Rumi Tea and Spice, Bethesda

Visiting Rumi Tea and Spice in Montgomery Mall is a journey for the senses. Wooden display boxes brim with bright red, orange, mahogany, and green herbs and spices, all elegantly classified via neat labels on wooden sticks. Then of course there're the smells, which waft hints of cilantro, dill, peppermint, Vietnamese cinnamon, and paprika, as well as rare seasonings such as Malawi peri peri mix and za'atar.

But if you couldn't already guess from the business name, spices aren't the sole focus here. Beyond the aromatic spice bins sit hardwood shelves showcasing Rumi's other specialty: tea. These shelves hold more than 80 steep-ready loose-leaf varieties in giant gold and orange tins, which were designed to help preserve everything from Dragonwell green to creamy earl grey. Those looking to create their own unique flavors can do so by creating custom spice and tea mixes.