Socra Tea Detroit

This has a creepy basement feel, dark and cold with no comforts. It is in the lower section of the plaza, you enter by going down a few stairs, so there are very few windows and natural light. I was greeted when I walked in and shown the tea selection of what I narrowed my choices down to. The service was great and helpful. The herbal tea I ordered was the locally grown Michigan lavender tea. It was extremely bitter and I needed to add a sweetener before I could really drink it.

Trendy & cozy hidden in the back walking area off the busy streets. Specialty teas & deserts, including gluten free! Treasures for gifts and much more! Friendly and helpful in creating a specialty blend just for you! Private restrooms for customers! Sofas, bench seating join the quiet & quaint feeling. A few blocks away from Wayne State University.

Nice tea shop with a nice array hot drink menu. Its on lower level so you need to walk down steps. Its nice & quaint. I stopped by after leaving Mocad on a Sunday afternoon & they had a live bad performing folk music. It was good...harmonica and all. Also I tred pistachio latte with honey. Delicious!

Atmosphere is nice and calming. I tried their mushroom latte, and it does taste like a cold brew coffee. The scone was also good, could have been heated up a tad bit more, but overall it was excellent. If you are a coffee drinker you should try out the mushroom latte. I promise you it doesn’t taste like mushrooms.

No ear buds needed! Nice spot for those wanting a place where you can actually read a book in peace without the normal distractions and volume of most coffee/tea spots in the area. Tea is brought to you and steeped properly. Couldn't ask for anything more in a place like this.

One of my favorite small tea places in Metro-Detroit with all of its unique blends you'll get a bang for your buck with every order. Tea is ordered in 18 oz or 20 oz with various latte options as well. With it's extensive tea catalog you'll find flavor profiles you've never encountered! Highly recommend. Someone was looking for stevia and couldn't find it along with no tea snack there when I've come but it's super fun!!!

Really nice space to study/work. Friendly employees. I ordered the turmeric latte with almond milk and can highly recommend. Clean individual restroom that requires a key.

They have a delicious chai latte that is truly remarkable. The place is cozy and low key. Good place for study or conversation.

My hubby and I were here quite a while back. It's a cute shop inside. Many items for teas and is very tea centric. Cute tea sets. The decor is simple, minimalist even. Some reclaimed wood and tasteful seating. We were able to try out some teas, they were kept in canisters and they had a wall of them. Some available pastry items to pair with your tea too. I do tend to like tea focused places, since many are more concentrated on coffee only. I don't drink coffee, so this is my kind of spot. The tea options were good, nice blends for steeping and aromatic too.

Loved it! I am an avid tea drinker. I buy herbs online and from a few local shops and herbalists. I am most certainly adding Socra Tea to my suppliers. Unfortunately I couldn't make the Yelp elite event this past Saturday, but was thrilled that this tea house was selected as a stop on the self-care tour, "Yelp Spring of Self Care". A coworker had previously suggested I stop in because of my tea love. The huge space is in the basement of 71 Garfield, a collective of businesses on Garfield Street just east of Woodward. The building decor is warm and welcoming, with a mock fireplace and comfy chairs. The yummy aromas from Socra Tea fill the lobby greeting you at the front door. Upon entering the space, it seems a bit overwhelming as there are lots of things that immediately catch your eye. There are tea pots, diffusers, mugs, cups, branded tshirts, aprons, cookies and other treats and a whole wall of gourmet teas to peruse. Teas are served hot or cold. I opted for a carryout of iced elderflower tea and purchased a box of tea bags for my blends at home. Prices are moderate, gourmet herbs are well worth each penny. So the atmosphere inside the shop...I walked in grooving to the music and sang throughout my entire visit. There is tons of seating, which is a good thing, as I hear this shop gets crowded. I eyed a comfy couch that has my name on it when I return for my next visit with a good book. There is a pottery space in the back of the shop where classes may be taken. Street parking on Garfield is available, but premium. There's also a lot on the side of the building and an adjacent entrance door.

Great tea selection, also have solid tea merch. Was visiting from NY and really in the mood for a quiet cozy spot with a kettle of tea- this spot checked all of that for me! Highly recommend.

Ohhh this place is so warm and cozy. It is perfectly for a romantic conversion or writing journals on laptop . They sell different kinds of tea, cups, and tea making tools. Also thy sell tea samples and tea gifts. You can either buy som tea leafs, drink tea at the Cafe in pot or have it on to go cup. We tried strawberry green tea. It smelled very nice and good. It tasted good. I rate it 5/5. Then we tried pistachios black tea. It smell amazing!! And tasted good too. I rate it 5/5 I would love to come here again and try more types of tea.

Amazing tea selection for drinking on the spot or taking home - great tea ware and gifts as well!

Great collection of loose leaf tea from all over the world. Freshly brewed. At first, parking was hard to find. We had to go around twice before we figure out the entrance to their private parking. It's not cemented, so our car hit the dirt from the bottom. Socra Tea is located at the basement of the building. I've heard that it's been open for 6 years. Wow! Sort of underground tea brewing company in downtown Detroit. Mostly environmental friendly millennials like to hangout here. Perfect place to sip hot tea while reading or working with homework in a laptop. They have WiFi connection. For the price, a small cup starts at $3 onwards. Check in thru Yelp and get $1 off the drink. They have free sample of their tea flavor of the day. Get 30 cents off if you use own mug. Avalon and gluten-free pastries are available to compliment the tea. The tea brewers were friendly. Downfall is they usually misplace orders. Long wait too. A little bit of good organization and communication with customers will improve the service. Went home with bags of Rooibos and Turmeric with Ginger Tea. Tea-rrific!

Near Wayne's state university, this tea shop is very unique with all the tea pots place on the wall. Perfect for college student trying to study or working people to come sip some tea. They offer variety of teas such as black, green, and Oolung tea. Best part, Socra has specialized machine to monitor water temperature that way tea is brewed to perfection. You can also purchase Avalon Bakery baked goods from the store! I recommend white tea from here

Not actually wheelchair accessible as advertised on Apple Maps. There are stairs to the entrance.

My fiance and I stopped in here to get some work done and enjoy tea before a show at Fisher Theater. The tea selection was excellent, and all of the flavors we tried met or exceeded our expectations. The interior is pretty nice as well with a wide variety of seating and lots of local art and gadgets for sale scattered throughout the space. The food was also very delicious. My only complaint is that the barista working failed to provide us with chips that came with two of our meals. When I brought it up, she seemed kind of pissed that I did so, which I found inappropriate.

We decided to check out Socra Tea after having an early dinner at Cass Cafe. We wandered over and down the steps to enter a cozy and inviting space. We were a bit confused at first as the menu isn't up on the wall, but rather there are menus printed and laying on the counter. The wall behind the counter is a massive spread of all kinds of teas. We each tried something different- I had The Frida which has dark chocolate and cinnamon, my better half had The London Fog, and my stepdaughter had the Pu-Erh Chai. We all enjoyed our drinks and they kept our hands warm long into the evening! There is also a small area for tea gifts and cups/mugs. We loved the charm and stayed for a bit while our drinks were being made. I loved this place for a date night or to meet friends.

I really like Socra tea I get a lot of studying done there. I'm not sure why it says paid WiFi but they give you the password and you can just log in, you don't have to pay anything. Last time I was there they were giving out samples of the vegan donuts that should be served at the tea shop now. The vegan donuts are reason enough to go in. Whenever I go I see a new pastry I want to try and I will say you should try them too! It's a great addition to their vast variety of tea blends. This place is intimate and is usually never loud like other coffee shops I've visited. If you are looking for tea at a mellow "undiscovered" place I would definitely try this out. If you park in the same lot as Seva you will see the entrance in the side of the set of buildings next to Seva. Also they don't serve coffee only tea.

I could spend an entire day here... I have spent an entire day here. Lol I'm always looking for little coffee shops/tea shops that I can hunker down in and read. The name is what got my attention. Drinks and food: I kinda created my own blend, a Moroccan mint and lavender. You can do a single brewed cup or different sized pots. If your staying a while they bring it to your table. They have little snacks, pastries mostly, but we did see heartier sandwiches on a seperate menu. Atmosphere: No words needed, but if I must... Study friendly. This place is nuce for small groups, readers and all that jazz. Did not appear to be wheelchair accessible though. Overall: Service is quick, prices are similar to competitors ($$), but there is a quirky charm to this place that people can appreciate.

My new secret spot!! It reminds me of Berkeley, Ca. It has a super chill vibe, great for studying, writing a book, or a comedic script, or editing (until a group of nursing students showed up ). Anywho they are ok not too bad. The service is great, the scones are incredible with my pistachio latte!! Gosh my secret work spot may not be too secret for long but I'd rather deal with the ppl then loose such a little treasure.

Love the vibe of the place! My husband and I have been to Seva quite often, but never knew this was right in the same plaza! They sell cute little gifts and things throughout the store. Lots of places to sit. My friend and I sat in the corner on the couches. They provide games to play and books to read. I got the Ernie. I assumed it would be sweet because it's half lemonade- half tea, but it was super tart and not sweet at all. Had to add a lot of honey to make it somewhat sweet. 0_0 Super chill place to hang out or study.

I am a regular at Socra Tea! I during the fall I get the Roasted Almond, sometimes I brew a pot because it just smells so perfect. I also love Kapha if I am having sinus issues! BUT... Socra Tea just got better because now they have tea sandwiches. I have had the Chicken Pesto Salad Sandwich on Gluten Free Bread and it is so good! I think the also have egg salad and a chicpea vegan sandwich. One of the best sandwiches I have had in a long time and I really think they nailed the fast easy light lunch to go along with a pot of hot tea. One of my favorite things about Socra Tea is that it really reflects the nice diversity of this corner of the Midtown Neighborhood! Students, business folks, artists, doctors, meet up groups, all seem to enjoy this spot! The place is always clean and staff is always friendly!

I got this black tea with milk, lavendar, and vanilla in it. Kind of like a latte. Forgot what it was called. It was really flavorful and not at all bland. they had run out of whole milk so I got almond milk and I couldnt taste the almond milk, which was fantastic. This place is really nice to do work in and they have a crazy wide variety of teas.

Jason stood at the end of the table, bald, bearded, pensive, and spoke with enthusiasm about tea; more enthusiasm than I ever thought tea could inspire. And thus the tea tasting began, and people all seemed to have a good time. And even learned something before being set loose to peruse the tea selection and go forth to spread the word. If you want to sit back and enjoy a casual environment while enjoying exotic tea brewed by aficionados, this is the place. I'm a coffee guy, so you will find me elsewhere, but give it a try. Challenge your palette!

I love Socra Tea. One of my favorite hobbies is hanging out in coffee shops while I write or work on projects. After visiting this tea shop a couple of times, it's now the standard to which I measure other tea and coffee shops. I'm not actually a big tea drinker but one of my friends recommended this location as a great place for meeting up and hanging out. Boy, she did not lie. Its atmosphere is perfect. There's a ton of great seating for groups or individuals. All the patrons are pretty polite, keeping conversation at a respectful volume, even when the shop gets semi-crowded. I also love all the handmade tea pots and cups selection. I ended up buying a Socra Tea branded mug because the color and design were so beautiful. And despite not liking tea, I got hooked on the Frida. I raved about the cinnamon stick and cinnamon powder so much that, the second time I ordered my drink, there was an extra cinnamon stick in it. I almost always order two large Frida teas. On my last visit, I left, enjoyed downtown Detroit, and then came back a few hours later for a new cup to-go. It's just that good! If I lived closer, I think I'd be at Socra Tea every weekend.

I love SocraTea! Top quality tea, lovely space, super calming -- and they show art! I'm only knocking one star off because I really wish they were open longer - I work nearby, but I can hardly ever make it here because they close before I'm out of work. Booooo. But there's always weekends. :)

So cozy and the perfect spot for study and catching up with friends, the inside is super intimate! The choice of teas are incredible and the staff is wonderful at helping pick the best tea for you!

What a great experience! I know next to nothing about tea, and came here on a few recommendations - I was looking for some good local tea to send to an out-of-state secret santa. I explained this all to the girl behind the counter, and she pointed out a small collection of gift-wrapped tea samplers they had on sale. She assured me that she'd be more than happy to help me put together my own mix of small bags of tea if I preferred. After I picked out a couple samplers, I figured I may as well try a cup of tea to go. I reminded her that I didn't know anything about tea, but she patiently helped me find a blend that suited me by giving me a description and smell of about half a dozen varieties. I settled on an almond and vanilla fruit tea, and my wife got an apple cider tea. Both were exceptionally fragrant and flavorful! Even my wife - who NEVER drinks tea - liked hers. The space is cozy and serene, very inviting. You'll even get a real tea cup and saucer if you're not taking your tea to go. A good handful of patrons had laptops and headphones, and one table of friends were playing a game (at a respectful volume). It seems like a great place to hang out. Lastly, I loved all the tea cups, teapots, and tea accessories around the shop. I wanted to buy it all! So very cute.

I love this place. I come here to study and have a pot of tea with a snack. The staff is very knowledgeable and patient in helping you make your choices. Will even turn the music down if you ask nicely. The ONLY downer is the horribly busted up parking lot. Parking on the street may cost but it's cheap compared to car repairs.

One of my favorite places in Detroit-- I love visiting here and getting a big iced tea. They have a wide variety of teas but my favorite is strawberry genmachia. The staff is super friendly & the space is awesome. I'm so happy you guys are so close!!

I came to SocraTea on my recent trip to Detroit and was absolutely delighted. Located slightly below street level, the space has decent light and a relaxed and welcoming ambiance perfect for reading, studying, or a quiet chat with friends. The tea selection is wide-ranging, covering everything from pu'er to custom herbal blends. I had a lovely Chinese oolong blend with hazelnut, but had a hard time deciding because there were so many teas I wanted to try. They do have snacks of the baked good variety, including vegan and gluten-free treats, all clearly labeled. I could not have been happier with my experience and will definitely be back the next time I come through town.

Poor customer service. Refused to serve latte since it was 20 minutes to closing time

LOVE Socra Tea! Took my mom for a visit and she loved it too (she loved all the artsy pieces they had for sale in the shop). This time we did Matcha Lemonade-which I worried might be out of my moms comfort zone but she talked about how much she loved it the whole day. I also love seeing the daily tea specials on Facebook-makes me wish I had one right by my house so I could visit every day!

I have had this bookmarked for over an year. I had some free time so I decided to come here and just read my book. It is definitely a hidden gem. There wasn't that many people and even though its located in midtown I feel like not many people know about this place. The space is really big and open with plenty of tables for people to study. I already had a cup of tea at home before heading here so I got a green tea latte. Because of the tea I had at home, I had to use the restroom. You have to get the key behind the counter and there is a shared restroom right outside. I waited a good 20 minutes before I decided to inquire about where my tea. The guy who took my order completely forgot to make my green tea latte. Frown. He made me the green tea latte and then he offered me a complimentary baked item. That makes it up. Yay! Good job buddy! My green tea latte was lacking in sweetness but overall it was good. My baked good was freaking delicious! I want more. I don't remember what it was called. =/

Amazing teas. I went with a friend and spent a couple of hours catching up with each other. The staff was really helpful,nice, and kind. The baked goods tasted great and all the teas smelled amazing !!

Such a quiet and cozy tea shop. The staff is amazing. They have the largest variety of teas that I have seen in Detroit!

My boyfriend and I like to go to tea/coffee shops frequently, and this is definitely one of our new favorites. It's located slightly below street level, so there's not a lot of natural light, but they do have plenty of light fixtures that create a nice, relaxing atmosphere. They have many tables, free WiFI, and it's generally pretty quiet, so it's a perfect place for reading and studying. They have a wide tea selection that you can buy in bulk if you wish, and they have baked goods/snacks as well. They also have lots of teapots, mugs, and art from local artists that I had fun perusing. The only criticism I have is on the employee that was working there when I went. She was not very helpful in explaining the various Ayurvedic teas. I had never tried these before, and the names of the teas weren't telling of their flavors. When I asked her to describe the teas for me, she was very vague and did not offer for me to smell the leaves until I asked if I could.

I had to finish a cumbersome online graduate course in the fall and I camped out in this lovely local establishment to get me through the long, grueling hours of work. Accessible street parking, but as others have noted, the location might be somewhat overlooked because it's within an apt complex. Wide selection of teas and tea lattes (yum!). All reasonably priced. Get the lavender tea latte, chai latte, or a pot of tea. I loved the strawberry fields loose leaf tea. Excellent variety of local pastries and baked goods. So many beautiful tea accessories and retail too! Loose leaf tea is available for purchase.

I was really excited to visit this place as I love tea and I love the vibes I got from their pictures and Instagram page. I go in there to study for a few hours after thankfully finding parking on the side of the street and was greeted by a really nice man who was very helpful. He took my order, offered me a sample of their tea of the day and brought me my drink which was tasty. The reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because I didn't quite enjoy my time studying there. An employee came in and started complaining loudly of another employee and was swearing and disrupting my studying. She also raised the music... can't you see me studying??? How rude! I was the only one in there that day so it seemed like she was kinda trying to kick me out in a way. But yeah. I would go back for the drinks but wouldn't actually stay there which is upsetting because I would've liked to go back to sit.

I really like it here! Free wifi,GREAT selection of teas, and seva is next door for food. You can bring food from elsewhere. There are board games and a free library. They are consistent with their hours. I love how close this place is to the medical campus. Stop by if you're ever in town! It's cozy and you can buy tea by the bulk.

Love this little tea shop. Try the baked goods - delicious assortment of sweet and savories.

Great variety and well versed staff. The food menu is small but delicious!! We sat outside and the ambience was perfect for a lovely autumn day like today. Will come back again

This place is the perfect spot for tea and a quiet environment! They have a large variety of tea, the treats look amazing and it is warm inside. The music they play gives you a comfortable vibe. I tried the strawberry lavender hot tea, I burned my tongue but it was great!

First thing's first... I hate tea. There, I said it. I think it tastes light slightly flavored dish water. Even with all of the sugar (or cream, if that's your thing) in the world, it still tastes nasty to me. But when colleague wanted to meet here, I figured I would just settle for a baked good. I'm also the type to be easily persuaded. When I got there, I was greeted warmly. I love the sitting area... It's not to pretentious, and there are locally made gifts that you can buy there as well as tea. The tea-ista asked me what I would like and I told her I didn't like tea. Instead of giving me some side shade, she had me smell a bin of the pineapple mango tea. it smelled like tropical heaven, so I ordered some. Although it still low-key tasted like dishwater to me, I might be a tea convert once I get used to the taste. I added a little sugar, and I could tell, even with my neophyte tea tongue, that this was good quality. I also had a pecan brownie (perhaps it was a turtle brownie? I just pointed and said, "That one, please"). Seriously, this was one of the best brownies of my life. Go for the tea, stay for the brownies.

The atmosphere is comfortable, the tea selection is wonderful, and the staff had always been amazing. I love going here to read or do my homework. Highly recommend.

Nikki was great, best service I've had. I had a customer tea gift basket order. Everything was perfect. Also had the apple cider tea, it was cool thanks socra tea people you are the best!

This place was really cute and cozy. There's a ton of options for tea, including some tea lattes. They also have a few different options for sweet or savory baked goods. There are gluten free options as well. We got the black vanilla tea, a rhubarb mini pie, and a savory mini potato and zucchini pie. The pies were delicious! Perfectly flaky crust and the rhubarb was just the right amount of sweetness.

Beautiful, quiet, intimate little tea house with beautiful teas and attached to a ceramics studio, so they sell lots of local ceramics and art.

Pretty thrilled that SocraTea updated their furniture, the seared logo into the tables look beautiful (this sounds like an odd detail, but I've been going to SocraTea for a while and it's an improvement to be noticed!) I've stopped getting pots of their steeped tea unless I'm heading down there to sit and relax with a friend. It's a great place to just sit and talk over some tea - there are limited quiet hang-out areas in and around Midtown. What I do go for is loose leaf tea. For most teas, it's around $5 for 50 grams (of most teas), and those 50 grams go a long way. My personal favorites are the Moroccan Mint and the Rose Black Tea (I just love floral teas in general). If it's summer, it's a better suit to get something iced. A plus is that they've added a lot more to their home/tea goods area. Different teapots/cups and neat things for gifts for your favorite tea lover.

Great place to go for tea and getting your work done! Came here two Saturdays in a row and I swear their tea has a touch of productivity essence.. Or maybe it's the ambiance and the kind of people this wonderful Midtown gem invites.

I am very much a fan of local places like this. I love that all of the decor on the walls are from local artists, and that there were lots of little artsy things for sale to browse when I needed a break from studying. They have nice big tables, which are great for spreading out and working and the wifi signal is strong. And, of course, all of the tea that I've tried so far has been excellent. The only thing is that if you're dining in, they usually just bring it to your table and you don't pay until you're heading out -- so don't forget to pay before you go, I almost did! The staff is friendly and can give you good recommendations on tea/baked goods, and the place is pretty quiet during the day and so is a great spot to work!

Knowledgeable staff, awesome tea flavors (of all kinds and flavors!) I would definitely recommend this place. It is kind of hard to find, but that just adds to the charm.

The girls were very accommodating to my step dad who had just left hospital. They took his order over the phone and sent me in to get it. I was rather surprised that with selling hot and iced teas they do NOT have lemon. Thought that was a given, like sugar and cream at a coffee shop. I'd be a return cst and so will my step dad

Favorite tea!!! I have been an avid tea drinker for over 15 years now and the is by far my favorite place. ST beats out many places up and down the east coast and midwest with nice staff and a great atmosphere... though the location is hard to find if you're not familiar with the area. Major bonus for me is they have a nice selection of decaf and low caffeine options. The teas are flavorful without any bitterness and well priced.

Hmm, SocraTea has been around for a year and a half (at least) and only has a handful of reviews...why? It could be the obscure location, a garden level on the side entrance of a building on a minor street. But Seva next door has much the same condition and gets tons of reviews. It could be the constrained hours and the marginal signage. Or the fact that it caters to coffee-shop clientele but does not serve coffee. Well, it is in the business of serving TEA, and that it does quite skillfully, with a variety of flavorful blacks, greens and herbals, as well as a "tea of the day" for sampling. Staff are friendly and the environment is pleasant and immaculate. Like 14 East (another relatively obscure establishment), it looks a bit more like a gift shop than an eatery, and it offers a variety of attractive ceramics for sale from the pottery studio next door. But maybe that's the problem: tea and tea things. A few pastries but no other drinks. Good wifi but practically no outlets (a big no-no these days). SocraTea is probably 3x bigger than it needs to be, because it rarely has anyone sticking around; they just buy the tea or bric-a-brac and leave. Too bad. If it expands its focus it can probably justify its size...and it might get a few more positive Yelp reviews, which is clearly its aspiration.

Nice place, went in there and had no idea what I was looking for. The staff was very friendly and offered assistance in helping figure everything out. Good selection and flavor. Before this all I ever had was box tea. Will visit again

i love this place! i've been here a lot, mainly because it's across the street from my home. i like that the last few times i've been here, it's seemed pretty busy. i'm glad they seem to be getting more business than the first couple times i came. there is a huge selection of tea here! there is a list on their website, which is also on their counter, but there are many more if you read the tins behind the counter. i've tried a lot of fun ones and some boring ones. but they are all good! or at least worth trying. they also have little desserts like brownies and scones (i like the coconut one!), which are all really good and small, but only a dollar or two. they're really good about steeping your tea for the right amount of time, which is nice since at home, i'll just leave leaves in until they get all bitter and gross. everyone who works here is super super nice and will talk to you about tea or other things too probably if you wanted. i wish they had a few more tables now that it's getting busier, but it's such a nice place to get some work done. i really like it and as the weather starts getting even worse, i'm really looking forward to spending more time here.