're a big tea person. Lots of good blends too. They have board games you can play here. It looks like a lot of events are held here too which I want to check out sometime. Staff is nice and service is fast! read more

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Cute tea shop on Penn Ave in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh. It has tons of teas both hot & cold & kava & some locally made sodas, as well as cookies & dessert snacks. I had a tasty iced Rites of Spring tea for $4. There are tables & benches from a bygone era throughout, local art on the walls & in the second room they host live music & poetry readings. It's like being in a funky basement. I was there for a concert on a Friday evening that was sold out. It definitely makes for an intimate venue, but it was slightly overcrowded for 45+ people attending . Still it was a fun evening. Staff was very nice. There are 2 gender neutral bathrooms. Parking can be hard to find on street. Meters enforced until 6pm except Sunday I think. read more

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Bantha has everything you could want in a tea shop - cozy vibes, a welcoming atmosphere, and delicious loose leaf tea options! They have a good bit of seating if you want to spend the afternoon, and parking on Penn Ave. is usually easy to find. I enjoy their selection of herbal tea options, especially the winter spice mix on a recent cold afternoon. They have food options as well, including soups and bakery items! read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Outside - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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love this place! absolutely stunning interior with really affordable beverages. the tea selection is very unique and have very pleasant and balanced flavor. i got the coconut jasmine which was subtly sweet and tasty though not particularly jasmine-y or coconut-y. still very pleasant. my friend ordered the cold brewed tea with fresh fruit which i thought was fantastic! super smooth and fruity, with a pretty robust tea flavor. I really recommend coming here especially to have a pleasant chat and enjoy yourself. you'll love spending time here. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Cozy tea shop with great blends. Hippie/chill vibes. Has free WiFi so you can bring your laptop and get work done. Main room with the tea bar has good lighting, but the back room is dark - FYI. read more

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Despite working at Children's Hospital for 4 years, I somehow never made it here. Finally remedied that by meeting a girlfriend after she got off of work. I tried to get a little work done on my computer before she arrived, but it was too noisy for writing. Staff are super friendly. I liked my tea and half of the large brownie (kept the other half for the next day). My friend wanted a light early dinner of spanakopita, which took a while to come but was very hot and delicious when it did. Street parking. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Rooibos tea with lavender bitters brownie - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This was an adorable little tea house. It is located on Penn Ave in the Garfield area of Pittsburgh. It had a very bohemian feel. They had two dining areas and ample seating, including outdoor seating. Staff was helpful and our order was ready quickly. We ordered an iced green peach tea, iced London fog and a pea flower lemonade. All of our teas were perfect for a hot day. The menu had a large selection of teas in addition to specialty tea drinks. They had a small selection of baked goods. We sat close to the front open air window and leisurely enjoyed our time chatting. The dining room lends itself to lingering and enjoying your drinks. read more

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# Bantha Tea Bar - Outstanding Quality That Rivals Tampa's Best! As someone from Tampa, Florida - where kava bars are practically on every corner and the competition is fierce - I can confidently say that Bantha Tea Bar's products would easily compete with the best we have down here. That's saying something! The **kava was incredibly smooth and tasty** - no harsh aftertaste or overpowering earthiness that you sometimes get elsewhere. You can tell they source quality product and know how to prepare it right. It went down easy and delivered exactly the relaxing experience you're looking for. The **kratom was excellent** as well, and here's something special - this was my **first time ever having hot kratom**, and what a revelation! The warm preparation really enhanced the experience and made it so much more enjoyable than I expected. It's clear they know their craft and aren't just serving the same old thing everyone else does. Coming from Tampa where we have no shortage of kava bars, I'm really impressed with Bantha Tea Bar's quality and preparation methods. They've got the product knowledge, the quality sourcing, and the preparation skills that would make them stand out even in a saturated market like ours back home. If you're looking for top-notch kava and kratom with knowledgeable preparation, definitely give Bantha Tea Bar a try. They've earned a new fan, and I'll be back next time I'm in the area! read more

Met a friend here and it had such an eclectic vibe. There was seating available at the bar and both large and small tables in the back area. I was most impressed by their wide selection of black, green, and herbal tea. I don't usually drink tea, but it was a very relaxed experience. The barista was friendly and gave us a small hourglass for steeping our loose tea. $3 for a mug or $6 for French press (which ended up being more than enough for 2 people). I will definitely come back here to try some of their other tea choices! read more

Bloomfield fog was excellent. It tasted kind of like a horchata and slightly like cinnamon toast crunch cereal milk. There's plenty of seating and there was one really cute nook area that my friends and I sat at. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Bloomfield Fog with chia parfait - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Small snacks. The first time I tried those sesame dark chocolate tahini cups... WAS NOT MY LAST. It's so good. Friendly staff. Lovely location to relax and try some tea. They do have restrooms and a projector to watch. The environment is perfect. I would visit again with my friends to catch up. I ordered a nice coconut jasmine. read more

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Interior was nice and cozy but didn't like either of the two teas I got. It tasted oversteeped so I wish they had told us to take the infuser out at a certain point instead of us guessing. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - a view of a city street - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Creative tea choices, wonderful ambience, and great service. There's a lovely mosaic tile pattern in the tile floor. You can sit in the booths or at the bar. The unisex bathroom has a changing table and a cool sliding door. Prices are reasonable, $3 for a mug of tea that comes in a handmade mug. Lots of plugs for laptops and free wifi. read more

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Bantha is a funky, cool neighborhood spot for tea, and if you're so inclined, snacks and coffee. I'll stop by occasionally with my wife to do some writing. There's a substantial amount of seating at the shop, and easy access to power outlets at tables along the wall, plus free Wi-Fi. The selection of tea is staggering. I'm not much of a tea person, but whatever I've tried (I'm not too adventurous, mind you), I've been happy with. I normally gravitate towards their French Press pot of coffee (for $5, you'll get about three cups out of it). The coffee is strong and bold. They only have half and half or almond milk to accompany it, but then again, what do you expect when you order coffee at a tea shop? If you're hungry, Bantha has numerous snacks from local bakeries and soup from Spoon, which my wife has always raved about. The staff is friendly, helpful, and likes to strike up conversations with their regulars. The owner, Jack, has built the business up over the past few years from a small tea counter to a neighborhood asset. The shop has a small performance area, two bathrooms, and the walls are decorated with local art. Bantha is a vibrant small business with a fun cast of characters. Spend an afternoon there, and you'll see a steady stream of regulars and hear some interesting conversations while enjoying some tea or coffee. It's a great place to hang out at when the weather is warm and you're looking to chill out with a friend. read more

Moved to Pittsburgh from a city with a big kava scene (at least at the time I was there) and at least three kava bars. So I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered the doors of Pittsburgh's only de facto kava bar. I was skeptical at first, but found myself pleasantly surprised. In Pittsburgh, Bantha Tea Bar (yes, it is named after the creature from Star Wars) is one of a kind. It is not just a place to gather around with the rest of the vanua for a grog session and toast a mandatory "bula!" It is an engaging and multifaceted space with an extraordinarily broad range of creatively designed tea selections and occasionally food selections (outside food or drink is allowed, at least in the outdoor seating area). The interior design here is original and exquisite: Star Wars was already mentioned, but the stucco interior with rounded doorways really does feel like something created by George Lucas. In addition, the windows are decorated with hanging pieces of stained glass and reflective bottles fill the walls like gemstones, filtering the light on a sunny day. In addition, the walls of Bantha Tea Bar often serve as a gallery for community artists to display their work for sale and for appreciation. If you enjoy kava (or tea in general), if you want to be in a space that helps boost your imagination and creativity, or if you just need somewhere in Pittsburgh that feels like pure sci-fi art, I can't even begin to recommend this place enough. read more

One of a kind, artsy spot. Quiet and spacious. The coconut chai is very good. I hope to go back and try more. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Coconut Chai Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Really neat place. I was in the area and looking for a warm place to kill some time, and found Bantha. It's bigger than it looks from the outside, with some funky decor. I ordered the Bloomfield Fog, which is Earl Grey tea, mixed with lavender syrup and milk. So good! And a good sized portion for $4. Definitely will return if I'm nearby to check out some of their other teas. read more

Great selection of teas and I loved the ambiance of the tea bar! I got the babybump tea with honey and it was amazing. Nothing special but it was nice on a cold winter day read more

I just spent five days at the Bantha Tea Bar. I came there to watch soccer but ended up enjoying so much more. They had an excellent art exhibit and another night, they had a poetry reading. I had a blast meeting new people while viewing the World Cup and I love Bantha's tea and Kava. On my last day, I had a bowl of homemade vegetable and pasta soup that was super amazing! The only criticism I have is the lack of variety with their savory food selections. Well, it is a tea bar and they have plenty of that in abundance and it's all excellent tea! I can't wait to return to Bantha Tea Bar! read more

Walking on a brisk day brought me and a friend here. We had partaken in lunch earlier and decided to walk Penn Avenue for a bit. Needing some warm we decided to stop in here and grab some tea to go. The first thing I noticed when I walk in here was the fact that you could hear a pin drop. It was so super quiet that I was whispering my order to the girl behind the counter, who also happened to be the only other person in here. The next thing I noticed was how they store their tea. Making it look classy and bit magical, all the teas reside in large glass jars. Keeping with the magical aspect in order to get some of these teas out comes a wand...nah, I'm just kidding with you. A step stool is used. But it honest gives of a Harry Potter ambiance. I was waiting for candles to float, the ceiling to change into clouds and an endless dinner to be served. Since this didn't happen, we decided to get our teas to go. I'm not much of a tea drinker, maybe once in a blue moon, but I really don't know how to gauge the tea. It tasted like a drink that came from leaves...there I think that suffices. However, I ended up wearing more of it than I wanted to. I had a leaky lid. Every time I took a sip I would get a drip. No matter how many times I attempted to readjust the lid there was still dribbling going on. No fault of theirs, probably just how the lid was made. Also I didn't like the burning liquid seeping through my clothes. read more

I have had this place under the radar for quite some time now since I have been pursuing tea houses. Located close to Children's hospital in Bloomfield this tiny bar serves a small selection of sandwiches and desserts but a good selection of teas. They are all loose leaf and are available for purchase. I decided to opt for the "rose hips" fruity tea. The counterman was very friendly and put the tea in one of those tea cup holders and set a "timer" for me to let it steep 3 minutes. Nice idea for when I brew my own! He told me that my tea would be enough for a complimentary refill but I only had enough time for one cup. The place is laid out nicely and free in house WiFi is available. My tea was very good and flavorful. It was perfect for a bitterly cold winter's day. They do offer a nice selection of black, green, and decaffeinated teas as well. Pay street parking is available. Most definitely will return to check out some of their other teas in the future. read more

Bantha Tea Bar - Various teas - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Cute, quiet, relaxing ambience. There's plenty of tea variety, lots of seating, and you can play board games. Quiet enough to actually study there read more

Small space so it can fill up quickly, but they have a wonderful collection of teas. If I lived in the area, I would be here all the time. A cool bonus is the shop's effort to be more environmentally friendly by utilizing solar power and being built out of primarily recycled materials. While that's not something I usually specifically look for in a tea bar, it is nice to support a spot like that over something like some random Starbucks. read more

I like the theme of this place and how unique it is and the tea is pretty good. The only problem is that they are constantly over steeping the tea because the temperature of the water is very high. You have to poor your tea a lot quicker, I kind of wish that they would watch that and pay attention to the temperature of the water. The little bites that they serve are very good and it is a nice place to hang out. read more

Star Wars themed tea house with a wide variety of teas and other treats. Screenings of Star Wars flicks and more.

Love that I found this great little tea house. They have a wide selection of teas and herbal drinks that can pick you up or calm you down whatever you need. They even have differnt Kratom teas and CBD oil additions. The iced Green Bali (Kratom) with lemon CBD is my favorite. They also have local baked goods, ice cream, soups and salads. The interior is small but enough room to be cozy with reclaimed wood on the walls. They also have a frequent buyer program buy 12 get one free. read more

Any serious tea drinker would truly appreciate both the selection and quality of tea at Bantha. Relaxed atmosphere, friendly reception and cool interior design add to the experience. And there's coffee for diehard coffee fans as well, no need to feel left out if you're a coffee drinker. If you're new to loose leaf tea drinking, this is a great place to try out a good variety of loose leaf tea. The filtered water really lets the flavor of the tea shine. There are also many non-caffeinated herbals as well. I strongly recommend giving this shop a try! read more

I was visiting Pittsburgh last year around this time and stumbled upon Bantha. I spent a lovely hour there sipping tea and chatting with the barista, the owner and the locals. I'm finally running out of my stash and just ordered more tea. In the COVID-19 era, it's nice to be able to support local businesses, even if they're on the other side of the country! My favorites: Goddess, Damiana Dreams, Genmaicha and Calm (which they may not sell anymore). Cheers! read more

I recently returned to Bantha, this time to meet a business colleague (who'd never been there before). On this particular occasion, neither of us felt like tea: I wanted coffee, my colleague a decaf. I went and ordered a coffee from the woman behind the counter and got an extremely blank look. She and someone else rooted around for several minutes and finally found a bag with some beans in it. That was apparently all the coffee they had! When my friend saw they had next to no coffee (and figured decaf was pretty much impossible to get), she got a regular coffee, too. I understand this is a place known for getting tea, but if coffee's also on the menu. It was v weird, and the coffee was not made well and I think we were charged $7 for it (no refills). If Bantha no longer wants to have coffee on hand for customers, just remove it from the menu. It was really a weird experience. I had recommended this place to my colleague, and I was embarrassed by the entire experience. While the coffee was a debacle, Bantha does offer an environment that is conducive to conversation: it's quiet, never crowded, and there's never any music blaring. They have fast, reliable WiFi and again, the food they bring in from Spork, Spirit, and other eateries is consistently good. read more

BEST soup ever!!!!!!!!!! I know this is a tea bar. And the teas are fantastic. But I think everyone should know that this place has THE hookup on amazing soup. It's just one, it changes weekly, and the soup is from one of the top restaurants in the Burgh, Spork. Spork doesn't even serve soup in their place. Bantha serves it. And Every Single Soup I have had has been AMAZING!!!! I am a soup snob. Best soup in the Burgh. Period. read more

Fours stars as Bantha has hemp oil in their tea, which relieves my friend's aches and pains AND the bathroom has one of the coolest doors and locking mechanisms I've seen. The ice cream cookie sandwich was good, about half the size and price of Leona's and wrapped in plastic wrap. The iced coffee was so bitter that I didn't drink it. That's what I get for asking for coffee at a tea spot. The menu was interesting enough that I will definitely return. The number and combination of teas is a little overwhelming, like the scene in Scott Pilgrim. The staff was responsive but a little distracted. I felt like I interrupted a conversation or something. I was just stopping by, but I didn't feel welcome to stay a while anyway. read more

Bantha has it all. Great, friendly and knowledgeable staff, a progressive menu offering teas that the Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts do not. If you don't know what you want or what you might like, they'll help. If you're looking for a new spot to become a regular, I highly suggest it. The owners really do enjoy what they do and it shows through every aspect of the business. Can't recommend this place enough. P.S. Try the Kava ! All of the Kava! read more

I stumbled across here after roaming the gallery crawl, still overcoming a ferocious cold on top of a severe lack of sleep, thinking that it was some sort of heavenly mirage. They recommended a variety of teas to help with the sniffles and whether or not they worked didn't matter because they offered instant relief and comfort. I cant remember the teas but they have every single kind of tea combination that you can dream of. This eclectic tea "bar" is exactly what "burghers need to survive this frosty winter. read more

Bantha is a two-room affair with some big tables, some lil' nooks, and a good assortment of caffeinated black/greens and noncaffeinated herbal blends. I felt paralyzed by indecision by all the types of teas available, but the owner let us sniff a few which helped us cement our decisions! I really enjoyed their spicy blend - can't remember the name - with the cayenne/cinnamon/ginger, and had a sip of my friend's summer lemongrassy blend which was also delicious. read more