Buying tea in Germany

You might want to bring some tea just for starters, but you’ll be able to find plenty of tea in Germany, especially herbal, although there are definitely black teas available. And there will be English teas available as well.

The great thing about a holiday is that you can try local brands. In Germany, these are mainly Teekanne or Messmer. Aldi and Lidl focus on their own brands, Westcliff and Lord Nelson.
Make no mistake, Lipton is also only available in the really large branches of EDEKA, Rewe, Globus and the larger Kaufland hypermarkets.

Yorkshire Tea is particularly hard to come by. You’ll have to look in proper specialist shops for it. In Berlin, for example, you’ll have a good chance of finding it at Dalriata https://maps.app.goo.gl/CFcgz97Cj7kn2SUw8

I've only been able to find Yorkshire Tea in Germany at one specialty tea shop in Dusseldorf.

However, I have been able to find Twinings English Breakfast tea in many supermarkets. I know Rewe carries it. But there are also other Black Teas available.

Thanks for the responses. I should have said black tea only. I like a good tea, fairly strong and I drink it black. I did just look up Teekanne, Windyram, and noticed Ostfriesen Teefix, Nero and Black Klassik tea blends that would probably be perfect.

It reminded me that in East Frisia has a tea tradition I think? We start in Hamburg which isn’t too far I guess so I may have some choices up there. I’ll look up the Messmer brand too. Definitely not looking for Lipton. We do end up in Berlin for 6 days at the end and there will be some good shops to look at there I’d guess.

I’m hoping maybe one or two of our great German contributors might have some ideas?

Tea lover here. You can find average tea like Teekanne, Meßmer etc. in any supermarket, but really good tea is only available at dedicated tea and coffee shops like Tee Gschwendner (many shops throughout Germany). In Munich, Dallmeir has a good selection, in Hamburg Teekontor; In Berlin, I wouldn't spend a lot of time looking around; I'd just go straight to KaDeWe. Search Google for “Teegeschaeft” in the city of your choice, and you’ll find what you’re looking for. If you know somebody in Germany where you can have something shipped in advance, I can also recommend the major mail-order retailer teekampagne.de, a non-profit organization that carries only a few, but outstanding, tea varieties (Darjeeling first/second flush, Green Darjeeling, Asam)—at prices about 30% lower than those in dedicated stores, even though they voluntarily pay higher purchase prices to their partners in India.

I’ve found German supermarkets have plenty of black tea beyond Lipton, especially Meßmer and Teekanne, and I’d definitely pick up some Ostfriesentee if you want to try a strong local style while you’re there. https://www.google.com/maps/search/tea+shops+Germany/@51.2265027,11.2148134,6z/data=!3m1!4b1?wordle unlimitedentry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDkyNy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

There are a couple of chains selling teas: Tee Gschwendtner and Tee-Handels-Kontor Bremen (which is everywhere, not just Bremen). There is as you say more tea drinking in the north (not sure where you are going). You will also find interesting teas in Reformhäuser (health food shops) or bigger Drogerien like Müller. Watch out for seasonal teas, we are almost into winter tea time. Messmer usually does some for the winter, likewise Teekanne.

Lavandula

Thanks Fritz and smithcohn, I remember Dallmeir now. I was there many years ago and remember it as a foodie wonderland. Also KaDeWe in Berlin is a must stop. I used to be a real tea snob and only make pots with loose tea but once I increased my traveling I just got used to better quality tea bag brands because of the convenience. I will try to find some Ostfriesentee in Hamburg, our first stop.

Lavandula! Thanks for chiming in. You hooked me up with Pickwick in Amsterdam back in February. I will look for the shops you mentioned. There are so many herbal and green teas on store shelves these days that strong quality black teas that aren’t flavored are getting squeezed out I think.

Thanks for remembering me Lyndash! Yes - unfortunately no Pickwick in Germany. If you are staying in hotels one of the brands that often seems to get used is Ronnefeldt, which is a very nice quality tea but I have never seen it in shops. But Messmer and Teekanne are quite good; the black teas seem mostly to be based on Assam because water in Germany is hard in some areas and there can be a nasty film on your tea. Assam is robust enough that it cuts through this.

The wintertime teas are wonderful - last year I bought a special edition herbal tea from Messmer, Zimt-Pflaume (cinnamon-plum), which was just like hot plums, and I bought a tea from the Reformhaus, Salus Winter-Trolle (winter troll tea), which was just herbal but lovely and warming. There was a picture and a whole story associated with it, about the troll tradition in northern lands. I also bought an earl grey, I think it was Teekanne. However, my hotel did not have a kettle, so I used my silicone folding kettle. I found out when I got to the hotel that they had spare kettles and you just had to ask, but mine did the trick. Most hotels in Germany do not have a jug in the room. So be prepared!

Lavandula

I am a tea illiterate, but this thread reminded me of another one that came up and I saved on my Maps.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/cHz1oNoX8mC7NBwM7?g_st=ic

Ok, Lavandula, good to know about the hot water kettles in Germany . I do have a coil cup heater that I will bring and I’m debating whether to bring my travel cup or not, or hope I can get a mug from the breakfast bar in the hotels we’ll be staying at. I have a silicone folding tea kettle too! Kindred traveling tea drinkers😉. I take it when I go to NYC because my hotel is too cheap for extras. It just is too big for my suitcase on my 3 week European trips.

If you are staying in hotels one of the brands that often seems to get used is Ronnefeldt, which is a very nice quality tea but I have never seen it in shops.

Ronnefeldt has his brandstore inside the Myzeil shoppingcenter in Frankfurt am Main.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/2sfwGk39BrF71P7n8

https://www.ronnefeldt.com/teehaus/de/brandstore/

https://www.visitfrankfurt.travel/en/poi/ronnefeldt-brandstore-myzeil

I also travel with an immersion heater (coil) and a cup. I like a cup of coffee or tea first thing in the morning. I also take a small tea infusor in case I want to use loose tea. There are a few made for one cup brewing.

This is the one I use. It fits inside my cup while traveling. I never had any tea leaves seep through into the cup:

Tea Infusor

It also works similar to a French Press for coffee.

When booking hotels, I try to find some that have kettles. They are usually listed as "Tea/Coffee maker." I rarely have trouble finding one. In fact, I haven't used my immersion heater in a long time.

If your hotel has a tea/coffee maker they usually put a couple of black tea bags in the room as well. There will also be a couple of hot cups. Sometimes porcelain sometimes disposable.

Frank ll, thanks to your recommendation years ago I have the Lewis N Clark coil cup heater that has been a great success. I had used several different ones through the years and been disappointed, but this one has been a very happy addition to my travel life. It is really fast too; don’t turn your back while your 8 ounces of water comes to a rolling boil! I love at least one cup of tea first thing in the morning and frequently one in the evening too.

We’ll be in Adina hotels in Hamburg to start and Berlin to end our time in Germany but in between we are on a RS tour and not sure about kettle situation in those hotels.

Which Adina in Berlin?

We’re in Checkpoint Charlie. I think it’s the location I stayed in for almost 2 weeks in 2019. I really liked their set up, kitchenette etc. Do you stay in their hotels?

I have stayed at numerous Adina hotels and most multiple times.

I haven't stayed at Checkpoint Charlie but I have at the other two Berlin locations.

I think in Adinas you should be able to boil water - kitchenette, right? So don't worry about them, but good to think of the rest of the trip.

TBH I am a bit afraid of my silicone tea kettle. It gets very hot and is not too stable, so I make sure to turn it off at the wall and unplug it first, then let it settle down from a rolling boil first before pouring, or it will steam my hand. My last trip in December was the first trip I have taken it on as previously I had it in my office at work, so I had the routine down pat. I only used in it Germany as the hotels in Amsterdam and Brussels had a kettle. If something less dangerous were to be invented I would certainly look at it with an eye to replacement. How do you find the metal coil? I have one but have never used it.

Lavandula

Ronnefeldt has his brandstore inside the Myzeil shoppingcenter in Frankfurt am Main.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/2sfwGk39BrF71P7n8
https://www.ronnefeldt.com/teehaus/de/brandstore/
https://www.visitfrankfurt.travel/en/poi/ronnefeldt-brandstore-myzeil

Thanks for the tip about Ronnefeldt, Windyram. It must be 20 years since I have been in MyZeil, but I am sure I will go back there again. We get to Wiesbaden every couple of years so a diversion past Frankfurt city is not hard. And worth it, Ronnefeldt is a nice tea.

Lavandula

If you're taking a Rick Steves tour you should have gotten your hotel list.

If so, you can then search each hotel on the intnernet to see if they offer kettles in their rooms.

For the hotels that don't have kettles in the rooms, ask if they have one you can borrow. Some hotels do. Also ask for a cup and spoon.

It's also not a sin to take a couple of extra tea bags from breakfast.

MyZeil just opened in 2009, so not open quite 20 years.
Ronnefeldt has another great tea store down on Neue Krämer, close to the Römer and Altstadt that has been there forever!

I am tea snob who lives in Vienna and only drinks M&S Gold or Yorkshire. The German world does not understand black tea. They totally get all the herbals and medicinal teas, but please do not get your hopes up for decent black tea anywhere. Just bring your own bags - that is what I do.

I think I might have found a shop in Hamburg that could carry Ronnefeldt tea. TeeGschwender has 3 locations and hopefully I can swing into one during our 3 1/2 days in the city.

I’ve checked the hotels we’ll be in on the tour and looking at the pics it doesn’t look hopeful for in room kettles. But you’re right, Frank it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Lavandula, I’ve had good luck with my silicone kettle so far, but I know what you mean about being careful after it comes to a boil. But it’s too big for my smallish carry on bag for a 3 week trip. I do love the immersion coil heater and it is already in my bag (we leave tomorrow), unfortunately I’ve just found out that Lewis N Clark no longer sells it. At least not on Amazon where I bought it 3 years ago after a recommendation from Frank ll. It is a dual voltage 120/240 and came with a European adapter plug. It works so great, and I’ve had several over the years beforehand that were pretty bad and didn’t last. I would think getting one that is dual voltage and comes with an adapter plug is worth trying. It’s not a big investment at least on Amazon in the US. They are all below $20.

Oh Emily, I have a feeling you might be right. It is my opinion about France and Italy. Not only is the tea mediocre but actually getting HOT water is so hit and miss. Getting a barely tepid mug of water with a sad tea bag floating in it is so disappointing when you stop for a cuppa during the day. I actually go to a Starbucks when possible because it is usually a better bet. But I will now have some hope that maybe some better quality tea might be found at the tea shops in Hamburg.

M & S Gold tea is very close to Yorkshire tea.

I was shocked to find a good selection of M & S teas at the M & S store in Prague. Even the loose leaf tea.

There are three tea shops in Blankenese, which is worth a visit anyway, and one a few S-Bahn stops further in Rissen that is a local specialty shop and not a chain. My husband has been--I haven't. He's the tea drinker, so I can't really say how good any of them are. There is also one in Othmarschen in the little shopping street. So at least in western Hamburg, there are at least 5 shops within a 5 minute walk of an S-Bahn, all on the same line (S1) and all in cute areas. And I don't know the scene downtown, but I'd imagine it's easy enough to find good tea, even if it isn't your brand. It's one of Hamburg's historic trade goods, so Speicherstadt is bound to have good tea shops.

Definitely look into the East Frisian tea ceremony!

I think I might have found a shop in Hamburg that could carry Ronnefeldt tea. TeeGschwender has 3 locations and hopefully I can swing into one during our 3 1/2 days in the city.

I believe Tee Gschwendtner just carries its own brands, but you will find something to your liking there (anything from a robust black tea to a herbal tea to a fruit tea, and all the tea-making paraphernalia your heart could desire). I have even bought gummy bear tea at Tee Gschwendtner, but don't worry, there are plenty of normal black kinds, darjeeling, assam, oolong, anything you could think of.

Lavandula

As someone who lives on the edge of East Friesland, I can only argue that Germany does do black tea, even without a full tea ceremony (though that's lots of fun, and I enjoy pulling out my rock sugar for the occasion).

You've had some recs for Hamburg tea shops already, but on a more everyday note: my regular local tea bag is Bünting (Rewe usually stocks Grüngold), though I have friends who swear by Thiele. For reference, the base is fairly Assam dominant, so I find the taste closer to Irish breakfast than English.