The Steeping Room

This was my favorite tea spot when I lived in Austin. They have a large, varied menu that serves whatever mood or flavor you're feeling that day. The food is just as excellent and wide-ranging. They introduced me to genmaicha, which is now one of my favorites! An Austin spot I will really miss now that I've moved away...

Great atmosphere and tea selection. The milk oolong keeps me coming back

Great selection, presentation, and food! It gets crowded so make sure to make a reservation.

Wonderful tea house! Great selection of teas, generous large pots. And amazing food to boot. I have always had a great experience here. Their scones are simply amazing.

I meet a friend here from time-to-time for lunch. I love their chicken salad sandwich and the salad is great. Their tea menu is like reading an encyclopedia. Soooo much to choose from.

I have been going to The Steeping Room regularly since they opened several years ago. It was the first tea place I went to, so I was hesitant to write a review because I had little else to compare it to. However, now that I've learned a lot more about tea (mostly due to The Steeping Room itself) and been to a few other places, I feel more able to write a good review.

One thing that becomes clear when you visit The Steeping Room is that they know tea very well, and as a result they cater well to people who also know tea well. Thus their tea menu doesn't just list a few types of tea (like 'yunnan') and let you guess about the quality. Instead, they tell you where the tea is from, whether it's a single-leaf or single-estate tea (and if so, which estate), what year it is for pu-erhs, whether it was naturally aged or artificially aged, and so on. If you know what you're looking for the menu will help you find it.

It's also clear that they know how to make the tea properly. They use filtered water (supposedly with filters designed specifically for tea built right into their plumbing) at the right temperature for whichever tea you're ordering. They only have one size pot if you're eating in (with three pricess, depending on the quality of the tea you ordered), but they can do multiple steepings for some teas. They often keep the leaves in the kitchen for teas which work well with multiple steepings in case you ask for one (no extra charge), but you can also just ask them ahead of time if you really want to be sure.

They also serve tea gongfu style (in yixing pots) for oolongs and puerhs (this is optional; they can serve it either way). This lets you brew and time each cup yourself so you can taste each steeping and adjust to your liking. You can also repeat this as many times as you want (they'll bring more hot water if you ask). I often make 9 or 10 cups.

They have a huge variety of tea, including a bunch of flavored teas (if you're into that ;), all of which are available for drinking there, to go, or loose leaf to take home.

They also have a food menu. It's a bit on the pricey side, but still cheaper than most other places in the domain, and most of it is high quality and relatively healthy (mostly organic, with many options for dairy-free, gluten-free, etc. diets). The food menu includes sandwiches, salads, soups, a few dinner entrees, some appetizers, scones, and some amazing desserts. They cook everything there, including the scones and desserts, except for the bread, which they get from some local bakery.

The atmosphere is usually pretty relaxing, but when it's very busy it can get a little loud (with children, especially). Not as bad as bigger restaurants, though.

The staff is usually pretty friendly, and most of them are decently knowledgeable (especially the ones who have worked there a while), but even if you ask a tea question they don't know there's almost always someone there who does. Many of them, including one of the owners, recognize me and know my name, they remember my tea preferences, they tell me when new teas are in (even before they're on the menu sometimes), and they're just very friendly and make me feel at home. That's one of the main reasons I go there so much.

Lastly, they sometimes have weekly tea tastings ('Tea With Terry'; Terry is the father of one of the owners) in which they pick a theme (ex: oolongs, Indian black teas, flavored teas, etc.) and you get to taste 3 or 4 different teas for $5 or $10. Terry also talks about teas, their history, the process of making them, things to notice about the way they taste, and so on. It's a great way to meet other tea lovers and learn a lot about tea.

I can't say enough good things about this place. I highly recommend it for anyone who likes tea. I feel very lucky that this placed opened up so close to me.

I love this place! Great selection of crazy teas and the staff always give you great recommendations.

I love stopping in for a late lunch after the rush. Healthy, fresh salads and sandwiches, which are a blessing because it is hard to resist their delightfully sinful baked goods with a perfectly steeped pot of tea.

I had a wonderful experience at The Steeping Room. I've worked in coffee shops for 3 years, but hadn't been educated in the art of tea at all. Amy took the time to educate me on all the leaves, flavor notes, and the correct way to make a perfect cup of tea at home. Even when she was informed her lunch was ready, she continued to answer all of my novice questions. Amy was wonderful and I can't wait to return and experience more teas!

I love the Beautiful Coconut loose green tea. It's very unique, wonderful iced or hot, and even folks who aren't green tea drinkers or coconut fans like it. If I had just walked in, bought Beautiful Coconut, and walked out, I would give the Steeping Room the highest rating possible. It's a one of a kind, tasty blend!

I can't recommend the food or restaurant service here. Or most of the teas. I've now dined twice and purchased about a dozen different teas.

In the restaurant, I ordered sandwiches both times, on recommendation from the waitress -- both sandwiches were bland but edible. With so much wonderful food in Austin, that doesn't work. And the wait staff were perhaps too busy. One waitress had trouble remembering my order, so she had to check it twice.

When tea is served in the restaurant, two people serve it. The folks who brought it out to me were uncomfortable and uncoordinated with the whole thing. Maybe they were new to the process.

The tea blends I've tried have smelled wonderful (including Jasmine Blueberry Green, Chocolate Banana Treat rooibus, Blackberry Patch), but they just don't drink well to my taste. I even went back and purchased larger quantities, so I could experiment with brewing the teas differently. I just couldn't get them to come out as pleasant-tasting, to me.

I rated 'Service quality and cheer' as 'good' because the folks behind the tea counter have been very helpful and friendly every time I've been in there.

I really wanted to love this place. I live close by and am a big tea drinker.

Stick with the delightful Beautiful Coconut!

I love The Steeping Room. The tea is always prepared just right. However the last two occasions that I have been there. Lindsey was the waitress both times. She seemed more interested in grabbing tables and then just leaving the table she already has in limbo. Not up to par compared to other times I have visited with other waitstaff. Even the most delicious food will taste unpleasant if one has to wait 20 minutes for milk and see the table next to you get milk right away when asked. And another 30 to 40 minutes for a scone that was ordered before the beginning of the main course an hour ago. She does not do credit to The Steeping Room. Thoroughly disappointed for a place that I go often.

A wonderful local spot nestled in The Domain. They have a huge tea menu and super yummy food - lots of options- natural meats, lots of veg choices too. I love the soups and salads - always fresh, also great scones!

Petite and urban. Nestled right between the Apple Store and Starbucks. Tea of the day is always a great choice. Friendly staff and delicious food. Perfect lunch lounge.

A very urban atmosphere - though I prefer something cozier for a good cuppa, the food here is outstanding! A great place to go for lunch, especially with Border's Books only a block away!

The tea here is very good and the food is delicious, but the atmosphere is a bit too upscale for my taste - not cozy at all. However, it is a very nice place to take friends and family for a special treat or to grab a cup of tea at lunch or on the way home.

Great tea selection, good food selection, but Oh My Frikkin' Gosh expensive!!! You're paying more for the location and upscale style than the actual fare. Still, it is much better than the Starbucks next door by miles, but that's not that hard to do.

Ahhh. An evening at The Steeping Room proved to be a divine experience. An impressive menu of loose teas with lots of natural and organic options. The food menu was outstanding with such creative uses of tea with the food menu. My favorite was the winter warming soup special - Lapsang chicken! Amaaazing. I also really loved the tea infused mock-tails. These gals really know what their doing. Amy and Emily have created a welcoming and cozy space and menu that's sure to please the thirsty novice to the careful connoisseur. Three thumbs up.

i absolutely love this place!