What was once the cozy, lace-and-porcelain-filled tea shop Lovejoy’s on Northeast Killingsworth has been reborn as the Star Trek-themed Emperor Georgiou’s Tea Room in Kenton. The location, decor, and de-emphasis on the imagery (and implications) of Victorian England may have changed, but the commitment to a lavish-but-accessible afternoon tea experience is largely unchanged. Reserve ahead for a kid’s Tribble Tea Service with Nutella and strawberry sandwiches, a simple Georgiou Tea Service with vegan crumpets and a bottomless pot of tea, or the full Uhura Tea Service featuring an eye-popping bounty of scones, soups, sandwiches, and other treats.

Fly Awake bills itself as something of a “secret” tea speakeasy (a “teakeasy”?) but isn’t all that hard to locate. Around the alley corner from local sex shop She Bop, Fly Awake resembles the garage of a very cool friend who’s not quite finished converting it into a home bar. The menu is small but mighty, with stellar black, oolong, and pu’erh tea selections. Find bulk batches of house-made chai, as well as chai concentrates, which you can mellow at home with milk. Additional menu items include samosas, house-made dal, and $20 tarot readings.

Smith Teamaker is one of the most renowned teamaking companies in the United States, and its tasting room in Northwest Portland reflects the late Steven Smith’s relentless drive to introduce a wider audience to quality tea. The light green interior creates the impression of being inside a hot cup of green tea, which isn’t necessarily a bad sensation on a typically dreary Portland afternoon. Tea options include a handful of distinctive choices in each major category, as well as tea lattes, gaiwan service, and tea flights. Chef Karl Holl’s food menu incorporates tea thoughtfully into about half the dishes, a highlight being the “Smith Bowl” featuring sencha-infused quinoa.

This brand-new tea shop and fashion house in Old Town, stylishly appointed, is a nice spot for the tea-curious, with a simultaneously concise but wide-spanning menu of loose-leaf and bagged teas. Oolongs and jasmine pearls steep in pots before arriving in china tea sets; while waiting for tea to finish steeping, stroll through the back room to check out one-of-a-kind overall sets and vests.

Up a short climb from Washington Park’s famous Rose Test Garden lies the serene tranquility of Portland Japanese Garden and, at the top of the hill, the garden’s Umami Cafe. Impeccably prepared matcha and genmaicha in elegant earthenware are served alongside local treats like mochi and castella cake. Garden-goers interested in a light meal can opt for miso soup and rice or shiitake mushroom and hijiki seaweed over tea and rice. Visitors sip and dine surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows allowing the natural harmony outside to permeate the experience. Note: Umami Cafe is only accessible to those with Japanese Garden admission.

Whereas some tea shops on this list are dedicated to the delicate presentation of the subtlest, most thoughtfully sourced teas, the Hazel Room puts hearty breakfasts front and center in this renovated craftsman, with a strong selection of teas (and coffee) as a happy supplement. Sip potent black teas like smoky lapsang souchong or earthy assam to match the dynamic bacon (or tempeh)-packed biscuit sandwiches, spicy scrambles, and decadent French toasts. Linger in the afternoon with a house cocktail or grapefruit mimosa.

Tea Bar was inspired by owner Erica Indira Swanson’s college years in Beijing, but the sleek, spare design and atmosphere is Seattle-Scandinavian. While high-quality loose leaf teas are available, the priority here are boba milk teas and creative tea lattes, like the cardamom chai latte and the bee pollen matcha latte. Milk choices include dairy, gluten-free oat, coconut, and almond. Tea Bar has a sister location in the Pearl District.

Serious tea nerds, this is your oasis. Enthea pours more than 150 loose leaf teas, personally sourced by owner Steve Odell directly from tea farmers Odell befriended on frequent trips to China. Customers remove their shoes upon entering this century-old Victorian house, and servers expertly rhapsodize about each leaf in the hushed tones of librarians. Enthea sells a range of gorgeous tea ware — both traditional Chinese pottery as well as locally crafted pots, cups, and strainers. There are some light food options available, but this isn’t the spot to come hungry.

The steampunk aesthetic may not be for everyone, but for Oregonians attuned to all things Lovecraft and Jules Verne, there are few spots in the region that hit the spot like ClockWork Rose Tea Emporium in Beaverton. The brass and velvet decor may lean into whimsy, but there’s nothing silly about the serious selection of teas and excellent baked goods on offer. Afternoon tea — by reservation only — also includes quiches, clotted cream, soup, and salad. ClockWork expands beyond steampunk for special seasonal events like a Mad Hatter Tea Party around April Fool’s, Wizarding Tea around Harry Potter’s birthday (July 31), and Dickensian tea over the December holiday season.

It’s hard to top the cozy charm of Tea Chai Té’s original Nob Hill location inside an organically labyrinthine Victorian house, but the Sellwood location — built in and around an honest-to-goodness railroad caboose — just might do it. Year-round Christmas lights and a few of grandma’s couches amplify the ramshackle charm, but the tea selection is anything but shallow. Tea Chai Té steeps and pours more than 120 teas, from well-known Chinese and Japanese green teas to the harder-to-find Amazonian guayusa leaf tea. Though temporarily paused for the pandemic, the sniffing jars of each tea are a delightful highlight.

In an unassuming suburban shopping center surrounded by a nail salon, a Domino’s pizza, and a Jersey Mike’s sits one of the region’s very best tea shops. The inviting décor is dark wood and leather with a small (artificial) tree inside, giving the shop a splash of organic energy. Sip more than 150 loose-leaf teas, subscribe to a tea of the month club with a percentage going to local charities, or shop for tea sets for your next tea party.