February’s chill hides my northern Michigan tea garden beneath snow and memory. Containers of chamomile, lavender, mint and camellia sinensis circle a simple deck, sundial, and teapot fountain—my private ritual ground. Until snowshoes reach it again, I sip floral teas by the fire, dreaming oaks, pines, and early blossoms.

In glitter-drenched Frankenmuth, “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” Sue and Esther’s Tea Room offers a warm, autumn-hued refuge from perpetual Christmas. Owner Lisa MacDonald crafts a welcoming, unfussy space where fresh, seasonal food complements—never eclipses—tea. From bubble tea to Sunroasted Chestnut, guests discover year-round comfort that quietly completes the holiday wonderland.

In Royal Oak, Goldfish Tea Room infuses southeastern Michigan with authentic Chinese tea culture. Jim and Janice Girling, converted from coffee in China, now import and serve 40–50 pure Chinese teas amid Asian décor, offering casual self-service pots, complimentary tastings, and hands-on tea education that blends flavor, ritual, and learning.