Unlike the usual tea bags, loose leaf tea is not prepackaged-the tea is less processed and usually has a stronger flavor and aroma.

From sweet and smooth combinations to rich and unique blends, there are several local loose leaf tea shops where you can experience the best tea experience at home.

The local company Pyur Tea provides high-quality loose leaf tea, which is easy to prepare and steep, with earthy, fruity and floral flavor characteristics.

Their best-selling products include Genmaicha, which is priced from P100 to P830 depending on the size (15g, 30g, 100g). Peach Roselle is the perfect choice for those who like fruity taste and refreshing sensation. The price ranges from P100 to P830, depending on the size.

The most popular flavours such as chamomile and blue butterfly pea tea are also available. The price of a 10 gram sachet starts from P100.

Pyur Tea is located in Teachers Village, Quezon City. You can place an order through their Instagram or website.

For the best quality exotic tea, The Tea Source MNL can meet your needs.

Tea Source MNL offers chamomile apple tea, cocoa green tea, and brown rice tea. The price ranges from P104 to P422, depending on the taste and size (50 g, 100 g, 250 g).

To order, please contact them via website and Instagram from Monday to Saturday.

Xari PH offers "cups in a cup" with its hand-mixed aromatic loose tea leaves.

The tea shop in Malabang offers a variety of tea flavors, such as Breathe (green tea, ginger and mint), Charm (jasmine green tea and butterfly pea), Sherry (Hibiscus, rose hip and cranberry), Relish (Assam tea) Hechai spice) and fresh (black tea, cocoa nibs and mint). The prices of all tea flavors are P110 (30 grams), P210 (50 grams) and P410 (100 grams).

In addition to loose leaf tea, Xari PH also offers dried fruits such as lemons and oranges at P100 (30 grams) and P180 (50 grams). Xari PH is located in Malabon City. You can place an order through their Instagram account.

Perfect Week provides you with 7 iconic blended teas, including caffeinated tea flavors for those who need stimulation and decaffeinated tea blends for those who want to relax. 

Caffeinated tea flavors include Monday Blues (jasmine green tea and butterfly pea) and Let's Bounce (black tea with cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves and vanilla). The cost of the two blended teas is P85 (30 grams) and P280 (100 grams).

Perfect Week also offers decaffeinated blended teas, such as Sangria Sunset (Hibiscus tea with cranberry, rose hip, and orange) at P115 (30 grams) and P380 (100 grams). Night Night (lavender and chamomile tea with rose petals) costs P155 (30 grams) and P510 (100 grams). For inquiries and orders, please visit their Instagram and Facebook

Loose Brews Craft Teas offers a variety of mixed drinks, such as strawberry mint beer and Sunny Siesta Brew. The price of a pack of 40 grams is P650. 

Other unique flavors of this tea shop in Manila include Beauty Sleep Brew, which is priced at 550 pesos for 50 grams and fits 25 servings. The full-bodied Gin & Tonic Brew tastes like a cocktail, but it is alcohol-free (50 g P650). You can check other tea flavors on their Facebook and Instagram.

The tea varieties of Bee Harvest Manila in Makati are freshly grown from Mindanao to support local farmers. Their favorite tea flavors all the time include Lavande Florests (P340), Lemon Citrus Grass (P280) and Blue Butterfly Pea Tea (P280).

In addition to loose leaf tea, Bee Harvest Manila also sells honey. BHM cooperates with local beekeepers to produce pure honey, with prices ranging from P220 to P380.

To order, please visit their Instagram or website.

Harvest Moon Tea PH offers a variety of loose leaf teas from different regions of the world, specializing in the production of single estate tea in India.

Some of their best-selling products are Chamomile & Lavender (P429), Blue Amore (P399) and Chamomile Rose (P449), all of which have a 50-gram package. 

There are more than 80 tea flavors in their inventory, and it is difficult to decide which flavor to order. Fortunately, Harvest Moon Tea PH provides samplers starting from P99. Each sampler contains 12.5 grams of loose leaf tea, which can produce 5 cups of tea.

Harvest Moon Tea PH is headquartered in Paranaque, but ships nationwide. They can accept orders through their website.

Celestea offers imported and locally grown tea at reasonable prices.

Their best-selling products include Mon Étoile (P215/125ml), which is a mixture of whole Tisang made of marigolds, rose buds, lavender and butterfly pea; detox tea (P195/125ml), green tea, lavender, Special mixture of rose bud, chamomile, turmeric, jasmine and mint; green tea (P145/125ml), from Taiwan.

Locally sourced teas, such as turmeric (P195) and ginger (P215), come from Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan and Bicol. The imported tea comes from Taiwan, Australia, India and Malaysia.

Celestea is located in Las Pinas and ships nationwide. You can view their entire menu through their Instagram and website.

Founded in 2019, Sunny Label started as a well-planned lifestyle and handicraft store, and has now become a community for people who "seek and share love through yoga, mindfulness, and creativity".

The blended tea is inspired by Sunny Label's best-selling scented soy candle. The brand hopes to provide relaxation through naturally growing flowers, leaves and herbs, just like their candles.

Sun tea (rose hip, lemon peel, holy basil, cinnamon, skullcap, mint, licorice and rosemary), sunrise tea (chamomile and lemongrass), moon tea (lavender) and moon tea (lavender and butterfly pea) are available 20 g sachet and 35 g glass container. The price varies from P150 to P350, depending on the taste of the tea. They are located in Makati City. You can view other products and order through their website or Instagram.

This family-owned online store offers a variety of classic and mixed flavors of loose leaf tea, 30 grams per pack. Their best sellers include blue flower (P115), a blend of butterfly pea and jasmine green tea; Black Coco (P120), a blend of black tea with cocoa nibs and mint; and Ruby Red (P130), dried hibiscus with goji berries, mint leaves and stevia leaf.

Steep & Stir also offers 4 and 6 types of classic and mixed tea bundle boxes for you to choose from, with prices ranging from P480 to P680.

Steep & Stir is located in Pasay City. You can order through Shopee or Instagram. – Rappler.com

Jewel Camacho is a Rappler intern.

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