Loose Leaf Cafe (CLOSED)

In a tiny unnamed tea shop the size of a walk-in closet, Looseleafcafe.com owner Richard Salem has created the perfect summer beverage, iced citrus berry tea. Each drink is individually brewed and mixed with ice in a cocktail shaker, then poured over berry-tea ice cubes (which keep it from getting diluted). His signature touch: The tea is served in a cup that’s been lined with thick, jamlike citrus honey. At 23, Salem is an unusually young tea expert, but he gathered experience working at Wild Lily Tea Room and the Tea Association of the U.S.A. while studying at NYU. He has a day job, too, which means that the shop is only open on weekends—so you’ll have to plan a visit accordingly or just hope he gets around to hiring a full-time staff.