Sympathy for the Kettle

Symapthy for the Kettle is the absolute best! I am so disappointed to hear it has closed, and hope that it reopens very soon. Every time I would be back in New York City from Miami, my first trip would be Sympathy for Kettle. I would rush to St. Marks Place for my fill of tea. I love the chai tea with a cupcake side. Despite rain, snow or any nasty weather for that matter, you would find me at Sympathy for the Kettle. Does anyone know if it will be reopening? Please let me know… I need my fill.

I miss this place SO MUCH! I hope they reopen soon. This was my go-​to tea place & i haven’t found another place as charming & relaxing.
I loved that SFTK served such delicious teas in real china. They took tea seriously. One of my favorite features was that they had tiny glass bottles of the samples teas that you could smell to help you choose what to drink. It makes so much sense! I go to other «tea places» & they stare at me like i’m a Martian when i ask to smell their teas.
SFTK also served amazing pastries, often sourced from local independent shops. They had Red Velvet Cake from Bread-​Stuy in Brooklyn – it’s amazing!
I’ll be ordering their delicious Blueberry Yoghurt tea from their online shop. (It turns a beautiful shade of purple if you add cream) & praying they reopen soon.
If any of you Unilocalers have suggestions of comparable places, PLEASE CONTACT ME! I was nearly heart broken when i saw that this lovely shop had closed.

If you are a huge tea fan and I mean teas around the world and back, this is the place for you. Sympathy for the Kettle is an oasis retreat from the chaos of the streets of St. Marks. The pink décor outside and inside instantly soothes the soul and prepares you for a relaxing tea journey. They have an enormous variety of teas that can be served hot or cold or loose or packed.

A charming, quaint little tea shop on my block of the EV. A perfect afternoon with the special someone or to catch up with girlfriends. The shop is tiny. The tables are cozy and the vibe is relaxing. And the walls are stocked to the brim with tons of delicious tea. They also sell gift cards, teapots, mugs, as well as some delicious looking pastries. Ask the shopgirl for some good combination blends.

This place is exactly what I have been looking for. Unfortunately it’s not in my neighborhood, but I will definately come back when I’m in the mood for some good tea and relaxing atmosphere. 4 of us shared a pot for 2 and it was the perfect size for us considering it was an hour (or less?) before closing time.
The woman working here helped us choose the perfect pot of tea. The list is pretty long and I’m not a tea expert.
There are only 5 tables so I imagine that it fills up pretty fast. During the time we were here 2 or 3 groups came in and left because there werent any seats left. Next time I will have to get some sort of dessert.

people, this is not a restaurant. Its more like a small coffee shop — you need to be a little bit more proactive in getting service.
The just-​below-​good: It is what it is, the tea ain’t magnificent quality, the selection is varied enough that you can get something that will be pleasing enough. the shop is cute and feels like it is made for people to just hang out. If I am in the immediate area, this is where I will go if I need to sit and wait for someone for a long time.
the not so bad: the deserts. I am moderately disappointed in the tiny strainers.
things to avoid: do not get tea that requires fussy steeping (matcha, high shade greens, lung ching) — it will be wrong. Get something that can handle hotter water and will be generous with brewing time.

I’m usually a huge fan of cute tea places. I can’t get enough of them. I’ve passed by this place SO many times and NEVER had the chance to go in because it’s always packed. So finally one day I decided to go RIGHT when they opened so that I can experience what other Unilocalers have been raving about.
To be honest, I was rather… well… I guess unimpressed. I loved the setting, but I think because we were there so early, the staff was not into the business mode yet. Service was a little bit slow (well, we were the only ones there for a while!) but it seemed when a regular came in that they were much more eager to serve. That kind of irked me, but the staff was quite nice, if not very chatty.
I am not a tea snob. Neither was my friend. We had no preference for tea so asked for recommendations. He ended up with a green tea and being that he’s a bit particular about his green tea… he declared that it wasn’t really authentic. I had a rooibos mixed herbal tea and… well, I guess I just didn’t feel like it tasted all that special.
I would give it another try (if I can get in again) since I think I really didn’t get the full experience, but this first visit was rather a let down. I still gave it 3 stars because the setting is quite special and the tea was… not too bad.

The good, the bad, the ugly…
The good: huge teas, with a variety that is hard to beat. Any type or taste is catered too and that is a big advantage when ordering. Also, I happen to like the décor and vibe of the place, relaxed and mellow but…
The bad: the prices! ok ok I know its nyc, they have rent to pay yadda yadda yadda… but still its rare you are in for sticker shock with tea. myself and my companions were all in a bit of awe at how much we just paid for 2 pots of tea. which would be ok if not for …
The ugly: might have been an off day (and judging by the other Unilocalers Im going to give them the benefit of the doubt as I am not a regular and there are a large amount of pos reviews on here) however, the barista/​tea pourer??(do you use barista when describing the tea staff or is a term just for coffee?) anyway the staff person was horrible. the 1^st tea was wrong, we thought it just didnt taste right asked and realized it was wrong. she didnt apologize, just said she would make the next one, then other customers came in for a takeout order and she ‘forgot’ finally apologized and made the new, correct tea. of course again, she was distracted it wasnt all that hot… and kind of messed up the experience a bit.
for those prices everything (attempting my best british accent here) should be ‘spot on’! and it just wasnt. so ill give it 3 stars with a small caveat that could either go to 2 or 4 very easily.

A bit more expensive than your average tea joint, this quiet and quaint and nearly hidden tea place carries a nice variety of teas and the smiliest waitstaff I’ve ever encountered in my life.
Located right on St. Mark’s Place between 1^st Avenue and Avenue A, I’d recommend their tea by the kettle instead of the drinks they serve up in latte or other format.

This is a wonderful little place to relax with a pot of tea. The décor is charming, the selection is extensive and interesting, and teas are fresh and steeped perfectly in a charming pot (this place knows what it’s doing). Oh, and did I mention that they have some great pastries?
I visited Sympathy for the Kettle on a warm day. After helping me make my selection, the friendly and knowledgeable woman behind the counter delivered my order to the small table where I sat on the sidewalk outside. St. Marks Place in the East Village is full of interesting types, so it made for a great break of reading and people watching. Highly recommended.

I’ve only come in and sat down once, and though it was barely a memorable experience, I have to remark on the selection and qualities of the teas themselves. I don’t think there’s a larger selection anywhere in the city. Not only are there about a hundred different flavours to choose from, the teas themselves are strong and potent. I bought one four ounce bag of peppermint that the fragrance even now a month later, can clean even the cloggiest of sinuses just by opening the bag.
The best part is that you can invent and name your own teas by mixing and matching the different flavours on the shelves. Yum.

This little place is wonderful! I love the variety of teas. The girl that works here is so friendly and helpful, and she was describe the teas to you and let you smell them. Also I’m a huge lemonade person, but I like REAL lemonade the kind that’s made with lemons and more sour than sweet… well here they had something different… lavender lemonade. Out of curiosity, I got a sample and it’s my new favorite drink! The lemon is tart and the lavender soothing… it’s quite balanced.

I go to this place literally every time I’m in the area and I’ve gotta say, it’s one of my comfort spots. Yes, this is the place I turn to for all my tea needs.
Prices are fair; if memory serves me right, it’s about $ 8 for a «Pot for Two» which is served in an adorable tea pot with adorable cups and usually lasts you your entire adorable stay.
Every single tea here is brewed to perfection and tastes absolutely heavenly so I never fear trying a flavor I’m not familiar with.
I never catch this place on a bad day, that is to say, it’s never crowded when I go. Maybe it’s cause I like my tea during odd hours of the day, who knows.
For me, this is the perfect place for a relaxing cuppa tea, some good conversation, and a lazy game of chess or scrabble.
But yeah, bottom line:
–Adorable décor
–Equally as adorable tea sets
–Delicious tea
–Intimate and warm atmosphere
–Board games
All that I want in a tea place, and more.
I only think it’s a shame that it’s so small… it’d be great if they could somehow expand or something.

This place is so so lovely. It is small, but the atmosphere was so peaceful. We were offered to try the tea of the day, an Earl Green + verveine leaf brew they’d just thrown together that morning. Mmmm!
We didn’t stay long but we purchased 2oz. of that tea before we left. It was nice watching how they mix the leaves in the bag for you on the spot. The leaves of all the teas they showed us smelled so fresh, I wish I could have stayed a while and tried different ones. And the girl helping us out was super nice.
Nothing to say about the pastries… we didn’t try them though they looked good. Give this place a chance if you’re in the neighborhood, you might discover new teas you like. I wouldn’t be drinking any green tea if they hadn’t shown me the Earl Green.
Drawback: it won’t come cheap. I probably should have asked how much that 2oz. bag was going to be before asking for it. $ 14? *cough* wow… ok.

This place is kinda pricey for tea. The cupcakes were $ 4.50 a piece for a small cupcake. I was kinda surprised. I didn’t really think they were all that either.
I found this place reading other reviews, and figured it was small, but it was REALLY small. Luckily, I went there on an early Sunday afternoon and there was only one guy in there with his computer. My three friends and I were able to get a seat. But soon more people started coming in and they just had to take their teas to go since there are only like 4 places to sit in the whole place.
They have a good variety of tea, and you can totally share the individual pot b/​c they will refill the water. But it kinda annoyed me when I opened the pot, there were some tea leaves that weren’t even soaked.
I had the lychee nut and my friend got the double ginger something. Both very good.

It’s great to see a place with such an extensive list of teas and who serve them in pots, and it is unpretentious but I thought it was expensive. So expensive that I probably wouldn’t go back unless for a special occasion. I come from a country where tea is a working class drink, not a luxury.
But it’s nice to see tea made properly in the US and not with lukewarm water…

Being the tea snob that I am, I never turn down the opportunity to check out a new tea spot. This place is really very quaint and cute and all that. it would’ve been a dream tea house for me to play in circa 1988, but better late than never, eh?
Not pretentious, just chill — and boy, what a wide selection of loose leafs! Our very cool waitress recommended a special blend that she had made earlier in the day — peach&ginger + vanilla black tea. Purists like Irene and myself… don’t use honey or sugar when we wanna really taste it — and it didn’t disappoint this hypercritical pair. Suitably impressed.

i actually held off writing a review for Sympathy for the Kettle because I didn’t know what words could do this place justice. I don’t think I’m any more confident, but here goes: it’s amazing.
Teas: It’s really phenomenal.
I’ve talked with Jodi (the owner) a couple of times, and I found out that she only got into teas in college while she was in Germany. She really liked how they put flowers and fruits in the tea, and said she actually didn’t like the teas in England with the milk and such. I think that actually speaks a lot about the teas that the store has. I’ve tried the different teas, and they’re all a little on the light side, as if you wouldn’t need to put in anything else. Also, the best teas are the ones they blend themselves, and those are floral/​fruit heavy. But anywhere, here’s my take on bunch of their teas…
a) apricot: Standard black tea– high quality. The apricot smell is sweet, and the taste is light. It’s enjoyable, and doesn’t leave that bitterness that some black teas have.
b) Fruit medley: I come from a family of tea drinkers. The only one tea my mother approved as a gift for her before this was the sencha I got from a temple store in Kyoto. Yeah, it’s that great. It’s great iced. I actually don’t like to drink this with strainers, because I like to eat some of the fruits… that’s a confession…
c) Yerba Mate Royal: Standard high quality. It’s good, but it’s not Tiger Lily Tea Room’s Lemon Grass Yerba Mate…
d) Paris: A really smooth and soft black tea blend. It’d make a great starter tea for someone who doesn’t really drink black teas. I forget what’s inside so you’ll have to excuse the vague descriptions…
d) Scarlet: I think this is my favorite tea from them so far. It’s a lot like Fruit Medley– a lot of fruits, but has cherries. Normally, I hate cherry flavored things, but this has real cherries! The tea is strong, and has that puckery sweetness. Amazing.
E) Citrus Ginko green tea: Smells absolutely amazing. A little on the light side for green tea. The citrus is very faint once actually brewed. the ginko and green tea mix well, and leave a clean feeling.
F) Strawberry Papaya Green tea: I can’t really tell the two fruits’ flavors once actually brewed. A little light for green tea.
G) Blueberry Yogurt: If I hadn’t had the Fruit Medley or Scarlet befor this, I would have thought this was amazing. But this has less flavor than the other two. The blueberry is really really really faint. The yogurt… I couldn’t really tell.
H) Peach Ginger: My favorite black tea from Sympathy so far. The peach smells so amazing, and is really great. The ginger is just light enough so that it tingles in your mouth, but not so that it overpowers the peach. It’s surprisingly refreshing for a black tea.
***
Atmosphere; I really like it… even though it’s too pink for my tastes. It’s bohemian, without being snobbish. Also has boardgames! (owner: Yeah, I’ve seen some epic battles over if a word is Scrabble approved or not)
***
Service: So friendly, and so helpful. The first time I talked to Jodi, she even gave me extra teas so I could take to my boss at work. Though, I did find a hair strand in one of my teas the other day…
***
Final note, go here for the blends that Jodi makes herself. The teas are great and high quality, but for a lot of them, you could find better ones. But the blends, you can’t find them anywhere! And all the ingredients compliment another so well.
Also, it’s closed on Mondays.

Wonderful little place to sit with a friend and have a chat.
They do sell coffee but I’d recommend asking the knowledgeable staff for a suggestion on a type of tea to try. I’m a very big coffee drinker myself, but tea is healthier and just feels better sometimes. The treats are tasty and go well with the tea.

…with the windows down and the system up.
There are two essential reasons to love this place. Reason 1) the tea is phenomenal, and 2) as the lyrics to the Eminem song alludes to –it’s virtually a big middle finger to Starbucks. This place is everything that Starbucks isn’t and I love it. The most blaring silent and yet seemingly boisterous protest to the corporatization of the «experience» that adorns these havens littered with green and white symbols, yuppies, and meaningless jargon (grande et al.). Yes, it is true that I paid near four U.S. presidents for a cup of Sencha green tea that I could have brewed at home, and yes I loved every minute of it. Knowing that a place exists for us tea freaks, makes the expense worthwhile.
I have to admit the décor is quaint and reminds me of what I thought the Old Woman in the Shoe lived in (think nursery rhymes people), but the tea is second to none.
If you are serious about tea, you are serious about Sympathy for the Kettle.