Sympathy for the Kettle

This place isn't hard to miss. It's in a line of a few other stores along St. Marks (8th st) and the only thing that could attrack you to it is the bright pink interior. \r But it is amazing, for lack of a better word. I found out about it almost 2-3 years ago and I go anytime I'm around that area. The service is phenomenal. The teas are amazing as well. They have soooo many choices that you're sure to pick something you'll enjoy.\r \r PERFECT place to just unwind and relax. Perfect for dates too. It is a bit girly though since the place is painted bright pink. You can also split a kettle of tea for one, if you're not looking for like 5 cups of tea. The treats they have are pretty good too. \r \r Oh, and if you're bored, they have Scattegories and chess you can play.\r \r Like I said, it's that little tea shop you always want to find in the city that's cozy and takes you out of the city for those few moments so you can unwind. They also trust their customers, so if you'd like to enjoy a cup of tea on the porch outside, you could.\r \r Oh, and ask for the lavendar honey. They won't offer it if you just ask for honey, but it's the most amazing honey you'll ever have.\r \r The tea is so good, you'll probably want to buy some after you leave. :)\r \r \r Oh, and just be aware that it IS small. You can probably only fit about 10-12 people total, which is why its so amazing as well. \r \r It might not be for everyone, but I HIGHLY recommend this place. ESPECIALLY if you're a tea lover...\r Or if you just love cozy, ambient, homey places. A nice follow up from B&N down a couple blocks. Pros: Amazing service, delicious tea/food, Nice ambience, Interesting crowd Cons: Some things can get a bit pricey, could get crowded sometimes more

I went here for a tea tasting and ended up staying and ordering a proper cup of tea with cookies. The tea tasting was for all kinds of white teas. It was a good strategy to lure new customers in, since I ended up buying two kinds to have at home (white tea with peony and white tea with peach)! This is the kind of place where you can imagine having a very small bridal shower- very feminine. It doesn't have too many seats, but that's part of the charm, since it's quieter that way. It would also be a nice place to take your date (impress him or her with your immense tea knowledge!) Oh, one last thing. The prices are very reasonable. more

I met a friend one night in early spring to really warm up at Sympathy for the Kettle, which is located on St. Marks Place and is a true departure from the punk and grungy atmosphere usually found on this street (I'm talking about places and people). The café is below the sidewalk, and once inside the teeny, tiny, pink-walled establishment, Sympathy for the Kettle is a veritable storage room for teas from all over the world, from China to Argentina to Wisconsin. There's also a wonderfully rich assortment of antique teapots and kettles, china serveware, and strainers. The place barely seats twenty, but offers private tea parties for bridal showers, book signings, etc.\r \r I decided to sample a beverage called Honey Tea Latte which was kind of chai-like: very smooth and creamy, but made with soy milk and chamomile--I immediately felt my nerves relax from the very first sip. I then decided to splurge a bit (the place doesn't offer entrées) and picked out a little sumthin-sumthin from the dessert tray: a slice of pistachio-rose bread, which was as delicately delicious as it was fragrant. Heaven! more