// NEW YORK CITY // GREENPOINT, NOHO //

kettl

probably the best japanese tea in the city

There are some places you step inside and feel instantly transported, forget what city you’re even in. Kettl is as close to a sanctuary as you can have in this city. An uncluttered, minimalist haven filled with tea, a welcoming break from the clutter and chaos of the city it serves. Kettl is a wonderful find for a casual tea drinker, and a respected purveyor for the serious tea lovers. For over a decade now, Kettl has been a direct source of the freshest Japanese tea straight from Fukuoka to New York City. Now, it’s a well-established presence in the city, not only for sit-down tea experiences and takeaway cups, but also for tea and teaware, direct to consumer and wholesale.

With a breadth of teas in their collection, Kettl makes quality Japanese tea accessible, and fosters a welcoming educational environment to learn more about the nuances of different grades of matcha, different roasts of houjicha, different regions of sencha. The tea shop functions both as a cafe and a boutique. For a quick stop you can get the classics in to-go cups and be on your way. For a slower more leisurely appreciation of tea, you can stay for an in-house brew of your choice in their extensive inventory, your chance to sample those tasting notes for yourself, prepared professionally. And while you’re here pick up some tea for home brewing, and drool over the ceramics. Kettl is a great stop any time you’re in the neighborhood but also well worth a dedicated trip for anyone interested in Japanese teas.

the details

Address

Greenpoint: 70 Greenpoint Ave, Brooklyn
Noho: 348 Bowery, New York

Websitehttp://kettl.co/
Yelphttps://www.yelp.com/biz/kettl-brooklyn-3
Instagram@kettltea
Hours

Greenpoint: 11am – 7pm weekdays, 9am – 8pm Saturday, 9am – 7pm Sunday, closed Tuesdays
Noho: 11am – 7pm every day

Price$$$ – definitely skews on the premium side, they have a range of prices for the teas
Aestheticjapanese minimalism

good to know

Go here for: really good japanese tea, both by the cup for drinking and by the bag for brewing, gifts for tea lovers

Order this: can’t really go wrong with anything on their menu, so take some time to read through the flavor notes to make your decision, the basic matcha and houjicha to go drink menu is solid, and the soba cha latte is also a delight

Amount of time to spend: for take out 10-15 minutes, or sit with your tea and stay for a bit longer (but maybe not more than an hour, there’s not a lot of seats to go around)

When to come: whenever you want rly good tea; weekdays are tame, weekend crowds come and go

Getting here: 

  • Greenpoint: take the G to Greenpoint and walk a couple blocks towards the water.
  • Noho: take the 4/6 to Bleeker or BDFM to Broadway Lafayette (or F to 2nd Ave) and walk a couple blocks up Bowery

Other things to note: 

  • The Noho location is very small with just a four seat counter, better for takeaway.
  • They do tea and sweets pairings, tea flights and brewing sessions in the Greenpoint tea bar, and also host classes and events at a dedicated gallery space.
  • For those not in New York, they also sell their tea and teaware online.

Last visited: September 2023

Last updated: October 2023

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