Washington DC, DC has 8 tea rooms and tea shops in this guide.
8 tea spots
Washington DC's Tea Scene
Washington's serious leaf tea is concentrated in Dupont Circle: ching ching CHA moved there from Georgetown in 2023 after 25 years, and Valley Brook Tea sells oolong, black, white and green teas its owners produce in Fujian from a shop inside The Ven at Embassy Row. Teaism, open for 30 years, brews about 50 loose teas and tisanes at its teahouses for $4 to $6.50 a pot. The other half of the scene is hotel afternoon tea along Pennsylvania Avenue and in Georgetown, where the Willard, the Waldorf Astoria, the St. Regis and the Four Seasons run weekly services.
Dupont Circle has ching ching CHA, Valley Brook Tea and Teaism's R Street teahouse. Downtown has the afternoon teas at the Willard, the Waldorf Astoria and the St. Regis, Penn Quarter has Teaism's flagship with its tea shop, and Georgetown has the Four Seasons.
Washington DC Tea at a Glance
Find a tea room in Washington DC
Map & neighborhoodsShowing 8 of 8 listings
Tea Rooms & Tea Shops (8)
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.
A tea shop and gallery that ran in Georgetown from 1998 and moved to this smaller Dupont Circle space in April 2023 after a 48 percent rent increase. It serves and sells teas from mainland China, Taiwan and Japan plus herbal blends, and stocks Yixing teapots, artisan pottery and tea accessories. The kitchen did not make the move, so it is now tea only.
A tea company run by Yunhan Zhang and Meng-ye Chen that produces its own oolong and black tea in the Wuyi Mountains and white and green tea on Mount Taimu, with teaware made in Dehua. Its DC shop first opened on P Street in February 2020 and now sits inside The Ven at Embassy Row hotel.
Teaism's Dupont Circle teahouse serves Asian-inspired meals with the same loose-leaf list as the other branches. Most teas are brewed for $4 to $6.50, covering Darjeeling from the Makaibari Estate, Taiwanese Baozhong and Ali Shan oolong, Long Jing, and Japanese sencha and hojicha.
Teaism's corner teahouse at 8th and D Streets, open 11am to 8pm daily, with a retail tea shop at the same address that carries some teas not sold at the other branches. The retail list runs from a 2005 Yunnan pu-erh cake and Korean Joongjak and Saejak to ceremonial matcha from Marukyu Koyamaen.
The Willard serves afternoon tea in two rooms: its Peacock Alley corridor on Friday to Sunday and the newer Willard Tea Room off it on Wednesday to Sunday, both at noon and 2:30pm. Teas are loose leaf from J'enwey Tea Company, with finger sandwiches, pastries and the hotel's scones. Adults pay $90, or $110 with Champagne.
Afternoon tea in the Waldorf Astoria's Peacock Alley, inside the Old Post Office building, with seatings Friday to Sunday at noon and 3pm. The standard service is $120 per person plus a 20 percent service charge; a premium tier at $200 adds better seating and a glass of Ruinart. Seasonal menus include a Cherry Blossom tea and a Holiday tea.
The St. Regis runs afternoon tea Thursday to Sunday from 1pm to 4pm, two blocks north of Lafayette Square. The menu changes by season and covers tea sandwiches, scones and decorated pastries. Dress is smart casual and bookings go through OpenTable or the hotel.
The Four Seasons serves afternoon tea in Seasons restaurant on Saturdays and Sundays only. The spring 2026 Cherry Blossom menu included Wagyu on milk bread, duck foie gras terrine, a matcha citrus opera cake and a sakura pave. Adults pay $125 and children 12 and under $65, with bottomless mimosas available as an add-on.
No tea rooms match these filters. Clear the search or type above and the full list comes back.
Washington DC Tea Tips
Pick your hotel tea by day of the week
The Willard Tea Room runs Wednesday to Sunday, the St. Regis Thursday to Sunday, Peacock Alley at the Waldorf Astoria Friday to Sunday, and the Four Seasons only on Saturdays and Sundays.
Mind the Willard's 72-hour rule
The Willard asks for 72 hours' notice for special menu requests and charges 50 percent for cancellations made inside 72 hours.
Buy leaf at Teaism's Penn Quarter shop
Teaism sells its teas by the 2 oz bag, and its October 2025 tea list marks some as sold only at the Penn Quarter tea shop. A 2 oz bag of Anxi oolong is $9.50; a 2 oz bag of gyokuro is $42, and a 2005 Yunnan pu-erh cake is $34.
Ching ching CHA no longer serves food
Since the 2023 move to Dupont Circle, ching ching CHA is tea only, so eat before you go.
Brewing at Home After Washington DC
Found a tea you liked in Washington DC? 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 Washington DC?
The Willard InterContinental ($90 per adult, $110 with Champagne), Peacock Alley at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, the St. Regis Washington, D.C. (Thursday to Sunday, 1pm to 4pm) and Seasons at the Four Seasons in Georgetown ($125 per adult, weekends only).
Where can I drink Chinese tea in DC?
In Dupont Circle: ching ching CHA serves teas from mainland China, Taiwan and Japan in a tea shop and gallery, and Valley Brook Tea sells Wuyi oolong and black tea and Fujian white and green teas made by the owners' own operation.
Where can I buy loose-leaf tea in Washington DC?
Teaism's Penn Quarter tea shop at 400 8th St NW carries its full list, from Darjeeling and pu-erh cakes to gyokuro and Korean teas. Valley Brook Tea and ching ching CHA in Dupont Circle also sell leaf and teaware.
Is there a cheap place to get a pot of good tea in DC?
Teaism brews most of its loose teas for $4 to $6.50, at its Penn Quarter and Dupont Circle teahouses.
Washington DC Tea by Neighborhood
Dupont Circle
Best for: Chinese and Taiwanese leaf tea, teaware and a casual teahouse within a few blocks.
Top picks: ching ching CHA, Valley Brook Tea, Teaism Dupont Circle
Downtown
Best for: Hotel afternoon teas near the White House.
Top picks: Willard InterContinental Afternoon Tea, Peacock Alley at Waldorf Astoria Washington DC, Afternoon Tea at The St. Regis Washington, D.C.
Penn Quarter
Best for: Teaism's flagship teahouse and its retail tea shop.
Top picks: Teaism Penn Quarter
Georgetown
Best for: A weekend-only luxury afternoon tea.
Top picks: Afternoon Tea at Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC
Tea Reading for Washington DC Visitors
Read these before you order: what to ask for, how it is brewed, and what it should cost.
