McNulty's Tea & Coffee Company

Originally uploaded by lools.

Walking into McNulty's in the West Village is like experiencing a bit of early 19th century America. This Manhattan purveyor of the finest coffees and teas from around the world has apparently changed little since it was established in 1895.

The sacks and chests create a wonderful old world charm and aromas of different coffees and teas really excite the senses. Even the shopkeepers are grey-haired and seem like they belong to another century!

Being a tea lover who likes to consume many different varieties of tea, I focused on McNulty's impressive selection of black, white, green and oolong teas. The gentleman who helped me decide on a few black teas enticed me with the Assam from India (I decided to get this from Bombay in a few weeks) and the Lapsang Souchong from China (I didn't like the smokiness) before I settled on Nectar (McNulty's version of Earl Grey) and Almond black tea. Perhaps next time I'll be more adventurous and try out exotic herbal teas like Chinese Hibiscus and Licorice Root.

For the sophisticated English tea drinker, McNulty's also carries tea from Jacksons of Picacadilly, Twinings of London and Barry's of Ireland among others.

You can take a virtual tour of McNulty's online and check out their catalogue as well. Unfortunately, they haven't yet caught up with the times so their website is not e-commerce enabled.

109 Christopher St
Between Bleecker and Hudson Street
Phone: (212) 242-5351