silk road has always been my go to for teas whenever i'm in victoria. the blends are thoughtful, the quality consistent, and stepping inside feels like entering a calm, almost gallery like space. tall ceilings, exposed brick, and lacquered cabinets give it a serene, slightly old world charm, and the careful arrangement of colourful teacups, tins, and tea accessories makes it feel like a curated collection rather than a shop. it's the kind of place where you can linger for a while, taking in the details, inhaling the aromas, and feeling a sense of calm wash over you. the tea bar is well thought out, and the staff are knowledgeable and helpful, they're happy to explain blends, suggest teas based on your taste preferences, or guide you through proper steeping techniques. beyond teas, silk road also carries skincare, body products, and aromatherapy, making it a destination for a full sensory experience. i used to love the little rituals here: reading the detailed descriptions of each tea, opening the canisters to smell the aromas, scooping tea into the mini tins, and finishing with the label stickers that list the name and steeping time. those small, interactive touches made the experience feel playful and intimate, it wasn't just shopping, it was a ritual, a way to slow down and enjoy the moment. lately, however, some of these touches have quietly disappeared. i'm told there's been a shortage of the mini tins, my favourite tea has been discontinued, and the tactile, sensory elements that once made silk road feel so special aren't as prominent. even with these changes, it's still a beautiful shop worth visiting. the space itself encourages you to pause, explore, and appreciate the craft of tea, and the blends remain high quality. if you're seeking a serene, visually rich environment with thoughtful teas and attentive service, silk road delivers. just be aware that some of the hands on, ritualistic experiences that used to make it feel extra special may no longer be available. overall, silk road strikes a balance between elegance, calm, and quality, and for anyone serious about tea or looking for a peaceful spot to browse, it's still a worthwhile stop. read more

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A very big, modern tea shop, located in the heart of Victoria Chinatown. It has been around for more than 30 years, starting first from this location. We stopped in before it was closing on a Wednesday. It has expanded since its original opening, with the main entrance housing its line of tea-infused skin and body care line of products. Next door is the tea room and tea bar, where you can smell and taste the various teas from around the world. We did pick up sample sizes of the mini ($4.99 CAD for a 10 cup supply); Mango Shade, Earl Green, and Darjeeling. Once packaged, you take it back to the front where you checkout. I was trying to remember what a tea shop is supposed to smell like...strangely I have no recollection of it. And the smell here was pretty sterile...assuming it is a lot better if fresh steeped tea was being served. read more

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Artisanal mugs, pots and other tea paraphernalia. Luxury skin care items too. The tea blends are so delicious they are served in high end restaurants and even featured in cocktails on Sheringham Gin's website. Perfect place to buy a gift for a tea lover--get one for yourself! read more

Silk Road Tea - Silk Road sells teas to take home in smaller sizes to sample, larger for ones you love. - Day Spas Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

A local tea shop. They will let you smell all their teas and also have a refillable tin option, which is nice. Also sells some tea accessories like strainers, cups and teapots. They have some skincare products as well, which is a bit random. Staff here were very pleasant. read more

Wife said she was stepping into the adorable tea shop. I shouldn't have followed. We got sucked into a tea storm! The staff is sweet and painstakingly service oriented. There is an "experience" bar where you can sample the AROMA of the teas. It was intoxicating. What a wonderful way to try before you buy. We are not tea connoisseurs but interested in drinking more and better. They have about 3 dozen teas broken down into Green, Black & Herbal. We sniffed about 10 that interested us or were recommended. They have 4 sizes, a 4 cup mini tin, 40cup, 80 cup or 200 something. Prices were extremely reasonable $12-$15 on the medium tin with per serving prices under a dollar. I thought fancy tea was expensive. Not at Silk Road. We ended up purchasing 10 tins and two body sprays that coincided with a few teas. Of course there are tea pots galore, a large variety of cups and straining tools. We asked for a cute box on the way out, but the cashier?manager?owner? offered a nice linen looking bag that sells for $10. The people of Victoria are very friendly and generous. Look forward to our tea vana and potentially Mail Ordering our next batch. read more

We visited Silk Road tea the other day because my wife really wanted to see it. Beautiful store with very friendly staff, but they didn't actually have a lot of tea, what they did have was very expensive and in the back of the store, they had a bar where I thought they served tea. Nope, you can look at the leaves, smell them, but they won't brew you a tea. I thought that was a wasted opportunity to sell their product. Nice place, but surprised they won't brew you a cuppa. That said, wonderful ambience, super friendly staff, and a very chill vibe. Once we got back to the hotel we brewed up and found that their tea was absolutely wonderful. Give this place a try - you will not be disappointed!! read more

I had a great time in this store looking for a gift for my mother. The staff was so helpful and friendly, they had me sample a couple of teas and asked lots of questions about the kinds of teas my mother normally drank so they could find the perfect kind. All teas are made with ingredients in Victoria if I am remembering correctly. The quality is definitely there and I love the attention to detail. Bought the Philisopher's brew herbal tea and was satisfied! read more

Silk Road Tea - the interior of a tea shop - Day Spas Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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A lovely shop in Victoria's Chinatown with high quality loose teas in herbal, black and green varieties. There is really something here in everyone's price range. I was looking for stocking stuffers for Christmas and purchased adorable mini-tins of tea at $4.99 Canadian. They also have various tea accessories and nice pottery. Highly recommend! read more

Fancy tea shop but they didn't have Hojicha powder. It reminded me a lot of Red Blossom Tea in San Francisco Chinatown.

Great service, the man behind the tea counter was very knowledgeable. Spent a large amount of time with us explaining different teas and what we might like. Have us many tips on what we could do to make the best tea. In my opinion the tea is worth the cost. Will come back. Ended up buying a large bag and a mini of an exclusive tea. read more

Wonderful variety. Interactive shop. But there is no air conditioning and no music playing in the shop. I could hear my stomach growling and made for a bit of an awkward 5 minute shopping experience. Other than that, the customer service and products were superb! read more

Sort of an interesting place. Reminds me a little of Teavana. Some exotic mixes/flavors of tea, moderately expensive. Staff was very helpful, very patient. They have their own system of doing things which I could not now explain to you. But they can. Part of the complication could be that we had a coupon from the HOHO bus tour we were on, so we had to sign-up at the register before we could take advantage of it. My wife bought a couple of tins of tea. She really liked the different flavors. I was a bit less thrilled, but am giving credit for the helpful staff and the large variety of choices. If you're a tea person you will probably enjoy a stop here. read more

Their teas are delicious and fresh. Definitely high quality. Then why one star? I was in their Victoria location last year and their favorite talking points at the store was "Oh really?You are drinking tea from teabags!?! (with a bit of disgusted face). Did you KNOW that teabags are filled with at least 7 year old leftover tea leaves!?!" The salesperson was using "scare tactic" to customers and I still bought a few cans of loose tea including "BeauTEAful" tea, which was amazing by the way. I asked tea specialists and avid tea drinkers about this and they all said "7 year" talking points from Silkroad Tea is not true. Not all loose leaves are amazing and not all teabags are bad. It is partially true that some low quality tea bags are using broken leaves or tea dust that has a flat, bland taste. Now every time I drink their tea, I feel bitter and cheated. I feel like I was gullible and manipulated. read more

Who needs meditation when Silk Road exists? The moment I walked in, I knew I was in my retail heaven. And then they offered me tea... [Insert sigh of relaxation, here, here and here!] Tea and an abundance of tea accessories. I would have never thought how excited I would be to find so many steeping utensils. The walls full of teas - available for sniffing and self filling - empowered me to keep smelling and filling. (Smart marketing!) Bath bombs... also self serve, and the abundance of lavender... no wonder the employees are so relaxed, kind, calm and helpful! If this was somewhere in Vancouver, you can bet I'd be stopping in often for sips and some smell-happy-therapy! read more

Silk Road Tea - Silk Road, Victoria BC - Day Spas Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Silk Road is a popular tea spot in downtown Victoria - therefore, it will be pricey, full of trendy stuff, and talked about a lot. I used to live with a total tea snob and he turns his nose up at shops like this (since they're much more expensive than other places you can find quality teas (quali-teas?) but I have no problems with it at all! I was first introduced to lapsang souchong a couple years ago and it is my absolute favourite tea... but be warned, most people either love it or REALLY hate it, as the smokey flavour can be quite overwhelming for some. I don't go looking for specifics teas that often and I'm usually fine picking up a box of something from whatever grocery store I'm in but whenever I need to restore my lapsang stores, this is where I go! Plus, with colder months coming up on us... I'll be getting quite a bit to last me! Additionally, the process of getting tea here is really fun. As Diane S. mentioned, you scoop the amount you want into various sizes of metal tins, then pay for them on the way out. They also carry a large selection of teapots, accessories, dishware, and basically everything you need to have a wonderful tea party. I think of it as something like the Bed, Bath & Beyond of tea; great products, stylish and beautiful pieces, very expensive. read more

Honestly I love the tea. Love it. My three star rating is entirely related to the atmosphere in the store. I'm a fairly introverted person so I like going to a place that's quiet where I can look at the products and read decriptions on my own time. That isnt possible here. There are often more staff on the floor than there are customers. They all look up in unison when I walk in, hoping I may choose them so they can get credit for my $10 purchase of tea. I don't know for sure if there is some sort of comission based system but i cant figure out why else 5-6 different people will ask if I need help while I walk through to the tea, or why I'd be asked if anyone helped me while paying. Unless they are actively helping someone else they approach you. And even then it feels like I'm getting sideways glances for their next conversation. I feels as if I'm being circled by prey every time I'm in the store. Besides the sheer crowds at Metrotown coming to this store as an introvert one of my most stressful shopping experiences. read more

I make kombucha and typically buy my tea from Westholme. One of the teas I use a lot of is an Assam black tea. Running low, and not planning a trip out to Westholme, I went to pick up some at Silk Road to tie me over. I was a bit surprised that they don't sell their tea by weight, they sell it by amount of cups. I thought it a bit odd, but purchased an 80 cup amount for $22.99 (saved a dollar because I didn't need the tin). When I got home I weighed it and it was 100 grams. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I can purchase 100 grams of organic Assam from Westholme for $14.00; and just as a side note the standard measurement for a cup of tea is 2 grams per cup; not sure how Silk Road comes up with 100 grams equaling 80 cups. Westholme advertises 100 grams being enough for 50 cups. Bit of a scam if you ask me. read more

I can't speak for the spa services or any of their products, but this place was very relaxing as soon as you step in! It's sorta like a fancier Teavana/DavidsTEA, but larger, and there is a spa attached to the back. In addition to teas, teapots, strainers, and other tea accoutrements, there is an aromatherapy merchandise such as diffusers, scented oils for such diffusers and to put on your pulse points to enhance your mood! A mix of East meets West, this is a neat store to pop into while in Victoria's historic Chinatown! read more

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Absolutely incredible tea shop. Apart from the gorgeous tea sets, tea spoons, and various accessories sold here, the actual tea is what really stands out. And that says a lot because the store, the decor, the service, and the products here are absolutely top notch. I came in today to re-stock my home tea selection and get more Silk Road in my cabinets at home. My boyfriend and I primarily drink Silk Road and after more than a year, we are finally running low. Having come all the way from the US we were so thrilled to sniff and snoop and pick out new teas to take home. We must've spent at least 40 mins here deciding which teas take and what tins to fill. While we checked things out and made our decisions we were approached twice by two different, very polite store employees. They offered us each different tea samples and offered to answer any questions and help us make decisions. I had a total blast taking the reins, taking my time, and selecting which teas to buy. Filling the tins was fun and in the end we wound up spending about $70 on new teas. I cannot wait to get home and put the kettle on. Hands down the best tea shop I've ever been to. And they have the highest quality tea as well! read more

Great selection of organic teas. Very clean and beautiful shop! I try to avoid going in because the staff does not give you a moment to breath or process. It's overwhelming! When I have asked a question I did not find the employees to be genuine or helpful! I think this business needs to hire a team of knowledge and friendly individuals. read more

Spa experience Likes: relaxing massage, masseuse's soft hands Dislikes: Only cold tea was offered, no music during the massage, felt greasy after the treatment Background: I went here on my birthday in August 2012, on a Sunday, after getting a recommendation from a friend. She said that it is an amazing choice for a spa as well. This spa is located in Chinatown, and is by the street. I had the first appointment that morning, and the shop had just opened. My experience: The spa is located below the tea shop, and they take you downstairs to this zen-like atmosphere with dimmed lights. My masseuse was polite, and respectful. I had a relaxing "spa massage" ($75 plus tax and tips) from their menu. They offered me cold tea before my experience. I can't remember which aromatic oil I went for, but I was given a choice. My masseuse's hands were the softest I've ever experienced. She was very gentle, and perhaps a little too gentle. However, there was NO MUSIC throughout the whole massage experience! I didn't say anything in the beginning as I thought that it was going to be turned on, but it was not on at any time! The music usually sets the mood for me, and creates a great spa atmosphere, and going sans music takes away a lot of the experience for me. I asked them later on why this was, and they said that the speakers were broken. Weird. I also fell asleep...which some people like, but I don't. Perhaps I was just too tired, or my masseuse had really soft hands, or perhaps the lack of music made me lose interest. Also, the masseuse did not give me a towel to wipe myself after being lathered in oil after the massage. Or usually, the other spas I've been to, they make sure that THEY wipe off the oil after your treatment. This made me feel very greasy and gave me an "incomplete" experience. Verdict: I would not recommend the Silk Road for their spa services. However, they have a wide selection of tea and tea accessories, so I would probably recommend it to tea enthusiasts for that. However, they did not offer hot tea during this time. Sure it was summer time, but how can you not have hot tea in a tea shop? Odd. read more

I drink coffee, and I don't follow the monarchy, so I'm not supposed to like tea right? Well, that's what I used to think until I was introduced to Silk Road by one of my friends from Victoria. The selection of loose teas is fantastic, there's a flavour (is that the right term for tea?) for almost every discerning tea lover out there. Personally, I'm a big fan of the Canton Orange and the Monk's Elixir. Green, black, herbal and everything in between: you're going to find something and not walk out of the store empty handed. I love the do-it-yourself component where you fill your own tin, ranging in size from the sampler "mini-tin" (8-10cups) to the 1500 cup barrel if you're seriously jonesing for tea. Plus if you have child like tendencies such as myself, you'll really get a kick out of putting the labels on the tins. Silk Road is now one of our "must visit" stores every time we're in Victoria, and who knows, maybe one of these days we'll actually try the other side of the store with the aromatherapy. read more

I had heard about Silk Road Tea from a friend years ago, but had never had the chance to visit it until this past weekend. It was just as lovely as I had been told and always imagined! The atmosphere is calm and clean, and the store is divided into two main sections, the wellness and the tea sides. There is also a spa but I didn't get the chance to try it, so I can't comment on that. (Next time!) The tea is very high quality. After so many tea places that fill their loose leaf varieties with candy and artificial flavour, this was quite a refreshing change! I picked up the Japanese Sour Cherry and Angelwater varieties. I really liked filling my own tins! I also picked up two different clay face masks. All very natural ingredients. Verdict: the products are great, the atmosphere is soothing, and the service was friendly and knowledgable. What more can you ask for? Come to Vancouver! read more

Silk Road is one of my favourite places to shop in Victoria. Their teas and aromatherapy products are top quality yet reasonably priced, and they offer a fantastic array of complementary products (mugs, tea-brewing accessories, kitchen gear, etc). The shopping experience is always pleasant -- the store is never overcrowded, the salespeople are cheerful, and I love the way they hand out samples of their tea as you walk in (and often again as you're browsing). Silk Road also offers a full spa, and the hour-long massage I had there about a month ago was absolute bliss. The whole experience is excellent: I was offered tea to sip while I was waiting for my appointment, the atmosphere in the spa (which is actually in the basement of the building) was quiet, warm, and relaxing without feeling at all pretentious, and I felt extremely at-ease the entire time. My only complaint (and it's a small one) would be that they need to add more seating in the waiting area, and maybe screen it off from the rest of the store a bit to make it feel more private/exclusive. read more

Silk Road has an amazing selection of loose-leaf teas, all organized well along their big tea wall... green teas, herbal teas, black teas.... they have so much stuff you could spend quite a bit of time just going around sniffing all the little jars before you make your selection! The service here has always been great. Somebody always greets you when you step in and offers you a sample of whatever tea they've got brewing. Now that it's summer, they've been making cold teas or tea/juice mixes. I never mixed my tea with juice, but their mango tea mixed with lemonade was pretty refreshing! Most regular teas are around $4 for the small tin, then it goes up from there. I bought matcha there for $8 for a small tin. Not really sure where else to buy it... so I bought it there. I think their tea accessories are really pretty, but they are pricey. ACTUALLY, they don't have a tea that I really like: vanilla rooibos! I can forgive them for that.. although if anybody from Silk Road is reading...... :) read more

I needed to pick up a gift for my partner for Christmas - who as far as I know doesn't read Yelp! and won't therefore be unimpressed with me spoling the surprise. I went to Silk Road primarily - okay, entirely - because of its previous reviews on Yelp!, and I was blown away. I'm more comofrtable with tees than teas; and the only things I tend to massage are the facts, when discussing why the Leafs shall win the Cup (which, really, is funny in its own right). But the employees - who were EVERYwhere - were uniformly attentive without being obtrusive and incredible helpful. I mentioned that I wanted a black tea and no fruity flavours, and the fellow who was helping me - tall with a bright red curl in his brunette locks - pointed out 3 options. All of them looked great. I also got a gift certificate for a massage - at what I considered to be a reasonable rate - and a free sample of tea mixed with cranberry juice (which was delicious). A brilliant shopping experience, with a seriously wide selection of teas - and fantastic service to boot. read more

I just popped down to Silk Road, after having looked at your website and saw that you are open from 10-6pm today. I was simply looking to buy a few packages of Angel Water tea. At the blocked off front door I was met by a young woman who said she couldn't serve me, and that I would have to place my order online. I could not find anything to indicate this on your website. This is a terrible business practice and I am afraid you have lost a customer. read more

This store has a lot of loose leaf tea and also tea bags. They have a huge variety of tea. We wanted to take something home with us that was uniquely Canadian. The sales associate here was very helpful. They sell the tea by tin containers. A small container offers about 10 cups of tea and costs $3.99. Overall I thought the teas smelled great and the prices were reasonable. This place is also great because they accept credit cards. read more

Picked up some Xmas presents here and found the selection of teas to be as good as any shop I've been too - Teavana in the US is comparable and any Vancouver shop can match it but can't beat it. Pricing seems a bit steep to me but you are buying the best teas (with considerable markup) and the atmosphere and service are very good. The accessories are also great - picked up a very cute mug for my girlfriend that I haven't seen anywhere else. Worth a stop if you like tea. read more

Love this place! How much do I love it? I live in the Bay Area and since my friend (who lives in Victoria) introduced me to this place, I mostly only consume Silk Road Tea! Their mail order system is smooth (website is clean and organized), and tea arrives safe and sound. My favorites are the herbal ones, which generally have gorgeous little flowers in them, are all-natural (I think everything is organic?), and no added flavors. The in-person experience is a lovely shop that has tastings, HUGE tins of tea, tea accessories, and a spa. From time to time, I've bought a gift card for my friend, and Silk Road has made that process super easy and efficient, even though I'm down here in the US and they're up there in BC. Kudos for keeping it such a special place. read more

Most amazing tea and fabulous explanations regarding ingredients. Staff are always fantabulous. Support local business. Easy when the teas are this delish. read more

Very cool tea boutique - almost felt like I was in New York. Unique teas, exquisite tea service (tea pots, cups, etc.) for sale and spa items. It's located in a very cool neighborhood, too -- adjacent to China Town. On Sundays there is a very cool street fair with local crafts right outside it's doors. It's on my list for my next Victoria trip--am dying to try the spa. read more

Cute little shop. Hard to walk around when it's busy or when there's strollers around cause the walk ways seems small. Tons of varieties. There was a sample to taste. A place for tea lovers. Kinda pricey for me though...saw some cups I like and it was $21...kinda steep read more

I absolutely love this place. I am amazed that their tea hasn't made it across the pond to Vancouver. You walk into this place in the heart of chinatown and it's love and first breath and sight. They make tea accessible and not scary and you walk out of there with some real jems. I just ran out and am already planning my trip back so i can get some more. read more

Such a great selection here, and the staff is super friendly. I love their chia tea and philosophers tea. All so yummy. I love how you scope your own tea into these cute little tins! Love finding this little spot, could easily spend all afternoon tea tasting here! read more

A great selection of organic and NON-Artificial flavored teas - Tea lovers' heaven. I can't emphasize much that nowadays a lot of teas are made with artificial fragrance which smell really good but not as natural as you expected. Lastly I want to call out that if you arrive via the Clipper ferry, you will receive a free to-go tea at Silk Tea with any purchase. read more

Should have purchased the largest size container I could--this is the best tea I've had in a long, long time. The Royal Abkhazi is my new favorite, but the herbals are also lovely. Glad to hear that they ship to the U.S., although nothing beats the opportunity to open a tin and breathe in. Also love the collaborations made for local chefs and bartenders! read more

The friendly and knowledgeable staff really make the place! The tea is also very lovely.

I LOVE Silk Road Tea! It has a great selection of many different kinds of tea, as well as tea-based skincare. If you can attend one of their free workshops, I really recommend it too. You get lots of tea samples, tea recipe ideas, and a discount on tea that you purchase after the workshop. Philosopher's Brew and Mulberry are my favourite blends! read more

Silk Road Tea - Cute mugs at Silk Road - Day Spas Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

5 ** for the store* Loved it! I was offered tea upon walking in and the vibe was cheerful, friendly and helpful. They have an awesome selection of take-home tea making/drinking products that beats Teavana and Murchi's Tea; they also sell locally or fair-trade sourced teas and beauty products and have a bar where you can sit and drink tea:) - 2 stars for my massage :( Spa service and personnel were great; i walked in and they were able to fit me in in 10 min. Prices were not bad, i chose a 60min full-body massage for $75 and a 30min foot massage for $35. The massage was kind of a relaxation rub-down, but my feet were killing me and in need of some intensity so the disappointment in not getting that took away from the relaxation effect. Also, I noticed while getting dressed that the massage only lasted 1hr 10 minutes. read more