Charleston, SC has 5 tea rooms and tea shops in this guide.
5 tea spots
Charleston's Tea Scene
Charleston has a working tea plantation on its doorstep: the Bigelow-owned Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island runs a free factory tour and trolley rides through its fields. On the peninsula the scene is about formal tea and colonial history. Camellias at Hotel Bennett serves an $80 afternoon tea with Tealeaves blends, East Bay Meeting House does high tea in the French Quarter, and Oliver Pluff & Company sells 18th-century American blends like Colonial Bohea next to the Charleston Music Hall. Steep Me Tea Apothecary opened on upper King Street in 2026 with loose teas, herbal blends and matcha.
Upper King and the Marion Square blocks hold Camellias at Hotel Bennett, Oliver Pluff & Company on John Street, and Steep Me Tea Apothecary further up King. East Bay Meeting House is in the French Quarter and Charleston Tea Garden is outside the city on Wadmalaw Island.
Charleston Tea at a Glance
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Tea Rooms & Tea Shops (5)
Tea houses, afternoon-tea rooms, matcha bars and loose-leaf shops that brew tea from other makers. Each card says what the place is known for and its price range.
Hotel Bennett's champagne bar turns into an afternoon tea room Thursday through Sunday, with two seatings most days and a third on Sunday evening. The set includes chilled canapes, tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and pastries. Teas come from Tealeaves and include Genmai Cha, Golden Tippy Assam, Darjeeling and a Ginger Yuzu herbal. Adult tea is $80 and children's tea is $55.
A veteran-owned tea company that hand-packages its teas in Charleston and builds its line around 18th-century American history, with blends like Colonial Bohea alongside green, herbal, chai and cacao teas. The John Street shop, next door to the Charleston Music Hall, steeps teas for tasting and hosts tea classes and workshops. It also sells spiced drinks such as wassail and toddy mixes.
A family-run tea and herbal shop on upper King Street that opened in 2026. Shelves hold a large range of loose teas, herbal blends and mushroom products, and the counter makes matcha drinks. Staff help customers match blends to what they are looking for.
A French Quarter cafe that mixes a European cafe menu, including quiche from its founder's original recipe, with Southern hospitality. It serves breakfast, lunch and high tea, and high tea is booked through a separate online reservation. Hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM.
A working tea plantation owned by the Bigelow Tea family, outside Charleston city limits on Wadmalaw Island but marketed under the city's name. Visitors get a free factory tour, can buy a trolley ticket for a ride through the tea fields and greenhouse, and can walk the grounds and shop the gift store. It calls itself America's oldest tea garden.
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Charleston Tea Tips
Book Camellias early and mind the cancellation fee
Afternoon tea at Camellias runs Thursday through Sunday, is reservation-only through Resy, and costs $80 per adult and $55 per child 12 and under. Cancelling inside 48 hours costs $55 a person.
Plan the tea garden as a half day
Charleston Tea Garden is open Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM and Sunday noon to 4 PM. The factory tour is free; the trolley ride through the fields is a paid ticket, so book it before you drive out.
Taste before you buy at Oliver Pluff
Oliver Pluff & Company steeps teas in the John Street shop for sampling and runs tea classes and workshops, so it is a good first stop before buying gifts of its colonial-era blends.
Check East Bay Meeting House's days
East Bay Meeting House is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM, and takes high tea reservations online. It closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Brewing at Home After Charleston
Found a tea you liked in Charleston? Buy the leaf, then use these to brew it the same way at home.
Teaware
Kettles, gaiwans, kyusu, scales and matcha whisks for brewing at home.
Steeping Chart
Water temperature and steep time for green, white, oolong, black and pu-erh.
Tea Ratio Calculator
Grams of leaf per 100 ml, for gongfu and western brewing.
Bitter Tea Troubleshooting
Fix a bitter, flat or astringent cup by changing one variable at a time.
Cold-Brew Tea Ratios
Leaf weight and fridge time for cold-brewed tea, by tea type.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get afternoon tea in Charleston?
Camellias at Hotel Bennett on King Street serves afternoon tea Thursday through Sunday at $80 per adult, and East Bay Meeting House in the French Quarter serves high tea by reservation Wednesday through Sunday.
Can you visit a tea plantation near Charleston?
Yes. Charleston Tea Garden, at 6617 Maybank Highway on Wadmalaw Island, offers a free factory tour, a paid trolley tour of the tea fields and greenhouse, and a gift shop.
Where can I buy loose-leaf tea in Charleston?
Oliver Pluff & Company on John Street sells its own historic American blends and holds tea classes, and Steep Me Tea Apothecary on upper King Street sells loose teas and herbal blends.
Where can I get matcha in Charleston?
Steep Me Tea Apothecary on King Street makes matcha drinks alongside its loose-leaf and herbal teas.
Charleston Tea by Neighborhood
Upper King
Best for: Hotel afternoon tea, colonial-era blends and a new tea apothecary within a few blocks of Marion Square.
Top picks: Camellias at Hotel Bennett, Oliver Pluff & Company, Steep Me Tea Apothecary
Wadmalaw Island
Best for: Walking real tea fields and watching tea get processed.
Top picks: Charleston Tea Garden
Tea Reading for Charleston Visitors
Read these before you order: what to ask for, how it is brewed, and what it should cost.
