Zen Tara Tea Shop
It’s not just the 100 types of tea—most of which are organic—that attract people to Zen Tara, the Bethesda shop that opened in 2010. “It’s a nice environment,” says Sara Anderson, a Georgetown University student and tea drinker who uses the shop’s free Wi-Fi to get her schoolwork done. “And the people who work here are super friendly.”
Even beyond the staff, the space and the tea—which sells for $5 to $16 for 2 ounces of loose leaves—there’s more to like about Zen Tara. The clean, serene store sells an appealing selection of soup, sushi, sandwiches and sweets, plus jars of honey, tea accessories and gift items. It also has a tea blending and tasting room, where it holds classes and parties. And one more thing: It serves top-notch coffee.
4710 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-215-5923, zentaratea.com
