Whittard of Chelsea has been around long enough that we believe a tea gift from this establishment is a staple in the Mancunian experience. 

What we like about Whittard of Chelsea is their wide selection of teas that range from well-known favourites to rarer blends. Black teas, fruit and herbal teas, and matcha are just a few among the many teas they have to offer.

Additionally, now that the holidays are just around the corner, Christmas-themed teas are readily available for gift-giving!

In line with this, we like that Whittard of Chelsea also offers festive teas for other yearly occasions for a limited time–Chinese New Year teas, anyone?

Aside from having the usual tins and tea bags, we found other interesting gift packages perfect for the holidays. We thought that their tea advent calendars for 2 would be a great present all while spreading some holiday cheer.

When checking their website, we found that it was pretty easy to navigate. We appreciated the tags on all potential Christmas gift options, which made it easier for us to narrow down our choices.

When it came to delivery, however, we did run into quite a number of inconveniences. 

We noted that the dispatch time took very long, and the delivery was made much later than what was estimated. 

In addition to this, we noticed how no tracking number was given to us once our order had been shipped. Because of this, it was no surprise to us that customer service had difficulty also tracking our order. 

If late deliveries are a frequent phenomenon, we highly recommend placing your orders much earlier so that your deliveries are made just in time for when you need it.

Alternatively, going to the physical store might be better, as most options available on the website can also be found in-store. Moreover, we were pleased with how the staff are more than willing to help customers choose the perfect gift.

We believe the prices at Whittard were neither pricey nor cheap! We were particularly happy that our tins were filled adequately, and felt as though what we got was worth its price.

Ultimately, Whittard of Chelsea has wonderful teas perfect for gift-giving, but do take caution ordering online. We believe buying your gifts in-store is the better option for an inconvenience-free shopping experience!

TeaTime Bookshop is a small book subscription service that we believe could be one among the most thoughtful presents out there. The idea is simple: they pick a book, you pick a tea, and they deliver right to your doorstep.

We noticed that their menu is quite limited–only serving 3 different types of loose-leaf tea: earl grey, rooibos, and a strawberry blend. Considering that their service is more focused on books, their limited teas are not a surprise to us.

What we appreciate, though, is how customer service would gladly assist in choosing the best tea that matches the vibe of your book. Alternatively, you may also leave that decision entirely to the team to feel more like a surprise!

However, we did take into consideration the possibility of not enjoying the tea or the handpicked book of the month. Aside from this, we felt as though the monthly subscription was too big of a commitment to get into for a first-time experience.

Thankfully, we were especially pleased to find out that you can still avail of their service despite not getting a monthly subscription. 

In this case, you get to choose both the book and the tea to match–which we were totally okay with. We were happy that they had a wide range of books available, from lesser-known but widely enjoyed books to international bestsellers.

Their website is clean and simple–just the way we like it. We found that ordering was smooth and there were no technical difficulties when it came to payment.

Shipping was also satisfactory, as we were constantly notified of the status and whereabouts of our order. Additionally, our orders arrived within the expected day; nothing was damaged, and it even came with free biscuits!

For a good book and tea to match, spending around £20 we think is very worth it. We were particularly charmed by entire premise of the service, and we were glad that it truly did not disappoint.

Overall, we believe that TeaTime Bookshop would be the best gift for your introverted loved ones who enjoy spending time with a book in hand and a cuppa in another.

Next on our list is Bird & Blend Tea Co., located in Church Street. This award-winning tea store, we believe, is one among the many good options for tea gifts found in Manchester!

What we like about Bird & Blend is how many options there are to choose from. Other than having the usual worldwide favourites, we like that they also have their own original blends that are equally as rich.

We were happy that both loose-leaf teas and tea bags were available, but we were particularly pleased to see that matcha was being offered as well!

What takes the cake with Bird & Blend, though, was their service. We appreciate that the staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the teas being sold. 

In addition to this, they were kind enough to inform us that every cup of tea being served in-store is made with oat or dairy-free milk. We were pleased knowing that the establishment at least accommodates those with dietary restrictions!

Moreover, we like how their online shopping experience was also very smooth sailing and hassle-free. We found that they had an overwhelming selection of teas to choose from, but felt as though certain features of the website helped narrow our choices down.

How? Their website has a quick personality test that determines your “SIPsona”. The quiz offers a harmless little analysis of your personality, as well as recommendations for which teas you’d most likely enjoy! Fun fact, we got “Timeless Taster”!

Additionally, we appreciate that their website also filters their tea flavours based on types or moods. Whether it be sleepy teas or energy-boosting teas, we found that this feature made choosing which teas to purchase considerably easier!

We were lucky that our delivery was quick and arrived on time and that our experience with Bird & Blend was fairly seamless and hassle-free. Others, however, may not have had the same experience.

Even so, we have heard that their customer service does a good job of remedying late deliveries. Compensatory packages are sent to those whose orders arrived later than expected, which we think is a fair way of making up for slip-ups in transit.

We also noted that prices of tea gifts covered quite a wide range, some tins being priced at £3, while others were priced at £30+. We at least appreciate that there are enough affordable options as well as more expensive ones.

Despite the prices, we do think that the teas in Bird & Blend are worth it. The taste of their teas are rich, while their tins contain a generous amount of tea leaves!

Next on our list is Brew Tea Co., a fairly new tea shop that boasts of teas made of 100% whole rolled leaves.

We were pleased to see the sizable selection of teas available on their website, offering favourites such as Ceylon, Assam, Darjeeling, and many others. What we found particularly interesting, however, was how they also offered decaffeinated tea.

Aside from having an ample selection of teas, we like that they also offer various kinds of bundles for newbie tea drinkers and seasoned tea-drinking veterans. We appreciate that you can choose from an already existing bundle, or choose your teas yourself!

Additionally, we liked that they even offer stylish starter kits perfect for those who want to get into drinking teas. Although the starter kit doesn’t contain much aside from a tin of English Breakfast, a scoop, and a pot, we think it is more than enough to get started!

Furthermore, we also appreciate how other tea brewing accessories–infusers, jugs, and pots for two– are also available for avid tea drinkers. 

We found that their website was designed well enough for customers to navigate easily. We were also pleased that their online customer service was helpful and assisted us in choosing which teas were appropriate for gifts. 

We were happy that we ran into no inconveniences when placing and paying for our order. Moreover, we were very much surprised that we received our delivery within the next day all in a package that was completely plastic-free.

Aside from containing our complete orders, the package came with “brewcoins” that we could redeem on the store’s website. We liked that the store had its own loyalty scheme going on, and didn’t hesitate to sign up just to get some points!

We were fairly surprised at how rich the teas were in terms of taste, and were particularly happy with the generous amount of leaves in each tin.

As for prices, we noted that each tin of loose-leaf tea may be quite pricey. With that being said, we highly recommend taking advantage of their bundles as we feel as though the prices are a lot more worth it for 3 tins.

At the end of the day, Brew Tea Co. offers what we believe to be one of the most flavorful teas out there along with a smooth-sailing online shopping experience!

Richmond Tea Rooms is an eccentric little establishment located on Sackville Street that we think is bursting with personality. 

Although they may not be an online tea store, the tea house has vouchers you can easily gift to a friend for an experience quite unlike the rest.

What we liked about Richmond Tea Rooms is how their menu is quite extensive. We noted that they contained a wide variety of food and drinks, and had an assortment of teas both well-known and original. 

Additionally, we were interested in their afternoon tea bundles that come with sandwiches, pastries, and a pot of premium tea. A complete posh afternoon tea experience, for sure, but one that we feel is a bit too pricey for our liking.

In addition to this, we liked that vegan and gluten-free options were available for those with dietary restrictions. The bad news? Vegan and gluten-free meals come with an extra fee of £2.

Their service, however, is truly exceptional. We appreciated that the staff are generally welcoming and kind, and found it especially fun that the Mad Hatter and other Alice in Wonderland favourites roamed around the tea house to entertain guests!

We found that their website was sophisticated and had all the necessary information for booking reservations. Moreover, we liked that purchasing vouchers was smooth and easy, and we ran into no inconveniences whatsoever!

Although their afternoon tea bundles are pricey, their individual pots are considerably cheap and worth it. Food is also adequately priced, and filling enough for a regular lunch or dinner.

Whether you have a table reservation or are simply a walk-in, we think Richmond Tea Room is a very ambient experience best shared with friends and loved ones.