When it comes to tea, Thia McKann is no armchair expert. As a Certified Tea Master, she's dedicated her life to studying the history, production, and health benefits of the ancient drink in order to help others better understand the many ways that tea can improve physical, mental, and spiritual health. Her expertise isn't limited to the tea shop either––for the past five years, Thia has served as an educator at Houston’s cancer hospital MD Anderson, where she shares her advanced tea knowledge with medical students, patients, and caregivers.

As strongly as Thia believes in tea’s health benefits, she’s equally passionate in her opposition to tea that’s been treated with pesticides. That’s why, at The Path of Tea, Thia and her husband Chris make sure every white tea, oolong tea, black tea, and Japanese green tea on the shelves is certified organic and free of hazardous pesticides. If the selection of more than 150 teas proves daunting, don't fret. The shop also offers monthly tea tastings, where customers can sample up to five teas and learn important things about each one, such as where it comes from, how long it should steep, and what it likes to do in its spare time.