Wichita tea: it’s in abundance, folks. And while I’m by no means an expert on this leafy beverage, I do appreciate a good brew on a warm summer evening. Or a rainy autumn morning. Or hell, any time of year. This month, I set out to investigate just where Wichitans can get that assam, oolong or darjeeling fix; to my pleasant surprise, the number of local options had me slightly overwhelmed! It would be quite an undertaking to list every choice, so instead, I picked some of the highlights and created a few categories.

Take-Home Teas

These are, in essence, the supply stores. Check out these places if you’re planning to use the majority of your purchases at home. Chelmsford Tea and The Spice Merchant fall under this category, though they are two very different establishments.

Visit the Spice Merchant if tea is only one of several items on your shopping list. Located on east Douglas, its Middle Eastern exterior is hard to miss and indicative of the wide variety of exotic goods inside. Their tea section is tucked neatly into a corner, with the bestselling selections displayed on their own rack. Not sure which one to choose? Sample a cup of their daily brew—I was fortunate enough to try Black Cherry. While you sip, explore the multitude of kitchen goodies: rows and rows of spice blends, baking mixes and utensils. I was most impressed by the waist-high barrels of coffee beans, all of which are roasted in-store. Whether you’re a straight black coffee drinker like myself or a sugar-and-flavor fanatic, they’re sure to carry something that suits your taste (Almond Amaretto coffee? Um, yum).

What Chelmsford Tea lacks in product variety, it makes up for in quality. While there are no chili powder mixes or coffee beans to be found, they carry literally hundreds of unflavored black, green, white, oolong, estate, and rooibos choices, not to mention the huge array of naturally (!) flavored options (I suggest the blueberry pie house blend). Located on east 21^st and in New Market Square, customers can make selections from an entire floor-to-ceiling wall of loose-leaf teas. Chelmsford’s prices run slightly higher than The Spice Merchant’s, but in a blind taste test, their Japanese Bancha green tea boasted a stronger flavor and less bitterness. It was worth the extra two bucks.

Victorian Tearooms

Tearooms exist for the girliest of girls. To indulge your lacy side, consider a trip to Cup N’ Saucer or Riverside Cup of Tea. And when I say girlie, I mean no frills barred. Think floral wallpaper, gold-rimmed china, and white lattice entryways. Grandma will love Frank Sinatra crooning in the background, and your little princess will delight in the Crown-N-Crumpet Tea at Cup N’ Saucer (held during July). For this special, every customer is given a tiara to wear while they sip hot chai and munch on cucumber, chicken salad, or pimento cheese sandwiches, crumpets with jam, and chocolate fondue.

Tea… Bars?

There is only one Wichita staple that fits under this category, and it does so with pride: Zoomdweebie’s Tea Bar, on Central and Hillside, brings tea drinking down from its refined Victorian level to a plebian pastime. This place is run by downright dorks; the sitting area is decorated with various ’80s mementos, such as Pez dispensers, My Little Pony figurines and Darth Vader helmets. I made my first trip to Zoomdweebie’s last Friday night for their weekly Mad Hatter Tea Party, during which time patrons can pay a $10 cover charge for a night of unlimited drinks. I walked into a room full of kids and card games, and it was clear from the staff’s familiarity with their customers that I was the newcomer in a crowd of regulars. However, I felt quickly comfortable and welcome in the dimly lit “bar” (the fluorescent lights had been turned off, the room’s main glow coming from a TV playing Monty Python & The Holy Grail). The number of choices on the menu was overwhelming, so I gratefully made use of the “How to Order” sign posted next to the door. Teas are served “naked” or as various specialty drinks. I chose Mint & Chocolate black tea, which, at Owner Frank Horbelt’s suggestion, I ordered in milkshake form. Wait, tea in a milkshake? That’s right—creamy, caffeinated and delicious.

After downing my first drink, I sampled their tea of the week (Strawberry Zabaglione) as a hot latte. According to the menu, lattes are fat free, though I can’t imagine how my body processed all that tasty sugar. I’ve been craving seconds ever since. Finally, in a rush to make full use of my cover charge (their prices are wonderfully cheap), I followed my latte with a refreshing Spritzer—Pomegranate black tea and Sprite. Warning: the drink sizes are generous, and if you try to consume three in an hour as I foolishly did, expect your fingers and eyeballs to twitch until the next morning.

My only complaint about Zoomdweebie’s is the hours of operation; they’re only open to the public on Tuesdays (11 a.m. – 11 p.m.) and Fridays (6 p.m. – 11 p.m.). The vast majority of their business is done online, with teas shipped not only to every state in the country, but also to other continents. Along with the original Zoomdweebie’s website, Horbelt also manages 52teas.com, which focuses specifically on Zoomdweebie’s teas of the week, and Manteas.com, a site that showcases “only the manliest of teas.” Here you’ll find flavors like Maple Bacon, Jalapeno and even Beer. That’s right, guys, beer-flavored black tea. A little more enticing than rosehip or ginger peach, eh?

Again, I’m a fairly new to Wichita’s tea scene, so there are several establishments that I know I’ve missed. Which is your favorite? Where do you go for your ICTea?

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