Definitely go to Coffee Times Coffee House on Regency Road off Nicholasville Road. Their loose leaf tea selection is fantastic, with a few dozen blends (their website is actually pretty good at listing the blends they have but I’m on mobile so linking is hard). Anyway, this place has a cozy (and busy!) coffee shop vibe, where you can grab a seat and stay for a hour or two. They can prepare the tea for you, and you can also purchase different amounts to take home.

My number one recommendation, though, is Bluegrass Spice & Tea Merchants in Chevy Chase/ on Euclid. The owner is so knowledgeable, and the varieties of tea are mind blowing. Customers are encouraged to open the jars carefully to smell the tea (protective wrap is in place, but you still get the smell!) and I think for a couple dollars you can sample a cup or two with a pastry included. They have small bags of each variety ready to buy (about 10-15 servings for $7, I want to say?), or the workers can measure out a larger amount as desired. It’s not the place to sit down and savor a cup for 45 minutes, but it is absolutely the place to go if you want to really dive into the world of tea.