La Société du Thé

As an avid tea-drinker, I was naturally drawn to visit La Société du Thé, a renowned café. However, my experience began with an intriguing sign by the door, urging visitors to knock- an unusual request for a café. I was greeted by the owner himself, who immediately launched into a lively conversation about various internet videos he had been watching. One such video involved a stubborn dog falling into a pool and defying its owner's attempts to retrieve it. I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of a golden retriever rejecting a role reversal. The owner appeared to be in high spirits as he informed me that the salon, where I had intended to meet my friend, was temporarily closed. Only the shop was open, he explained, due to his shop assistant falling ill. Undeterred, I shifted my focus to exploring the tea varieties available. However, when I requested to smell a particular tea, he dismissively remarked, "those tea-smelling days are long gone." Accepting this unconventional response, I settled for purchasing a beloved Rooibos blend, leaving the intriguing, scent-dependent flavors for my next visit.La Société du Thé boasts a stunning interior, reminiscent of charming European tea shops, despite its limited seating capacity. I couldn't help but wonder at his stern rejection of my American Express, as he emphatically placed my card on the counter and declared, "Visa or Mastercard!" Additionally, his responses to inquiries about tea accessories were occasionally curt, leaving me uncertain as to whether he intentionally cultivated a grumpy demeanor or simply wore his personality on his sleeve, unabashedly.In light of my visit, my advice to potential patrons would be to approach La Société du Thé with an open mind. Embrace the owner's idiosyncrasies and unique charm. There is an undeniable allure to this tea shop. While some aspects of the experience may test your patience, the opportunity to savor exceptional tea blends within a gorgeously appointed setting is worth the occasional quirk or two. So, enter with an adventurous spirit, ready to embrace the tea aficionado's domain.

I am blown away by the quality and variety of teas in this shop! Due to it being on a busy street, the door may be locked (for security). Just knock and you'll be admitted. The proprietor, Tony, hails from Boston so if you're looking for "Minnesota nice" you're now on notice; just engage him in discussing tea and you'll find he's amazingly helpful. I have been a tea drinker for years, but have never delved into fine loose-leaf teas. They always seemed so expensive - but in my naivete I never realized one could brew tea leaves more than once. Nirvana that I discovered "La Societe du The" to begin my journey of tea exploration!

French Breakfast Blend tea is a wonderful way to start the day. This is the best tea shop in town with most knowlegeable staff and highest quality loose leaf teas. From Oolong to Sencha, Assam to Ceylon you can not go wrong and you can learn so much tasting the wide variety of tea he carries. Also note teawares are not the usual. Higher grade porcelain from Asia and France.

Just started drinking tea and I'm really happy I came across this place. The staff/owners are extremely knowledgeable and were able to help me. Yes, the staff can come across in a unique way, just give them a chance, they really know their tea.

I came here for the first time to meet with a friend over a pot of tea. My friend has visited this tea shop a few times and recommended it. After reading all the previous reviews about the grumpy proprietor who can sometimes be nice, I was curious what we were going to experience. The shop is small and has charming decor. We walked in and were the only ones there, the owner came out and asked how he could help us. Throughout the 2 hours we were there he was very accomadating, turned on some music for us, helped us choose 2 different teas to try, and even came out with tissues when he noticed we had teared up a little over our conversation and gotten the sniffles.. wow! My friend got him talking about Japanese artwork and you could tell he was very knowledgeable and passionate about it. There are 3-4 tables for 2 towards the back of the store. It was intimate and quiet- we were the only ones there the whole time. The tea selection was impressive! We tried a small pot of a green and white tea that the owner recommended and really enjoyed them. There is limited parking behind the building. I would definitely come here again to try the different kinds of tea.

A favorite place to be... if you're a tea lover there isn't a better selection from around the world with authentic choices you get to try first. I had the Temi tea from Sikkim & it is delicious, subtle, and I've never found it elsewhere. His selection is vast & thoughtful. Going to Tony's shop is like visiting another country, say, another world. It's a real "destination" where you'll find the finest teas served in the finest of tea-wear. You can purchase tea, tea accessories, makers, and step away from the world & enter this little alternate enchanting reality he's created for a while.

Cute little shop! My boyfriend and I are not much tea drinkers, but wanted to try tea. He did not want to try a big chain tea shop in the mall and found this gem online.My boyfriend knew what he wanted and explained it to the owner. The owner shared three samples (aromas) and we were able to purchase without any issues as I sadly read on some of the reviews. The boyfriend and I were impressed with how he knew my boyfriend was Irish (the owner read my bf's name on the credit card), so that was a plus. This neighborhood gives me anxiety because of all the traffic and people, but I would rather purchase our tea here than other shops.

I just scanned the other 6 reviews and thought that I must have missed something. These reviews are what was in my head on the drive over after our movie. I've driven by many times and wanted to stop in. Let's just say that I won't have that desire anymore.In fact, 1 star is way too good for such shitty service. If there were a way that I could erase any sign of a web presence for this place, I would. We went in and were greeted suspiciously. "Can I help you?" I said we would like some tea (what the fuck else am I going to order here? An oil change?)There was nobody else there. He consulted his watch and announced "I think we have time for that." as if we were fortunate enough and worthy enough to be served. It was 5pm. Me: The sign says you are open until 6:30.Him: (while walking away, mumbling, half of which I couldn't hear, ending with "Glad you noticed."I glance at J and she at me. He comes out from the back with a towel or something and I tell him we'll have to come back another time, knowing that I never will.If you are in the business of serving people, fucking serve them. Don't act like they are lucky you are there, or lucky you are open. If you don't like people, don't open a fucking shop where you will be put in the position of....surprise....interacting with people.

After reading some of the negative reviews, I was afraid to visit this shop by myself so I brought my husband along. Turned out the owner was very helpful and knows his tea. He helped me find exactly what I wanted and gave me helpful information about a tea that unfortunately he did not carry. I will go back.

This shop is very cute, and I recommend going to check it out. The owner is knowledgeable and I found him to be friendly, if perhaps a little odd.You DO need to know what you're looking for when you walk in, however, as most of his selection is behind the counter and due to COVID restrictions it's difficult to view. So do a little research beforehand on his website or just have an idea of what you're looking for, I'm sure he can suggest something to your fancy.I got the golden oolong, it was lovely!