Press Release: Teaism Marks 30 Years with Summer of Celebrations, Community Events, and Local Collaborations
DC’s beloved tea institution launches anniversary festivities on June 6.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teaism, one of Washington, D.C.’s first and longest-running fast casuals, will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Saturday, June 6, honoring 30 years of service to community and cultural development. The milestone and anniversary celebrations were officially recognized by the office of Mayor Muriel Bowser.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Teaism will host a summer-long series of events, collaborations, and community programs that reflect the neighborhood spirit the restaurant has embodied since 1996, including:
- * Saturday, June 6 from 12-3 PM– Chef Takeshi Nishikawa comes to Teaism Penn Quarter for a Snow Crane Ice Cream social. One $25 ticket gets you an artisanal ice cream sundae as well as complimentary tea samples, reflecting Chef Nishikawa’s years in Michelin-starred kitchens.
- * Last Friday of Every Month, June-August 6-8 PM – Teaism Penn Quarter will host local musicians, poets, and artisans in a series of free community events, accompanied by complimentary tea tastings open to all attendees.
- * Monthly Concert Series -Local musicians will perform live at Teaism’s Lafayette Park location as part of the tea house’s ongoing community programming. The series will be curated by local show producer Corinne Molz, who helps lead Sofar Sounds DC.
“We set out to change the way people thought about tea when we first opened in 1996,” said Lela Singh, Retail and Social Media Manager at Teaism and daughter of co-founder Michelle Brown. “Thirty years later, Teaism has become more than a tea house… It’s where people have fallen in love, finished dissertations, had hard conversations, and connected over a warm cup. Tea brings people together, and we can’t think of a better way to celebrate this major milestone than with the people who have shared their lives, milestones, friendships, and everyday moments with us along the way.”
Founded in 1996 by Linda Neumann and Michelle Brown, Teaism has served locals and visitors across the DMV for three decades. The local chain, with locations in Penn Quarter, Lafayette Square, and Dupont Circle, was an early pioneer of loose-leaf tea in Washington and serves more than 50 varieties. Visitors over the years have included bipartisan political figures, President Obama, and entertainers such as Hasan Minhaj, Paula Abdul, Tony Hale, Fred Armisen, and Joshua Malina.
Teaism recently received Slow Food DC’s Snail of Approval Award in April 2026, in recognition of Teaism’s commitment to high food standards and antiracist and anti-oppression ethics. The team looks forward to continuing to uphold its mission as a food institution and third space for the city of DC.
For more information, visit teaism.com/30th or follow @teaism_dc on Instagram.
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