RUDE! i brought in a fountain drink from another restaurant when i went into the tea bazaar with a friend for dinner and NOW i know that no outside food or drinks are allowed because the waiter yelled at me "no outside food or drinks allowed" and swiftly grabbed it away from me to trash it without asking if I would like step outside to finish it first. Keep in mind, I do not take well to people invading my personal bubble (who does) so his aggressiveness in literally grabbing it away from me made me deeply uncomfortable. Next time ask if the customer wants to step outside with it instead of taking away something that is theirs that they paid for with their own money, maybe. Not everyone can afford to have things snatched by aggravated and presumptuous waiters who don't take kindly to clueless customers. read more

I've only been here once, and it had an interesting hippie vibe to it. Large selection of teas, and plenty of incense, candles, tea etc for sale. It's not really my scene, but if you wanted to get away from the prepsters for an afternoon, you could chill out here and feel like you're a world away. read more

Best freaking masala chai. Though I will make the disclaimer that the balance between flavors does change depending on who makes it. The ambiance is cool and the people really nice. A great place to hang out and enjoy a delicious pot o' chai. read more

The place is awesome to hang out and smoke hookah with friends. The problem that I have had with this place is when they have mediocre band come play which destroys the chill atmosphere. read more

The worst experience that I have ever had! I did not find anything charming and positive there! Terrible waiters, awful food, hookah was worse than bad, tea was the worst ever! It is Defiantly not worth going there unless you want to waste your money and go through a terrible experience! read more

We used to love this place. We love their tea, they didn't have any chai. We got there at 11:15pm and bought a $17 hookah, which they served maybe 15 minutes later. At 12 they started playing System of a Down followed by Closing time. Then one of their employees stood directly next to us and told us smoking hookah (which they just sold us) was equal to 110 cigarettes and wouldn't leave us alone trying to take the hookah away. Total dicks. We will absolutely patronize another establishment on next venture. read more

This place is a Charlottesville staple. If you're into tea, go get some. If you eat vegan or gluten-free, this place has you covered. Want a hookah? Back room and porch is for smoking. In the afternoon, the place is pleasantly slow and the smoking area isn't crowded. After around 4 or 5, it picks up considerably, and invariably, there is a gaggle of loud college girls spread out along one wall, hogging most of the seating. My advice is to go early if you can. Saturdays are always busy, and there's usually a show Friday or Saturday night, often with a cover. Be aware. Hookahs are a little expensive ($15 a pop) and there's a $10 repacking charge if you want to keep smoking. Hookah happy hour is 6-9 Mondays and Tuesdays, and you get $5 off the hookah, which helps. However, the atmosphere is excellent, and the staff are usually pretty awesome. The mezza plate is great for a nosh, and the milkshakes are amazing. The desserts are usually gluten-free, and they're rich as can be. Split them if you can, they're worth it. I really love this place, personally. It suits my vibe and it is deeply low-key. It can get overrun with college kids in the evenings and on Saturdays, but this is a college town and if you aren't a UVA student, you ought to know to expect this anywhere you go. In the spring and autumn when the windows are open, the smoking room in the back is a great place to sit and think and chill. It's not like the hookah lounges in DC, but this is Charlottesville and Twisted Branch is its own little world, in a way. I always take folks here when they come from out of town, and it goes over a treat, thanks to how unique it is. In short, if you're looking for somewhere a little crunchy/bohemian to spend an afternoon drinking tea and smoking a hookah in Charlottesville, Twisted is your best stop. read more

Great tea and hookah bar. The atmosphere is laid back and the people are relaxing to be around. A ton of people later on in the day - so it filled quickly- in some of the more preferred seating. Okay food - more greek style, but decently priced. read more

This place was packed on a Friday night. We had to wait for a place to sit, which was kind of annoying. Of course, the tea choices are abundant. We shared a pot of Formosa High Mountain. I'm not a huge fan of florals, but my companion enjoyed it. Shortly after sitting, a lady came around informing us that there would be a show starting soon and if we wanted to stay we had to pay the cover. I understand, but she could have definitely said it better or in a way that made us want to stay to see the show. We finished our tea and left. I think this place would be a lot more enjoyable at a slow time, when its quieter. I would love to try their other teas and food selection. The cashier was friendly and helpful, but the vibe felt off. Really it was too crowded for my taste. read more

This a very trippy tea shop that you might come to expect from the Berkeley-esque atmosphere you can sometime find in Charlottesville. They've brew all their numerous teas fresh for you, have a number of chai-based drinks, and offer hookah to those who like it. It's an odd, upstairs space, which you can imagine is quite cozy if you're in a caffeine-and-tobacco induced haze. It's worth checking out while you're here. read more

If you can get up the stairs it's worth it. the Goat Herder is huge and great first date nosh. Also don't go if you're feeling rude, the staff have permission to be rude back. You can sit near the window and watch people go by. you can also order pots or cups or to go tea. Ask the staff for recommendations, Sean and Kala are great at it. Also it's not a quick joint, they do everything in a kitchen that kinda looks like mom's at home but at the same time you get great bang for you buck and the food is delicious. read more

Back in the day, this place used to be my retreat whenever I felt like blowing off the library scene and getting into some Maharishi shit. They used to have a really extensive menu of teas, ranging from your standard Chinese black teas to some really trippy herb-mate combos that would send me into a headspin. The atmosphere they created in this 2nd floor tea room was something straight out of Buddha's crib and it was always very warm and cozy. The tree sculpture, key chandeliers, old as time couches that are so worn down your ass is basically sitting on a wood bench. It was all good. I haven't been back in several years but I hope things haven't changed too much, it would be a real shame to lose this place to the corporate feeding frenzy that's spreading over the downtown mall lately. read more

A hit or miss experience, this place has been slowly raising their hookah prices since I started coming in 2002. The clientele are varied--from bleeding heart budding hipsters and goths to prepsters. Unfortunately, the lovely scents of tobacco and tea is muddled with a dose of pretension--more so than in the early days. The music is very much hit-or-miss and can go from violent industrial rock to new wave and then ambient electronica in course of an hour. This bipolar music mentality often betrays the seemingly soothing act of sipping tea and catching up with old friends. read more

This was the second time that I have been here. The ambiance was unique and they have a huge selection of teas along with a limited menu. We ordered the "Goat herder" to share amongst the group and also each got a bowl of their Soup Du Jour, which was Sweet Potato Ginger; it was delicious. It is a very tiny place with strange seating options and if it were very busy I could see having to wait a while for a seat. Also; if you don't like the "hippie vibe", this probably isn't the place for you. The lack of 5 stars is solely because of their service, the people aren't very friendly and seem to hate their job and it was that way both times I've been. I will return though because this place is so very unique. read more

I wish I'd written this review 10 years ago. Forgive me, Twisted Branch! I love this place soooOOOOoooo much. I've been coming here since I was 18 and hadn't been anywhere in the world, and now even after traveling the world and coming home again, I love the vibe of this place. As I sit here now, Deerhunter (my favorite band, of course) is playing as the spring breeze drifts in across the tapestry of Ganesh hanging on the wall. The fragrant smell of fresh green iced tea is in the air. No crowds, always a relaxed environment when it is busy, and of course delicious hookah flavours (recommended to ask the staff which teas go with which hookah. A rose tea and a vanilla hookah, for instance, will absolutely blow your mind in the garden of delight.) Love this gem in Charlottesville. Best vibes around. read more

I live in Seattle now. But every time I come back to C-ville I try and visit this tea shop that I had I spent so many hours in growing up . I still feel comfortable, welcomed , and childlike excited to visit . Then I leave with some bags of tea to take back to the PNW with me . read more

Try their green tea ice cream and you'll thank me later! So delicious! They make it themselves and it's addicting!!

Beautifully decorated. Warm and quiet. Isolated back porch for smoking. Relaxing conversations with other customers and staff. Comfortable pillow seating. Delicious mint teas. I almost curled up in a corner and took a nap. This was the first tea house I wandered into in the city and it made my entire day trip just lovely. read more

Man Man on the stereo, comfy and mellow with an hot cuppa chocolate rooibus. I want to live here!

Great tea, good food, lovely atmosphere, and good wifi. I can buckle down and get some work done on my laptop, or chat for hours with a friend. read more

I love the Tea Bazaar, they take their time and get everything right all the time (and sometimes "their time" is pretty quick!) I am off tea these days -- but their green teas were all to die for, and the teamasters were REALLY skilled and knowledgeable -- I like to stop in for the BEST VEGAN / VEGETARIAN FOOD IN THE CITY BY A LONG SHOT BAR NONE. It is, like, individuated, do you know what I mean? The food has love and personality, at the same time that their quality control is tops. They know what they're doing, they don't take short cuts, and it is always really great. Nourishing in every way. YAY!!! read more

This is an adorable little place. I love the very laid back vibe and unconventional decor. I also LOVE tea and they have a fantastic selection, as well as a very fresh and healthy menu. I just wish the menu was a little more extensive. read more

The Tea Bazaar is a fantastic oasis away from conventional dining, right in the middle of Charlottesville. Despite the name, they serve more than just tea - beer and delicious food can be had at a reasonable price. All the fare on their menu is made on site, from basic ingredients; they won't make your chai tea from some syrup like some other places do. Also, while menu itself is very vegetarian friendly, it won't disappoint those accustomed to meatier fare. Overall, it's a fantastic place to eat a full meal, or simply lounge on one of their couches with a warm tea, while catching up on line via their free wi-fi connection. read more

I scouted this place online before I decided to go here, i was hoping for an awesome experience. My brother goes to UVA and I thought if this place was amazing, I would stop by more often for tea and hookah when I am in the area, the first time I went during his Freshman Move In, I was proven wrong. I wandered in downtown Charlottesville to find this mystical hookah tea lounge. Once I found it, I was stunned by how beautiful the interior was, the way to get to it, it was like an 1920's speakeasy. I felt like I was at home, and that is where all the positive reviews end. I am a hookah connoisseur and I go all over Virginia going to hookah lounges and what they offer, and hookah wise, this place is not great. $15 for Al-Wawa tobacco is unacceptable. The tobacco had a weak flavor, and after the second coal they charge you somewhere around a dollar per coal. The hookah preparer took their time making my hookah and everything from the pull to the flavor and the heat management was horrible. However, the tea I had was quite good. I am usually not a tea fan, but it was quite amazing. I didn't have the food there however. If someone wanted to have a drink of tea and a meal, then possibly I would come back. If they say lets grab a hookah, I would pass in a heartbeat. read more

I've been to a few Hookah bars in Richmond with my sister and some friends in college. I am in Highschool but normally they don't ask for an I.D or I generally don't get carded because I look much older than I actually am. The Twisted Branch sounds like an awesome place to hangout and the greatest environment I could hope for. I was just wondering, if I wanted to order a Hookah would I be carded? read more

One of my favorite hangouts in Charlottesville. Great selection of teas. If you're not sure what kind of tea you want the staff is great at recommending something tasty. The milkshakes are definitely worth a try, Rose & Green Tea are my favorite flavors for the milkshakes. The house made Masala Chai is fantastic, it's made from scratch and usually has a bit of a spicy kick to it, try it iced or hot! The food is great, and they have plenty of veggie and vegan options. Dal & Rice is a great standard option, simple and very tasty. Also, be sure to check the chalk board to the left of the ordering counter for the daily iced tea and food specials, it's lower than eye level so look down. You can follow them on Twitter (@TeaBazaar) for their daily food and drink specials. They'll often have live music at night, usually starting around 8:30 or 9:00pm, and they do charge a cover for those shows. read more

Let me say right off that I don't think the tea house is perfect--very few places are. I rate Twisted Branch at five stars because it is wonderful, not because it is perfect. There's a difference, and on the "wonderful" scale, this place scores very high. It was one of the first spots I hung around regularly when I moved to town seven years ago, and though it's had some ups and downs over the years, I still count it as a firm favorite, for a number of reasons: --Tea, duh: During times of personnel turnover, you may not be able to get someone deeply knowledgeable at all times, but there are *always* several people on the staff as a whole who really know their stuff. Ask for a recommendation. --Vegetarian food: I am not a vegetarian myself, but I often eat vegetarian by default, and have many veg and vegan friends. The food at the tea house has come into its own in the last few years. It's not the cheapest on the mall, but the quality is lovely, the menu is manageable, the portions are generous, and I can bring my friends who adhere to hippie diets. I generally feel pretty great after I eat a big lunch there, and that's not the case for me at several other popular spots. The falafel is delicious. The daal is warming and amazing if you're sick. Hint: Like/friend them on FB to get notification of daily specials (food and iced teas). --Chai: Best in town. Flavor profile varies depending upon who makes it, but it's always good, and beats the crap out of most other local offerings in the category. --Environment: The tea house is not a corporate coffee shop. They do not serve coffee. The music is different every day. There's a papier-mache tree just inside the door. The furniture is goofy. There is no table service, and they usually run with only two or three people on duty. You go up to the counter to order and to make any further requests, though if the counter staff has time they certainly come around to help tables. There's live music some nights of the week, and a lot of it is excellent. The fact that the tea house is both one of my favorite places to sit and work for an afternoon (free good wi-fi--as they just recently got a new router; no hassle from the staff) *and* one of my favorite places to get my eardrums rattled is pretty cool, I think. Bonus for old-schoolers: the bathrooms used to be sort of dingy at times; now they are clean and covered in murals. This is not a place for everyone. If you're in a giant hurry, use your brain and go someplace else--you can *see* the only two people working, and it stands to reason that if there's a line in front of you and four seated tables, you're going to have to wait. If you want a table server at all times, go someplace else. If you want Top 40/college radio, go someplace else. If you want the specific type of customer service experience that usually accompanies an apron with a logo on it and comes from a do-or-get-fired handbook, go someplace else. ...If you want to talk quietly with the owner whenever she's not busy, and take advantage of the occasional free cookie, and smell and sample several different teas while talking with the tea staffer, and sit with a pot for three hours and a re-steep, and eat something healthy, and feel like you've stepped out of the highway-speed traffic of most commercial interactions, go to the tea house. (And then come back later for the rock show. Yes, there will be a cover charge, but it's never very much, and it's not every night, and cheap beer is available. Also non-cheap beer.) read more

This is, hands down, my favorite place to go in Charlottesville. I'm not sure why it's not getting better reviews. Yes I'll admit it's marketed towards a certain crowd (cough cough, hipsters, cough cough) but the food and the tea are all amazing, and the atmosphere is great for studying, writing, and overall getting in a calm, thoughtful mood. Also as a gluten-free vegetarian I can guarantee it has some of the best options in Charlottesville for people with dietary needs. Everything on the menu is at least pescatarian, and the majority of it is vegetarian, with many gluten-free and vegan options as well. I did try the hookah once but being inexperienced with hookah I don't know if I can give much of an opinion on it. I had rose hookah and it was a fun experience, it was $15 and I shared it with two friends and it stayed strong until the place closed and we had to leave. The people who work there are also incredibly friendly!! I saw many reviews saying that the staff were rude/snobby/etc and I don't get where that's coming from at all. They've always been nothing but kind and down to earth to me. Sure they dress like hipsters, but they're really nice and a great staff. I'd recommend trying the rose milkshake, especially if you like rose flavored things. It's very good. The only real con I'll give is that it's pretty expensive. Although it's my favorite place to go, I don't go often because I can't afford it. read more

I love love love this place!!! The Decor is out of this world and the employees are so chill! The hookah flavors are full of variety which makes it easy to mix things up!!!! Wonderful teas too. read more

Great establishment, chill atmosphere. I wasn't expecting this type of setting. Most hookah bars are laid back with TVs etc but here there are no TVs and they push a social atmosphere all in all excellent place to hangout, talk and enjoy tea and hookah read more

I've been coming here for years, largely mid-week and fairly early in the day because the atmosphere is much more relaxed...which is my thing. Weekends and nights, it becomes more of a social hangout. Most people don't really think about the traffic patterns when they plan their visits, the vibe changes...they are not mellow 24/7 nor do they claim to be. The food is delicious, the tea is fantastic, the hookahs are fun and the staff is as diverse as the patrons! I've overheard the staff talking passionately and with great knowledge on tea preparation, passion that isn't usually prevalent with folks in the food and service industry. When you come here, you're getting a product that someone is proud to be serving. You may not get it in under 5 minutes as you would in a "quantity over quality" place down the street, and it just may not be your "cup of tea" (see what I did there?..corny I know) but you know what? Slow down. Everything doesn't have to be rushed. read more

This was once a great place to get unique tea (the tea itself would give you an experience) however upon visiting again recently the ownership/look and name of the store has changed. And not for the better. There is no more low lighting (bright lights) the tea tastes like they just went down the road to the nearest store (hot water/trash non loose tea) they do not give you enough for 2 people. The new owners/employees spend the night talking to people within their own click (instead of doing their job). The prices have also been jacked up, they also close the store whenever they feel like it instead of abiding by the hours they have set. You can no longer flier's in the hallway, and the employees also made a comment towards us (since we had yet to leave, when they where closing) about turning on "get the f*ck out" music {since they abruptly changed their hours}. In short if you want over priced hot water and bad service this is the store for you. read more

This place is cool as s***. I love it! So much character. So earthy. So hippy. So unique. Almost feels like a fairy tail. I've seen aome bands play here. Mostly hard rock emo type music if you are into that. Good tea of course. Also a nice rare beer selection. Awesome seating inclusing so reclining dinner tables (indian style perhaps?). Hookah available too! Outdoor patio out back. Check it out! read more

Let me preface this by saying I've lived in Charlottesville for 5 years and I always tell people that the Tea Bazaar is a must stop spot. It was my absolute favorite place to relax after a stressful day and enjoy some tea. I'm really sad to say I can no longer say this. I went to the tea bazaar to listen to an online lecture for my Master's program with a friend. I arrived there about an hour earlier than her and decided to wait before I order anything- something I've done many times in the past. My friend arrived and ordered her drink and I was going to wait to finish the lecture recording before I went up to order. An employee approached me, rather aggressively, that I had to buy something or else I had to leave. I said "Okay, I will" and that was the end of our conversation. I still wanted to finish my lecture and within two minutes of the first employee speaking to me, someone else came to me telling me I had to order and I informed her that I was already told and I would after listening to my lecture. Another two minutes later, a third employee came to me to tell me I had to order and I told her, a little annoyed, that I was already told that twice. Immediately after she left the manager came and told me I had to leave because I was "being rude and not ordering anything and that this is a restaurant" (Which it is clearly not as many people had laptops and were sitting for long periods of time). I tried to explain to the manager that it was just a misunderstanding and I was planning to order after I finished the recording, but he said it is "store policy that you have to order first thing when I come"- which was never told to me even though I had already been there for an hour and has never been told to me in the past five years of me coming to this place. I tried to reason with him but he refused to listen to me and told me to leave- my friend witnessing the entire interaction who then left with me. I've never been so rudely treated before and while I love this place dearly and wish the best for it- I can no longer give it my support nor feel safe there. I'm lucky to call Charlottesville home and this experience was truly not a good reflection. I understand that maybe the business is struggling, but this whole situation could have been handled in a much nicer way instead of being harassed for wanting to take my time to order- something not uncommon in other coffee/tea establishments in the area. It hurts me to say that I will now be urging people to not support this business because of the way they've decided to treat their neighbors. read more

One of the most unique tea places I've ever been to. Everytime I'm in Charlottesville, I try to go. There are many nooks and crannies each themed and decorated differently. It's really cool. There is a little japanese style area where you drink sitting on the ground and in another area you'll have benches and tons of drapery and pillows. There is also a great deck out back which I recommend on a good day. There are hundreds of teas from China to Morocco to try. I always just close my eyes and point to something on the menu and it normally never fails to satisfy. If you're looking to get lunch here, they have a great tuna sandwhich although I think it's seasonal. The owner is beyond nice and he's obviously a traveler. Everytime I've gone there, we've always been able to pull him aside and get him to tell us about some of his travels. It's a really warm and cozy place. If you ever find yourself in downtown Charlottesville, be sure to stop here. read more

i love this place. the tea bazaar is the best place to go in charlottesville! any time i need to go somewhere to write or do some work on my laptop, this is where i go. the ambience is magical and seems to always draw out my creativity and helps me to get things done. i have tried several other establishments around town for similar purposes - coffee shops and restaurants - and none compare to the tea bazaar. the staff are kind and helpful when trying to navigate the huge and delicious tea selection. they have a strong japanese green tea presence as well as a great oolong selection. i have always found the food menu delicious with lots of vegeterian and vegan options. their salmon sandwhich is wild-caught alaskan salmon. most of their produce and desserts come from local providers. there is frequently really good live music happening at night (starting at around 9pm and going til they close at midnight). the stage area is intimate and makes for some really special shows. i recently saw damien jurado at the teahouse, and it was a wonderful intimate show. we all had a great time. i highly recommend this place to all my friends and acquaintances, and any time i have friends or family visiting from out of town, i take them to the teahouse first...including my 70 year old grandmother who also loves it! whenever we have lunch meetings for work, i try to bring everyone to the tea bazaar as much as possible. a real gem on the downtown mall!!! read more

Do you have a full list of hair styles allowed in your restaurant. I'm a white male, so my privilege renders me unable to see my own racism. Would a hat be acceptable? Something that's not "non-inclusive" but also not "culturally appropriating". My hairs a mess right now, and I've got to decide which shampoo to buy if I'm going to eat there next week. Thank you read more

Free Wi-Fi, good tea, and an aesthetic and ambiance that I find appealing (it has a Nepalese kind of vibe) all make the tea bazaar one of my favorite places in c-ville. It's a great place to come alone or with friends if you need to do some work, and if you want some sustenance to go along with your tea their admittedly small selection proved to be quite satisfactory for a light meal. Though I haven't tried the hookah, I at least appreciate that the smoking section is entirely seperate from the non-smoking area, being almost wholly outside the building. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, always willing to recommend their favorite tea, and so far non of those recommendations have let me down. All in all, if you like tea, I would bet money you will like the twisted branch tea bazaar. read more

We stopped in on a weekday afternoon and had a good, very relaxing time. The staff was friendly, and the general atmosphere of the place is super chill and calming. There weren't many people there, so it was very quiet, which was nice. People here and there were reading, working on their laptops, whatever. The only issue I have is with the tea. They have a good variety, but the tea was simply not very good. We had a pot of the house sencha and a pot of the longjing. Both were very weak and lacking in flavor, complexity, etc. They don't say where they get their leaves, so I can't speak for the quality of the leaf, but they absolutely have the water to leaf ratio all wrong. Simply put, they don't use enough leaf, so the tea is too light. It is also possible that they are brewing at the wrong temperature. Our longjing had sentiment in it, which shouldn't happen with longjing as the leaves are solid pieces (or should be). Overall, had a good time, but if you're something of a tea snob like me, keep in mind that you are really paying for the atmosphere at Twsited Branch. read more

haven't been to this place in a while, but whenver I was there I kind of felt like I was on an acid trip. the place was decorated in bright colors but dimly lit. the menu was very vegetarian friendly and the tea was great. overall a unique and great experience though read more