Tea Pittsburgh Margarets Fine Imports

I have recently started drinking loose leaf tea. Initially I went to Teavana and spent way too much there. From what I can tell, that chain store is very much overpriced. Fortunately for me and my tastebuds, I found Margaret’s store and stopped in to check it out. Their selection was huge. So many flavors… too many to try in a month. Prices were very affordable. Mitch was very patient with me as I wanted a little bit of many different teas to try. Great service, great selection, great prices. This is a very nice business. If you’re a tea drinker in Pittsburgh, this shop is a must. Have a look for yourself, but I was very impressed. They even have many educational items, tea classes, very cool tea sets, and snack items for tea drinkers.
Thanks Mitch. I appreciated your great service and conversation yesterday.
With gratitude,
Larry

If you are new to tea then I highly recommend the tea class that they offer. A very small space with an enormous tea selection and accessories. Everything you need under one roof. Black, green, white, oolong, matcha, herbed and many other teas and cookies. You won’t be disappointed.

I love tea and walked into tea heaven. What an assortment of tea and accessories! I finally browsed in over the weekend and I was amazed. For a small space, the variety of teas can seem overwhelming upon walking in. It was somewhat crowded on Saturday, late afternoon.
I was greeted upon entering and another associate asked if I needed help finding anything. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, so the associate provided me with a list of all of the teas offered. A very extensive list. This is actually exciting. I plan to look it over and return to make a purchase. They carry both loose and bagged teas.
I received a free sample of peach ginger tea that I look forward to trying.

Quaint little tea store with fair prices. Carries Republic of tea and other bagged teas as well a huge variety of loose leaf teas and other tea supplies. Check it out.

A small little shop, crammed with a fantastic selection of loose leaf teas, coffee syrups, and assorted goods. It can seem a bit disorganized at times, but there’s usually an employee available to help. Margaret and her employees really know their stuff, so if you have questions it’s worth asking them. They also have seasonal/​themed custom blends of tea that they make that can be interesting.
I’ve also taken the beginner and advanced tea tasting classes (through groupon deals). They are interesting, but can be quite dull at times. It’s difficult to deliver a lecture that is 100% entertaining, but they try.
I especially like Margaret’s: milk oolong, cream earl grey, jasmine pearls, crème au caramel rooibos, and rose black tea.

We recently found out about this place through the I Made It Market in Squirrel Hill, where we picked up a small batch of Dragon’s Breath, Game of Thrones flavored tea. I hadn’t tried any «smokey» flavored tea before, and apparently I’ve been missing out! Even though it’s been tremendously hot outside, I haven’t been able to stop making a batch of this Dragon’s Breath every day.
Just went back today to pick up some Dornish Wine flavored tea, from their very large collection of Game of Thrones branded teas. Smells absolutely delicious!
All the staff there were all very friendly, they all went out of their way to help us, and all the teas were reasonable-​to-​low prices.

Awesome diverse tea selection! Margaret, the store’s owner is very knowledgeable about tea.
I enjoyed and very much appreciated her willingness to help me pick teas I would be happy with. They have tea classes that are well worth attending. They even send you home with some sample teas which make the reasonable cost of the class that much more worth it. We are really lucky to have such a wonderful shop with international flair and down to earth service right here in Pittsburgh. They also have other things besides tea. Its a fun place to visit especially during tea classes or when visiting with friends or when Margaret is around and has time to help you make your selections.

Margaret’s is my new favorite place in Squirrel Hill. The selection was huge, varied, and very reasonably priced (the black teas I got were about $ 3.50−4÷2 oz). The lady working the counter (not the owner) was also very friendly and helpful. I’ll definitely be coming back here on the regular.

Margaret’s is one of my favorite stores in Sq Hill. However, today’s experience soured my view. I purchased honey sticks that were crystallized. I brought them back for a store credit and got a hard time from a young woman telling me that’s what happens to honey. This is true, but I have never purchased new honey that was like this. They ended up giving me a store credit.
In the past I’ve brought back caramels that I didn’t like the taste of. I didn’t ask for a credit or refund, only to give them back. It’s not their fault that I didn’t like the taste. The same woman to offered me a refund several times that I refused. I’m confused, disappointed, and aggravated.

Time flows so differently on a Monday…
i’m a tea lover… i drink tea almost every single day… this is the Frist tea shop iv been to while i was in Pittsburgh…
the idea of a ‘fine import tea shop” already makes me want to just check this place out just because… they sell Tea (or coffee for that matter) has a very low mark-​up percentage and you need to sell a lot to get a little… as a customer my experience here wasn’t all that good… i felt like this lace was a hot mess… i wasn’t sure what was what… the women that worked there looked really busy so i just left without even figuring out what this place had to offer… however the experience of entering a store… smelling fresh ground tea was nice…

Cute and extensive tea selection– I wish the owners had been there because the current employee was silent, not helpful, and unfriendly. My few questions went unanswered and I explored the store in awkward silence. I’m not looking for intimate conversation, but basic discussion is welcomed.

The Good: The employees at Margaret’s know their stuff. You can ask them any question about teas and anything related to tea, and they will have an answer. You can get a million different tea infusers, pots, loose leaf or bags of tea, anything. I got my mom a sample boxed tea set from here, and she loved it. One of my infusers is also from here, and it is great. The prices on both of these items were reasonable.
The Not So Good: I haven’t picked up any loose teas here that I have really liked. I have found the teas to be lacking in flavor. I have followed steeping instructions and no luck. Not a fan of the loose teas so far. The prices are fair, though.
They accept Credit via Square!

Great place to find great teas. The owners are awesome here. They will take the time to help you however they can

If you’re a tea-​lover living in Pittsburgh, this place is a must-​visit. They’re a total triple-​threat, hitting everything a good tea shop needs:
1) A well-​curated selection of quality teas spanning a broad range of styles, preferences, and price points.
2) Knowledgeable and enthusiastic people in the store who will be glad to help you out.
3) All the stuff (physical and informational) a beginner would need to get started switching from big brand tea bags to loose-​leaf delights.
And, as a special bonus, they make some of their own tea blends in house, many of which are excellent (the Game of Thrones inspired Dornish Wine Tea makes for an unusual but delicious iced tea when the weather’s hot). They also have teas that are great for blending yourself at home (one of my favorite combinations is an Assam tea with a little bit of the rose-​flavored black tea sprinkled in). If you’re looking for a reasonably priced treat that doesn’t take extra effort or a sense of adventure, the green jasmine pearls are excellent.

Margaret’s has so much more than just a fantastic selection of tea. There is also a nice assortment of European cookies and treats and the biggest variety of Torani flavored syrups that I have seen anywhere. I look forward to creating some nice latte recipes with those!
The staff is very helpful, the store is a fun to spend time in and the prices are right.

A great Groupon experience and a tremendous value, I think. Margaret’s Fine Imports has been running Groupon specials for tea classes ($ 12 for intro or $ 22 for advanced) for at least 4 months straight, so if interested be sure to snatch up your Groupon before the promotion ends!
Mom and I attended an introductory tea class a couple months ago and left having learned a lot about tea and with full bellies. Again, the value here is really fantastic. Essentially the Groupon consisted of an informative tea class in a casual environment, followed by as much tea (5 options) and tea cookies/​cakes (3 options) as we wanted, then time to browse and shop the store and chat, and finally a considerable grab bag on our way out. All this was done after-​hours on a Sunday in the retail store with prime Squirrel Hill location. We were sort of lucky that there were several cancellations for our class; more room and stuff for us!
The store is small but impressive, a place for casual tea drinkers and enthusiasts/​connoisseurs alike. There’s an extensive variety of loose leaf teas, ranging from inexpensive to relatively rare and pricey, and also a smaller assortment of tea bags. There are all kinds of snacks and candies, many of them imported. Tea vessels and accessories are also plentiful and varied, both in style and in price. I was surprised how much I enjoyed opening and smelling all the different large glass and plastic jars of loose leaf teas – and we were encouraged to do so, by the way.
Chris (Kris?) and Margaret were there for our class, Chris doing the teaching and funky Margaret providing plenty of laughs. Both ladies were lots of fun and full of information, as was the class in general.
Highly recommended for both browsing/​shopping and tea classes.

Stopped in today for the very first time. I was very anxious after reading all of the great reviews. This place lives up to all the hype. A huge selection of loose leaf teas to choose from. (I ended up leaving with an oolong and a flavored white). The owner of the store was very nice and helpful.
Also, Tea pgh had many tea accessories and other imports (coffee, chocolate, creams, etc) however I was on a mission for good tea so I really only paid attention to that area. Will be going back for all my tea needs.

How lucky we are to have a shop like this!
My friend and I were looking for something different to do so we signed up for a tea class. For $ 15, you get a two hour course discussing the history of tea, different kinds of teas, tea customs, and brewing practices. It was so interesting!
There store is just like… a charm on Forbes Ave in Sq Hill. I grew up in Stuttgart Germany (Deutschland!) and I FLIPPED MY SHIZ when I saw they had the Schwarzwaelder Kirch Wasser Kuche I used to adore when I was a litlte Madchen.
They have EVERYTHING tea related you could possibly imagine. Honestly, its a shame I didnt discover this place sooner bc I know I would have bought every mothers day gift here. Tea pots, cozies, diffusers, cups, straws, stirrers, bags, bag holders, you name it, they have it. They have a delicious selection of loose leaf teas, and I strongly recommend the Cream Earl Gray flavored tea. It’s so good if I made it for breakfast I’d have to call off work bc I’d be DONE for the day, it is that good.
I felt the prices were reasonable, and Maggie was very very nice, helpful, and easy to talk to. If you want to try a new tea, stop in, and she’ll suggest the perfect one for you. The tea classes are $ 15 and I thought it was work every penny and a fun way to spend a Wednesday evening.
The only thing I didnt like was that there were 15 people packed into the store for the tea class, and basically everything in the store is glass or porcelain, and I was afraid I was going to break something the entire time. :S

Maggie is from Poland, and man, does she LOVE tea! I attended the Tea Class last night after purchasing a groupon. The lovely @Aja J. had bought me a fancy tea cup with an infuser after a trip to China. I’ve always wanted to try it, but after some internet research on loose tea, I gave up — I had so many questions… how long to brew? how much to use? where to buy? All this and more was answered by the enthusiastic Maggie, her husband, and son, Frank.
The class lasts about an hour followed by a tasting. We heard all about the history of tea, learned about the different types of teas and non-​teas (you’ll have to take the class to find out what I mean!), and best brewing techniques. We also sampled 6 different types of hot tea and imported cookies.
Maggie’s has an IMMENSE selection of teas, including loose teas, along with everything you could ever want associated with the tea process. She even gave everyone attending the class a ten percent discount off her already reasonable prices, plus a goodie bag. I enjoyed my first cup of Sweet Spice Mate today in the cup from @Aja J., and I know I’ll be back to Maggie for more loose tea.
I highly recommend the tea class; fun, informative, and unique. Maggie, her husband, and son also had us in stitches most of the class. For only 15 bones regular price, it’s for-​sure worth it.

I KNEW I would love this place even before I walked in!
It’s actually sad it took me so long to get here, considering I’m such a tea nerd. I love it! I want to be an old lady who collects funky tea pots. I want to then be an old English maid who sips tea whilst watching people play croquet. Okay, I really got side tracked. But seriously, seeing all the funky tea pots and cups there made me want to buy all of them!
I always go into tea places, pick something almond tasting and head on my way. A lot of times I think the tea is just okay. This time like always, I picked an almond flavored tea of course. The very friendly and helpful sales lady helped me pick it out and shared that it was one of her faves because they include real almond slivers.
It was an excellent choice, I loved it and can’t wait to go back to get more! I’m sure I’ll end up stock piling that along with trying their many many other flavors. It’s especially nice to not spend a crap ton of money here like I do at another store (cough cough Teavanna). I’m SO happy to have a place to bring out my inner tea nerd in the Burgh!