Was recently going thru a severe bout of arthritis in my lower back and knees. Started eliminating…read morefoods that don't help with arthritis. And find some foods that benefit the body. Thats how I ended up at Grand Tea. Stopped by late morning and was totally enamored with this small tea shop. It's like you never can see everything first time around. While looking for a matcha bowl. I found a wonderful 16oz teapot. The wonderful lady that worked there was pleasant and very helpful. I looked at teas that were available and decided on the 13 year old Da Hong Pao black tea. Price was $10 an ounce. I asked her what was her favorite tea was? And she replied the same tea. She filled a bag with tea leaves and wrapped my new tea pot. What I found out is you can get approximately 6 to 10 steeps on these tea leaves. Surprisingly by changing diet and adding black tea to my diet. My arthritis has subsided for now. I am not saying this tea was the cure. But it did contribute to more peace and serenity. The black tea has attributes of a soothing nature. Also this black tea has less caffeine than other fresh tea leaves. Will definitely be back when my tea supply runs low.

You can't go anymore old school CTOWN than this store. Was a cold day but grandma was out in the…read morefront of the store beckoning customers to come in and try some oolong tea. I walked in and was greeted by the over abundance of Chinese products packed on every shelf. I had a flashback in the 80s at a Filene's Basement with a dizzying array of STUFF. Folks here spoke toisanese but understood my Cantonese and I'm sure can speak English. I honed in at the many different big jars of teas and winded up asking one of the owners where the bik lo chun was. I had him weigh two ounces for me to take home and try. $20 later (loose leaf and none of that chopped/grinded up tea crap from Twinings or Bigelow -- i excited and grandma waited outside to comp me a lil bag of oolong for my journey. Service with a smile and a warm heart. We need to support more of these lil mom and pop before they go.

Chopsticks of all kinds and varying prices. There are wooden, ceramic ,plastic, beginner…read morechopsticks, chopstick sets, holders and more. Even if you haven't thought about having your own special individual chopsticks, you will most likely change your mind after visiting this tiny store filled with chopsticks!

The owner is very kind and sweet I love to come to his shop. It feels so welcoming and warm...read more

Such a cute cafe and shop! The front of the store is a charming boutique with really interesting,…read moreunusual and cool things. They have crystals, palo santo, sage, jewelry, pillows, books, skincare, perfumes, games, fun greeting cards & honestly, just a whole bunch of cute things you didn't think you'd need but now realize you do. The coffee shop in the back is small, but offers up teas (iced and hot) and snacks like croissants, cookies and brownies. The patio in the back is the real winner. You can get a coffee and a treat and sit in the back and just enjoy the beautiful greenery. You don't even feel like you're in the city anymore, this yard transports you to a different place and time. The people are so friendly, so customer service is also nice. I haven't been here for an event but I'm told they host yoga, chess game nights and Gay Ridge events. I plan on checking those out soon. For an afternoon espresso, brownie, and nice outdoor space, this hits the spot.

They've just reopened the backyard a few days ago. It was green, cool, and pretty though the day…read morewas pretty hot. They've switched the front shop to a tween clothing store, but if you're after good espresso, do not hesitate. The barista knows how to make an excellent latte and is so sweet. Prices are below average and atmosphere, both inside and out, is really nice.

Stumbled upon this cute little store that sells cute jewelry, trinkets, and artsy stuff! The store…read morealso has a cafe section but I didn't quite see it in action when I went at night. I think most people were interested in their charm bar in which you can DIY your own bracelet with all these fun charms. I was drawn by their collection of fun pins, ranging from cute animals drinking boba to studio ghibli characters, sanrio characters to memes and other expressive pins. They were $5 each and buy 5 get 1 free so I had to get myself 6. It was quite spacious with different sections, as well as some seating in the back. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

EVERYBODY TRY THE STRAWBERRY MATCHA NOW! i was surprised they had a cafe in this shop, and wasnt…read moreexpecting much from it, but to my surprise this was the best matcha i had on my nyc trip! I ordered a strawberry matcha latte with oat milk. The strawberry puree had strawberry chunks, AND IT WAS AWESOME! not many places do this so thank you Quirk Haus!

Read about a tasting of teas and wagashi on 1/31 only. Located on 5th ave, next block to…read moreRockefeller Center. Was told they've been open for about 2 years. Friendly, welcoming and professional staff. Was directed to the samples table - tasted green and black teas; and bites of 2 japanese sweets: sakuragoromo (crepe with red bean paste and cherry blossom leaf), and chocolate mikasa (chocolate pancake with choc cream). Their products are beautifully displayed and packaged. Samples on display so can see what items are like. Prices vary. Sold in sets (would be good as gifts) and individual packs (for tasting; good for me bec. I would like to try different ones). Bought a choc mikasa $5 and kingyo $6.60 (white grape jelly; was just ok). It was also the last day for the winning confectionary art which will be returned to Japan the next day. Joined their rewards so can earn points towards $ off.

K. Minamoto specializes in Japanese wagashi (sweets made with mochi, bean paste, fruit, etc.) all…read moreindividually wrapped in small packages. For my first introduction to wagashi, I visited their store when they were offering samples with tea tasting. Chocolate Dorayaki (chocolate ganache cream filling sandwiched between chocolate pancake) paired with roasted tea and Sakuragoromo (sweet red bean paste, Mochi rice cake and edible cherry blossom leaf covered with Japanese style crepe) paired with green tea. Each one cost $5-6.50ish. They have huge display cases with tons of varieties, but since I'm new to wagashi I would have also loved to see the treats displayed instead of relying on photos with descriptions. Their team is professionally dressed in branded uniforms and graciously ready to assist. I definitely need to dive deeper into this delicious world of Japanese delights. Looking at their menu I would love to try tosenka (whole rich white peach covered with juicy jelly, 1 piece $29), kurogoma daifuku (Black sesame paste wrapped with rice cake and black sesame seeds, $$4.70 1 piece), white peach mochi (19.80, 8 pieces) and many of their cakes!! Check out their online store if you cannot make it in person.

These unique cat-themed Japanese cheese tarts first showed up on my IG feed last year and I…read morepromptly bookmarked the shop to try at some point. Honestly, it's been difficult to go to their shop as their hours are very limited and change every week. Mostly they are only open a few hours on the weekends. Finally, after months of waiting, my schedule aligned with theirs and I was able to snag a couple of their desserts. Beni Haruka Sweet Potato & Apple tart ($18): this had a cheesecake layer, apples sauteed in butter, custard cream and purple sweet potato paste. I loved the bright purple hue of the potato paste, it's so very eye catching. The overall mouth texture was smooth and creamy with small chunks of apple. It was very mildly sweet, and I thought the apples worked well here. Hoji-cha Caramel Banana ($18): this had layers of chocolate cream, banana custard, and caramel sauce. This was my favorite. The banana custard with chocolate cream works so well. I actually ate this in one sitting and didn't share. You can tell all the desserts were meticulously constructed. They taste surprisingly light and not overly sweet. They are both sophisticated and fun at the same time. The size of the desserts is also spot on. It's big enough to share or to save for another time. The desserts are on the higher end, as far as price is concerned, but I think it is worth it, in my opinion. They change up the flavors of their cheese tarts often which is nice. I hope to try more items in the future, but it does require some planning ahead due to their limited hours of operations.

Feels a bit overpriced. The flavors are explorative but they don't come through as much as I'd have…read moreliked; for example, the yuzu option was missing the tartness and acidity you'd expect from the citrus. Good to try once though

Coffee shop tucked away in koreatown! It's connected to a pottery studio and they're open during…read morethe day with tons of seating available too. I tried their sweet corn latte special and loved it. It was perfectly sweet and had a nice subtle corn flavor as well. There are pastries available and other speciality drinks I'd love to come back and try.

I am SO DELIGHTED there is a gorgeous physical location to purchase Karl's Ube cookies (which are…read moremore like soft brownies). If you are an Ube lover like me, you know there are only a tiny handful of places that can make Ube cookies so well. This cafe is one of them and well worth the trip! Can't say enough about the Ube cookies but they also have other delicious goodies, Dubai chocolate brownies, chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies not to mention their specialty drinks menu!! Hoijicha, Ube latte, Matcha Calamansi just to name a few. The barista is super sweet and can whip up some yummy drinks. This cafe is a hidden gem and I will definitely be back again in the Spring and Summer. You can't beat the stunning views of Lady Liberty.

Delicious little gem in red hook! They make FLAVORED cold foam, something I never knew was missing…read morein my life and now can't get enough of. Great coffee, nice people, highly recommend.