Calm vibe, cool people, interesting, tasty teas aplenty, lots of spices, advice on what to get and how to use the goods -- plus some tasty treats, pretty tea accessories, and cookbooks! Oh, and the décor is very nice! I personally really like the Earl Grey Spring & Mulberry date-sweetened chocolate. Of course, the packaging is so pretty it's hard to separate that from the taste and texture, too .... The honeys here are like none other I've had before! The absolute cutest little honey bears I've ever seen! There's one raw honey in a glass jar that's the only chewy honey I've ever tasted -- what a treat to eat a spoonful of that plain, direct from the jar, mmm! (I didn't just eat it for the taste or texture, though -- I started to eat it because I'd read about the great health benefits of honey!) I really really enjoy the smokiness of the Russian Caravan. Plus, it's fun to research, read and find out about such things as how this rather unique tea flavour came about -- that it was the result of actual campfire smoke flavouring the tea in the first place while travelling across Russia way-back-when that is now encapsulated in this oh-so-tasty tea! Tea is a really great gateway to learning about various cultures and world history! Maybe it's his-tea-ry! Persian Rose Garden tea is splendid -- mellow and rich, smooth, calming (I'm not saying it's medicinally calming, but rather that it's evocative of a certain atmosphere that may make you feel a certain way if you tune into it.) Turmeric ginger is very nice, too .... Overall, aesthetically beautiful, palate-pleasing place! Highly recommended! read more

Shafa Blends - Some yummy treats! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

This is a unique store where lovely fragrances abound. The staff are pleasant and unpretentious. All the looseleaf teas are made in-house by master tea-blenders who are constantly creating. The story of how I came to know about Shafa is pretty funny. A relative was sick and drinking some of the Shafa Blends' teas as a way to recover from a serious illness. I secretly doubted this would be of much benefit. However, to commiserate with him, I had a cup of their turmeric/ginger tea. And, don't you know, I felt better--and wasn't even the ailing person! So, now, I'm a believer. I like their Superior Earl Grey tea; the bergamot component is marvelous. There are other Earl Grey combinations, too. The rooibos is nice. And I can vouch for the fact that their teas keep their intensity long after purchase. read more

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Had a great conversation with Julia. She is a tea sommelier who is very knowledgeable about the benefits of tea and had a keen eye on what teas I would like. Be sure to ask her to brew you some tea! read more

Shafa Blends - Outside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

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Great place! I'm new to looseleaf tea and the gentleman there was extremely patient and kind as he helped me select some interesting varieties to try. So much to choose from! Can't wait to return and browse some more! read more

The website is somewhat convoluted when looking for tea. When you click on the shop tea blends button on the main page it gives you a 404 not found error. There are also no tea options on the drop-down menus. I finally found their tea offerings by clicking on the search icon and typing in "tea" but at that point i had no more interest in purchasing from them. read more

Once you try Shafa teas... it's hard to go back to any other. I first discovered this charming local family business' offerings (tea first, then spice blends the next few visits) at a farmer's market, and their stall inspired me to go to their in-store location to explore even more. Their "Vanilla Cream" tea blend is in constant rotation in our house, and their ras el hanout spice blend is soooo good on seafood and red meats. They even partner with other small businesses, stocking pins and accessories, etc. Every drop-by is a delight. read more

The most organized, cleanest and best spice and tea shop! This is a small local, Iranian-owned spice and tea shop. I loved my experience here so much! The owners are so knowledgeable and passionate about their products. Everything is made in small batches to ensure freshness. I am so happy I stumbled upon this shop and can't wait to come back! I also got a free sample with the yelp check in. (04/2022) read more

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Wonderful selections of loose leaf tea! The Earl Grey was exceptional! They also have a selection of tea tool like pots, and if you have any questions they are helpful. read more

Amazing tea, intimate atmosphere, and a lot of great spices! Have been really enjoying my teas from here, definitely check this place out and chat about some tea read more

Found them at them farmers with their Ginger turmeric and milky oolong (a have to try in my opinion). Was excited to find they have a store location, they're very nice and I have gotten tea from them many times. Have also tried the spice blends which have all been great as well! Give them a try and support your local business. read more

Excellent customer service. Darius explained each and every tea and spices we expressed interest in and helped us find herbs that best suited our needs. We can't wait to return and purchase gifts for our family and friends. read more

I was introduced to Shafa Blends through my coworker Mike who gifted me with a small packet of their Golden Tumeric Milk mix and my goodness, it is a total game changer! I was dropping $6 a day to get my fix at a local coffee shop but now I can make my favorite drink at home for literally pennies a cup, and it's just as good, if not better than the cafe! It seems as if they have their own shop in Maryland but are now starting to frequent the farmers market scene. I stopped by their booth at Yelp's Totally Bazaar and could not help but pick up ALL ZE SPICES. From their signature omelette blend, fajita blend, schwarma mixture, and masala chai mix. My kitchen game has stepped up significantly. I'm already out of half of the spices less than a week later and am now planning a return trip! Thanks Shafa! PS: These would make great holiday gifts although I kept everything for myself! read more

I am sooooo thankful I found this amazing shop. As I walked in, the owner knew right away it was my first time at the shop. She welcomed me, showed me around and continued to thank me for coming and supporting her family's small business. She was extremely kind to me and my husband. She went out of her way when we picked our special teas. She went out of her way so we could smell the aromas of the different teas. She opened each tea we liked so we could see which one we would like to try. She was soooo kind to us. She continued to thank us. We loved so many of them and we walked away with 6 teas. She also gifted us two we wanted to try for free. She was soooo kind to us. The shop had this comfortable homey vibe. I am so thankful I yelped Shafa Blends and I am so glad they are in Rockville. It truly is a beautiful small business family owned tea and spice shop. We will be back to try many more of their products. Thank you again so much for making our experience a moment we will never forget. The shop is extremely clean, extremely organized and the essence and aroma is amazing. If you are in the area please stop by. read more

Family owned & operated. Great customer service. and middle eastern spice blends plus a fun tea selection.

This is a great shop the spices and teas are amazing as are the owners. We like in West Virginia and when I worked in Rockville we came across this shop and make a detour whenever we come this way. Their online shop is good too. Highly recommend read more

I have been harping on spices lately, set off by my experience at Whole Foods and comparing them unfavorably to Trader Joe's, M.O.M., and Smile Herbs in College Park. Now I have almost literally stumbled on the the Rolls Royce of that line of business. Rumi is just inside the garage entrance to Westfield Montgomery on the ArcLight corner. Small shop with every flavor you could think of and some you mightn't, and often in several varieties, such as smoked, hot, and sweet paprika, and half a dozen colors and flavors of salt. Friendly service, and lots of sample jars to sniff before buying. The ones I checked were all fresh and pungent. Prices are comparable to Whole Foods. Most products are available in small jars, large jars, and bags. They also carry a range of storage and usage products. I'll be back when I happen to be on that side of town. read more

Shafa Blends - Front - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Small hidden gem, formerly at Westfield Montgomery mall, now in Old Town Gaithersburg right across from the police station parking lot off Route 355. The owners are Persian, today I met the father and daughter, very pleasant and friendly to everyone. I purchased Ayurvedic total body tea and a package of herbal ingredients called Omelette on the go. I also received a batch of eucalyptus tea and Turkish apple tea. Very relaxing. So next time you're in Gaithersburg stop by and check out this great Mom&Pop local business! read more

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If you looking for a quality tea with a friendly staff to guide you along this is the place. I was impressed with the choices and the quality of the tea. I couldn't wait to get home to brew a cup and I wasn't disappointed. read more

I have fallen in love with Shafa Blends. They have an every other Sunday stand at Bethesda Central Farm Market. It happened I was looking for Ras el Hanout for a specific recipe. I turned the corner and there was Shafa Blends and there it was! At this point I have purchased many of their herbs, blends and cannot say enough good things. Looking forward to trying their teas. This is a small family owned business with so much extraordinary passion for creating fine, beautifully curated products. You can tell that the owners have taken much care to make the buying experience special right from their enthusiasm down to the lovely presentation of their jars and displays. Happy happy to have found them! read more

A cute spice and tea shop in Montgomery Mall run by a really nice family. The inside of the shop is clean, open and light with one wall of teas and another wall of spices and some spice and tea paraphernalia dotted around the rest of the store. You can open and smell pretty much everything, which is really nice. I was looking for a good tea shop and wound up getting the cream earl grey with lavender and the lapsang souchong (smoked black tea). I really liked the earl grey, but my wife didn't feel like it had enough bite for a caffeinated tea. I drank it all and enjoyed it. The lapsang souchong though was a bit light in body and flavor. I drank it all, but it wasn't what I've come to love and expect from the tea. Not sure if I'll be back. It was nice, but not a smashing success. read more

Wow! What a find. I miss the mom and pop shops in New York and this is exactly that. So happy I found them and quite by accident. Not only will you find what you need, you will get a lesson and develop your understanding. I thought I knew what I had always been drinking but their education really deepens my understanding of what I was putting into my body. So grateful to have found them. read more

This place makes shopping for tea a warm and soothing experience, just like sipping a good cup of tea makes you feel. The proprietors are lovely and clearly enamoured of the unique blends of their dried teas, plants and spices, much of which they do themselves in house. I came here after meeting them at a Yelp event where I sampled their "Persian Rose Tea". I couldn't get that clarity and aroma out of my mind. Now I love to savor a cup of that tea and of my other favorite tea here, "Creamy Earl Grey". A friend of mine got a chamomile based evening tea. Yes, I believe that sipping tea is a way of connecting to the nutrition and energy of plants and you should absolutely parttake of the benefits by developing a tea habit! It's really such a great experience to shop here. read more

The owners couldn't have been nicer. I was looking for a gift for my wife and they helped me choose a package that she loved. First class customer service. read more

Awesome find! Tucked next to the nail salon downstairs in the "wing" between Francesca's and Macy's. First, their dried herb selection is spectacular and fresh!! Everything in the jars smelled amazing. I picked up a few pantry herbs and a tandoori mix that I can't wait to use!! I love that they have the herbs in bottled or clear envelopes. I'm refilling some Jars I have at home so I purchased envelopes and saved A few bucks! They also had rose petals, lavender, za'tar, and other rare seasonings. They also had some tea samples at the front. The white pina colada was delicious; perfect for a summer BBQ! I purchased also some cream earl grey. I would love to come back for some Summary: VERY Reasonably priced herbs; even cheaper than giant/Safeway. Great selection of exotic teas! Tips: Min 2 oz for tea purchases; save a few bucks by buying your herbs in packages read more

This is a wonderful place to find delicious tea and specially blended spices. The owners are happy to have you smell samples of their products to find what makes you happy. They have a loyalty program which we are sure to use. They also sell a locally sourced olive oil and a honey vinegar. The owners are very welcoming and they explain the best way to use the spices and how to brew the tea to get the best flavor. read more

Shafa Blends tea and spice collections are amazing! Their tea is so affordable and I cannot recommend them enough! read more

Shafa Blends - Variety of tea blends - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Do you like spices? Do you like tea? Do you like to be able to touch and smell your teas and spices before buying? THEN YOU MUST COME HERE. So many amazing great things about this place, and I don't even know where to start, but I think my absolutely favorite part of this store is that they have a wall of tea jars, so you can just PICK UP AND SMELL THE TEAS! Unlike Teavana, where they have to pull down a jar, and then wave it at you, and then put it back...and then you feel bad that you didn't like it and you want to smell/try another tea...here, you can open as many jars as you want and take as much time as you want to make up your mind. Plus, the staff here is SO knowledgeable! I would tell them what I am looking for (either for myself or as gifts to others), and they will immediately make recommendations and ask you more questions as they refine their recommendations. AND the prices are SO GOOD! Great prices, great quality, and amazing service. This is one of my favorite tea shops in the area. read more

The owners are both extremely hospitable and knowledgeable about their craft. The tea is fresh and very high quality. I enjoyed the Vanilla Cream Black Tea a lot. This is the best tea shop to go to in this area and is definitely worth at least a try. I will definitely be returning for more. read more

An awesome store with awesome people! I came by here with a friend of mine a few weeks ago. Thankfully for us, there was only one group of two people checking out. Once they left, the owner of the store turned his attention to us, and we were taken on a wonderful tea and spice journey. He took us around and told us about the different blends and traditional uses for both the teas and the spices. My friend and I are both interested in the healing properties of tea and the owner definitely was knowledgeable on that topic. It was clear that this store was born from true passion. We left the store with a few purchases. I got an assortment of teas - my favorite has been the ginger turmeric blend. I also purchases the omelet to go spice mix and love adding it to my eggs in the morning. They also serve cups of tea ready to go at the store. Can't wait to swing by for my next batch of tea and spices! read more

I've been in search of a nice local tea shop since moving to MD. Drove all the way out to Gaithersburg to check out this one and it was definitely worth my time. The setup is super cute and the teas all smelled delightful. Ended up walking out with three tins' worth + a generous sample. I'll definitely be back! read more

This place is a pure gem. Super high-quality teas and spices for a very reasonable price. The owner is so nice, and I easily get better customer service and a genuine feeling of welcome here than anyplace else in the mall. If you're going to the other two chain tea stores in the mall (where the tea is half the quality for at least double the price) please drop what you're doing and step in here. You won't regret it. I'm extremely picky about tea and this place is EXCELLENT. read more

Extremely fortunate to have a loose leaf tea shop in Gaithersburg. Excellent selection of every kind of tea and very friendly owners. Stop by and get a whiff of the latest handcrafted blend. read more

This is my favorite store to buy tea, and beats Teavana and David's Tea, which are also located in Montgomery mall. All of the teas and spices are delicious, good quality, and well-priced. You can smell all of the teas and spices as much as you want and without having to ask (unlike other tea stores). Plus, the people who work there are extremely helpful, polite, and friendly, and make you feel at home. Today, I went in and created my own tea blend, which the owner helped me put together. I was very satisfied with the care and attention I was given. Shafa blends is a great store to go for teas and spices, and a fun experience if you are walking through Montgomery mall. Please go discover them for yourself and support their business. read more

My daughter and I wandered into Shafa Blends in October 2017 because it smelled so good and looked so inviting. The owner was there to show us all the different items in the store--it transported us to another country! The owner was passionate and excited about his family-owned business and about all the items in his store. He was full of recipe ideas, gift ideas, and background information on all of his spices and teas. Now, in December, I am out of my Omelette Blend and can't image eating eggs without this wonderful seasoning! I just placed an order on-line because I couldn't bear the thought of holiday crowds this time of year, but I miss the chance of being able to speak with the wonderful owner. His amiable character and his wonderful goods made shopping there such an uplifting experience! read more

The tea room smells like an exotic blend of spice and tea perfect place to unwind in the mall. You can settle down with a nice cup of latte. They also have lots of teas and spices for sale at a reasonable price. I will be doing my holiday shopping here to be sure. read more

I walked into the store only because of the name, and I'm so glad I did! What a treasure this place is!! The place is neat and organized and smells amazing. You will feel the greatest comfort just by walking into the store. There was a gentleman who greeted me and made sure I didn't have any questions or needed help with finding anything. We made some small talk and honestly that conversation was the highlight of my day! Such a positive, amazingly kind human being! I didn't buy anything but did decide to get a freshly made hot cup of tea, I tried the Persian rose tea and it's delicious! read more

Shafa Blends - So neat and organized and huge selection! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Rockville, Maryland

Great owners & Great spices. Thanks for the enjoyable shopping experience.

AMAZING! I cannot rave enough about this store and the owners! I love to cook but would consider myself a novice cook (at best) that just really likes food.Walking in to this understated store is like walking into a room of inspiration! I always felt like 'parsley' is 'parsley' and 'salt' is 'salt' no need to get the fancy stuff, but after getting a couple of items at Rumi on a whim one day at the mall I will never go back! Not only are these spices and herbs more unique than what you can find in a grocery store (velvet salt from France?!?!), but the quality is evident when you take one sniff of the testers they have sitting out for sample. I like a lot of flavor, and often double or triple the amount of X that a recipe calls for...until now... Where I used to use 3 Tablespoons of basil to get any taste in a sauce, with the Rumi basil I will use less than one Tablespoon and end up with a dish 10x better! So now not only do I have to use WAY less of each herb or spice, and not only does it taste way better, but they have a huge selection of unique custom blends and rubs that are to die for and the cost is COMPARABLE TO THE GROCERY STORE. Seriously, they sell 2 sizes (small is 1.5oz and large is 2.7oz), and I would say the average price for the "small" is under $4 and the large are around $7 or $8, and as I mentioned you are using a fraction of what you will with the grocery variety. I am not a tea drinker but they have a beautiful wall of teas and the owner is incredibly knowledgeable about each one. Rumi is now my "go to" place for hostess gifts or stocking stuffers. I recently purchased a variety of teas (around $4/ounce) and spice blends for extended family which they helped me curate to each individuals taste and they packaged everything up in cute gift boxes complete with ribbons. I am currently in the process of switching everything in my spice cabinet over to Rumi as they run out. From bad at home cooks to high end chefs, this store is a must visit! read more

Great little store! It's new in Montgomery mall, and brings a lot to the mall in my opinion. The decor and set up is really nicely done, which is why I popped in in the first place! They sell a really wide assortment of teas, spices, etc., which you purchase by weight for the most part. They also have adorable tea paraphernalia (pots/cups)! So far, I've had the Cream Earl Grey and loved it. I look forward to trying more. read more

OMG this is nicest tea shop that i've ever been the owner were really nice even her daughter the tea is fantastic !!! flavorful and their really help me relax and for my digestion as well as my body , i lost weight on drinking the slimming oolong that they have . is so wonderful that why i buy a sampler and im waiting on their monthly subscription .i really love this shop they have unique kinds of tea and their all delicious! you guys should try it! read more