SmithTea.com • 110 SE Washington St & Water Ave
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 11am-5pm
I start almost every morning with a mug of Smith Tea, preferably Kandy black tea or Big Hibiscus, so I am a big fan of this local teamaker. But I hadn’t been over to their new tasting room, headquarters and production facility off Water Ave until a few weeks ago.
Once you walk in, you can tell you are in a tea facility. Right behind the ordering counter, you can see the tea lab and production line in action, packaging up the teas I drink at home.
But even though it is also their headquarters for making the magic happen, it is very welcoming to tea enjoyers. Not only can you purchase teas for home, but you can also enjoy something there.
If you want to branch out a bit from your go-to favorite, you can do a tea flight to try a lot of their unique flavors. We tried a variety of mostly Chinese teas, ranging from very light and flowery green tea, to a rich, smoky black.
I also love sampling their “Teas on Tap.” Yup, you read that right. Currently they have Masala Chai and Strawberry Honeybush, which you can get in a glass or growlette!
The new shop is charming, both bright and cozy. It is especially on a dreary day with their large fireplace and comfy couches. This is a perfect spot for an afternoon of reading over a cup of tea.
Can’t make it over to SE? They’ve still got their smaller, original tasting room on NW Thurman as well!
1626 NW Thurman St & 16th Ave • Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Sat 11am-5pm
How cool to do a tea flight! And I’m such a HUGE fan of getting a sneak peek into how something I love is made, whether it’s ice cream, beer or tea! I’ll add this to my list of Portland things to do.
Smith Tea is such a fun place to visit. I was lucky enough to have a behind the scenes tour of the production facility. The aromas are amazing!!!
That was such a fun day! Great post!
I love their teas. The Lord Bergamot is my favorite and I always have some at home, as well as the red hibiscus! Still haven’t been to their tasting room in SE yet but it looks great!
I love the teas on tap for warm weather days or as the non alcoholic beverage option at a party or get together
I’m a fan of their Big Hibiscus as well, Erin. Spending a little time enjoying a tea flight sounds heavenly right now. I think I need to make a date with myself and go!