I had a really good experience with this shop in the past where a gentleman was really welcoming, let me sample a very well brewed tea, and was extremely knowledgeable. The overall atmosphere was really nice and I planned to come back. I later began to plan a private party in their shop and after dealing with the owner/manager? ilana over excessive emails; and everything turned really downhill. At first I was told it would be unlimited tea and we could stay as long as we needed so long as we informed her when we would finish, and i informed her it would be about 2 hours. The following emails where flaky, unprofessional, grammar-less, lacking punctuation, and uninformative. After I tried to change the tone of the emails explaining my party consisted of younger people and that we were choosing the place because we wanted a reasonably priced event, and also that we would return if it went well, the price went from $150 to $400. I will never work with this kind of business again. These kinds of tactics are essentially scams. I'm extremely disheartened. This is an excerpt from her last email; "i did told you what we charge for an hour PLEASE READ and i dont think you miss understand you r just trying your luck no thank you do not need future customers like you!!!" - read more

Appallingly rude staff. I went in and asked a few questions about the shop (hours, how long they'd been there), and the young woman behind the counter gave me such attitude and acted so strangely (In hindsight, I think she must have had some sort of personality disorder. Seriously.) that my friend and I just left. That's no way to run a business. There are a lot of tea places in this city. I'd go where the staff doesn't treat you like an annoyance. read more

Located in the in heart of St. Marks in the East Village. Small but great vintage clothing store. Due to the size of the space, the selection is limited but the pieces are unique and in excellent condition. I was cold, hadn't brought a jacket and walked out with a fabulous green belted leather jacket. The shop owner was friendly and really into her shop and the pieces she sells. read more

Great little tea shop in the East Village . . . very easy to miss, but well worth taking notice of. A friend and I were walking past after dinner one night, and we decided to drop in, as the place looked very "chill," emitting pleasant vibrations from the dim, almost candle-like illumination from the inside. I am not a tea expert, barely would consider myself more than the occasional tea drinker, but I can say that this place is STOCKED. Huge wall of different teas, all well-labeled and well-described on the very expansive menu. I ordered the Thai Rooibos, one HELL of a great tea, well-balanced and relaxing. I have since ordered the Matcha with steamed almond milk (bitter, strong, but really awesome) and the Provence (my favorite thus far). Everything I have had there has been exquisite, and I have no reservations whatsoever about giving them a five-star rating. I could see how some of the prices might put people off, and how some of the logic behind pricing might be a little obscure, but I have never believed myself "robbed" like I do at some coffee shops or tea houses. In fact, I think 3.75 for an extremely well-brewed cup of tea is acceptable. When I ordered Matcha, the girl working the counter made sure that I knew it was $6.00 before making it for me, which I though was very nice and considerate. Lastly, I have never experienced any grammatical issues when dealing with anyone at this establishment. This criticism (cited in one of the negative reviews) represents the height of captiousness: were Physical GraffiTea an ESL center, I might be able to lend my support to the reviewer, but they are serving tea, damn good tea, I might add, and perhaps s/he would find her mood greatly improved by taking a taste. read more

This shop looked lovely and inviting from the street but was horribly disappointing when I came in. The tea, granted, was quite good, but the staff was horribly rude. What, visually, promised to be a nuanced tea shop that could hold its own among the competing originality of New York restaurants, soon became an unpleasant hipster trap in the face of the obvious snobbery and bothered attitude of the waitress. I have actually never had worse service in all my life. Walk by and enjoy the art--but please save yourself from the inevitable disenchantment of going in. read more

Good tea, helpful staff. I ordered an iced earl grey tea and it was delicious. Will definitely be returning soon to purchase loose tea leaves to brew my own at home. Awesome location, nice intimate atmosphere. read more

Impressive selection of teas, but what kind of tea shop doesn't have a bathroom for customers?!

Wow...the chai tea here is incredible. However, aesthetic presentation (especially of tea canisters and labels) needs work....A LOT of work. read more

i wanted to love this place, and i do, but there are some things that took that fifth star off... my friend and i came here for a catch-up session and each got a pot of tea. to start the girl who as serving us was new, so we cut her some slack, however i had to order three teas before we could find the cannister on the wall. (and they weren't sold out, later, while we were still there a man came in and ordered some of my original choice tea) matter i finally chose mango, i was given the black tea mango rather than the fruity one i had intended to order (i'd rename the canisters if i were management) also i said "i was given" that's not actually accurate...my friend and i had our teapots switched, so after all that i got her earl gray and she got my (wrong) mango the very last thing that happened was with the kombucha. you cannot go in here and get a growler, you can only refill a growler and the amount they call a growler is very small, so just a heads up! all that said, i still liked the feel of the place and will likely be back (hence the 4 stars) my biggest recommendation to them is to spend more time training the staff before you make the poor girl fend for herself read more

A hidden gem in the Village. They have absolutely every tea you could imagine. The owner is very knowledgable and offers great suggestions. Amazing ambiance, great for meeting with a fried or enjoying a book. Not the type of place to go sit and do work or to get fast service on the go read more

I had the best experience in this shop. I'm new to preparing and drinking loose leaf tea, and the owner was so knowledgeable on every single blend I asked about and was also extremely patient. You can tell she takes great pride in her tea blends, even letting me smell each one! I'll be back to try so many more! read more

I've been drinking tea since I was a little tot. I grew up on Earl Grey. But, after years of being a hard core espresso drinking, I became interested in this relatively new American tea fascination.. actually, that's not true. I had a tea shop in my old neighborhood in Jersey City which was incredible and she mixed her own chai blend.. This was before things became unreasonably overpriced! And this tea revolution is very overpriced. But, about Physical Graffitti. This my first dive back into the world of teas and herbs. I was in the neighborhood and wanted to pick up a good strong green tea for a guest this evening. I first must say that the store is lovely.. and it was not swarming with busy, crazy, pushy New Yorkers. I felt really calm there and the place was very welcoming. I asked the owner about green teas and she showed me the ones I suppose she shows to the beginners. She was very helpful and taught me how to brew the Sencha tea. But, in the meantime a personal friend or perhaps, employee showed up while I was in the middle of this transaction with her. She lost her focus and I stood standing waiting to ask her a couple of more questions and finish my pricey purchase. I began to feel like I was interrupting a personal conversation. I will say that she did answer some questions I had about medicinal teas and said that if I called her she would specially prepare the mixture for me. Overall, the experience was a good one despite feeling somewhat forgotten during my transaction. I plan to go back and sit in there and relax because it was a soothing environment. I plan to check out other tea shops in town and I will see how this one compares. I would have given the place 5 stars and perhaps, I will change that after I go next week but I agree with someone else who left a review and also said they felt disregarded. read more

Genuinely, I get don't get how this is not a 5 star for what it is. The selection is nice, staff is knowledgeable, and the products are great. read more

Awesome location in the building featured on Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album. Cozy setting that feels very inviting. Large selection of tea, I had the Gunpowder green tea, good choice if you are looking for an earthy taste. read more

I used to get sassafras tea at the nature center when I was a kid. I've never been able to find it anywhere. Of course they had it here. I love this place. The owner is very sweet. She spends time with you and makes sure that you leave with what you want. She also brews on site. It's not cheap here, but if you love great tea, go here. read more

Cute little tea shop. Girl behind counter seemed nice and informed. But $25 for 2oz of matcha green tea powder? That's insane (hence 2 missing stars). read more

The woman who runs the shop has a real bad attitude. Maybe she is having a bad day but there is no need to be bitchy.

Amazing informative workers, GREAT MATCHA LATTE! pick up some good loose leaf tea in any flavor also some "remedy" teas which are awesome definitely a must go to place read more

Loved my white matcha latte. Maria the barista was a true wizard with explaining all the tea profiles physical graffitea offers in their shop. Definitely come if you're a tea aficionado, or want to know what a great tea experience can be. read more

Really have enjoyed my experiences here. The service is great and you get a great educational experience around tea. Definitely our go to tea spot in the east village. read more

Cute tea place. There are only 4-5 tables so it doesn't get super crowded. The tea selection here is as large as the one at Harney & Sons SOHO. I tried the cinnamon plum and it was very good. It's fairly quiet so it's good for studying/reading. Nice service and recommendation from the server. Would go back. read more

Not sure why the bad reviews here. I've been there several times, same lady, she is super nice and friendly and answered all my questions about the various teas, overly so. Same with the pastries. Tea is EXCELLENT, possibly my favorite tea place in the entire city actually. They definitely know their tea. I love the bohemian vibe inside, and it's open rather late in the night. The perfect spot to go in the evening if you aren't a big drinker and want some place for good conversation. read more

This place is literally a hole in a wall, most tea rooms are, but its very warm (in people and in decor - woody) and delightful. Over 200 teas on the menu, and guess what if you are not a tea lover and want to make a tea lover happy meet them here for a catch up as they serve cappuccino and presso as well. Can't tell you the quality but my friend didn't seem displeased while drinking. Good company trumps everything anyway! :). ONE major downer - no bathroom. read more

I really wanted this to be one of those mind blowing tea shops that you stumble into after a long day of being dazed and confused by the non-linear streets of east village. At first, it was everything I wanted it to be, from the intimate, east village-meets-wonderland interior design, to the extremely long selection of unique teas, to the bold colors of the tablewear and hourglass used to time the tea brewing. However, I could have done without any of that if the tea was truly satisfying, which in this case it was not. Despite letting the tea steep for a good couple of minutes, faithfully using the hourglass that our hostess told us would give the perfect brew, the tea was not flavorful at all, and quite honestly, hot water with a muddled flavor. Maybe I simply didn't choose the right flavor, but my friend and I both had the same complaint and ordered completely different teas (rose petal for my friend and ginger-turmeric for me). read more

Physical GraffiTea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - New York, New York

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The most awesome variety of teas. The staff is super knowledgeable and helpful and friendly. I spoke with the owner for 45 minutes. If you're in the mood for any flavor eg jasmine or rose, they'll know exactly which teas have it and the different characters of each. Also you can't get a better matcha tea in NYC. They actually whisk it and make it the way it is supposed to be made! Highly recommend. read more

Tiny little shop with a huge selection of teas and a very knowledgeable staff. I will definitely be back!

Neat place, we ordered tea to go and the green tea latte was great! Prices are similar to Starbucks.

Day long amble around NYC looking for the perfect matcha...I found it..higher than ceremonial grade with the option for almond milk and agave nectar ...sweet amazing place with the kindest woman serving everything...just a small space so super super loud ' entertainment' couple screaming their entire conversation amidst the whole peaceful chill ambiance. Time for my iPod! Other than that ...delicious!!! (And those boys sure weren't the cafes fault :)) read more

I went in looking for a coffee substitute with my bf, had one of their signature matchas that literally changed my life, im not kidding.. i was educated how to prepare it along with serving size. That week I started college, since then i have graduated and am continuing my studies in mechanical engineering, renovated my apt, got engaged, landed a wonderful career... did a bunch of yoga trainings... and i must admit... the wonderful energy i got from here has been the pivotal change in my life. ... another reason i loved it even more..cause its organic. i have since explored all of the teas ...a remarkable delicioso journey. read more

Long Time Coming...Physical GraffiTea went from being my favorite vintage clothing store to being my favorite Tea Shop. The vibe of the shop is cozy & charming and the staff is very helpful and friendly. The owner Ilana has always been a pleasure to talk to and very helpful, and when her little girl Mika is in the store, it feels like this quaint basement shop has a skylight!!! They have an incredible selection of Loose Teas and their Kombucha on tap is a huge bonus. Given the location and lack of similar shops in the area, the prices are certainly on par with any competing coffee shop, It seems that people think tea should somehow be much cheaper than coffee (water dressed in brown), but I'm happy to support such a wonderful small business for going the extra mile to offer such an abundance of teas with service and a smile. read more

Don't be the idiot that gets coffee at a tea place. Unfortunately, I didn't follow my own advice and the resulting cappucino was....blah. But the ladies that work here are extremely nice and knowledgeable and make great suggestions for whatever you're in the mood for. We go back regularly for their great assortment of mint teas. read more

Cute little spot in alphabet city. They carry a great variety of tea and the staff is really friendly. They introduced me to some of my favorites teas. read more

The tea is so wonderful and fragrant; I would've given this place 5 stars, but the lady with dark hair working the 11-5 shift made me take one off. Usually my girlfriend and I frequent the shop in the evenings for little dates and split a pot of tea. The man working there in the evenings is wonderful and kind! But today, we went in the day, and this woman wouldn't give us two tea cups when we ordered the smaller tea pot (we were in a hurry so the larger pot would've taken more time, plus the smaller pot yields almost two cups PER person), so we had to share one tea cup. the WORST part, however, is when I asked about the hiring sign, and instead of giving me information, she said exactly this: "Yes, we're hiring, but we're looking for experienced people" and gave me this smug look DIRECTLY at me. What prompted her to do that, I don't know! She knows nothing about me, and even my girlfriend turned to look at me in shock when she did that. We were the only ones in the shop, whereas in the evening is quite crowded when we go. Maybe it's because of this rude woman! Overall, I think this shop is beautiful and fragrant and peaceful, after 5pm! I wouldn't recommend going if you see that woman, though. read more

Silly but kind of fun name. Delicious teas. Lots of care from everyone who works there.

great selection, knowledgeable and friendly staffer, good atmosphere, and delicious teas to consume while you pick teas to take home. Kind of pricey. They also do this funny thing where they list the prices by oz and then require a minimum 2 oz purchase. read more

Cozy recessed space with a nice little selection on offer. Dig it for a more subdued experience on St Marks.

Staff very knowledgable and helpful. Great selection of tea. Everything we got was delicious!

Very awesome, they keep the tea out of light, they keep it clean. You can purchase herbs in bulk. And they have Kombucha! Maybe when I'm not so broke I can come back. There is a two ounce minimum and living outside of NYC the prices are much higher than I'm accustomed to. read more

I'm not usually a tea person at all and initially came here as a curious zeppelin fan. Thanks to the friendly staff, I fell in love with tea lattes (especially Angel Dream). I'm obsessed with coming here now. The ambiance is amazing and calm as well!! read more

Almost like stepping into a small town. Great place to try a cup of tea you've read about and wanted to try without committing to buying a whole packs. Some really interesting teas you've never heard of as well. The proprietor is so knowledgeable and will customize a blend for you or share her favorites. read more