Top 10 tea joints

5. Le Palais Des Thés
Beverly Hills
The exquisite, upscale Le Palais, which sells 250 teas from all over the world, suits Beverly Hills to a T. Closed Sun; luxury- and rare-tea tasting $40, 10:30–12 Sat, registration required; lepalaisgourmet.com or 310/271-7922.

6. Ooh Cha Teahouse
Vancouver, B.C.
“Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world” is the wise saying on Ooh Cha’s website. Just less than two years old, this teahouse (drink-in or take-out) was started by a father and daughter who spent time in Japan and while there acquired a love of good tea and conversation. Closed Sun; oohcha.com or 604/629-1331.

7. The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse 
Boulder
An architectural wonder in its own right, this ornate, handcrafted teahouse was a gift to Boulder from its sister city of Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. Host of the annual Rocky Mountain Tea Festival, the teahouse takes its tea very seriously but also serves meals. $$; boulderteahouse.com or 303/442-4993.