The Naked Leaf

So, Naked Leaf did what I’ve always wanted them too — they moved (to their Kensington Rd location) and GOT A SIT DOWN AREA!
Located right beneath Higher Ground, their new digs have tables, wifi, a fireplace, and the option to buy a pot of tea & some cookies and then veg out with a book, a piece of writing, or a good talk with a friend.
Scrumptious teas (at only $ 3 a pot and free refills), great staff, and a wonderful ambiance (the fireplace & the jazz music they play makes it incredibly mellow in there) makes this one of my favourite Kensington haunts.
Now, if they’d only get a sofa… I’d never leave!
PS: the take home teas, cute tea pots & amazing tea accessories are all still there — and still as good as ever (and still all finding their way into my tea cabinet at home).

This tea shop is the BEST! I got the best service I could ask for, they were very helpful! Lots of variety of loose leaf teas and tons of cups and tea pots to go along with it (handmade by Calgary artists) And I thought it was excellent that they give you a free tea tin with a purchase of 100gs of tea. The tins are great, sure to keep your tea fresh for a long time. Also if you bring in your tin when you’re out of tea they take off $ 1 of your purchase :) Cream of Early Grey is possibly the best tea I’ve had btw, highly recommend it!

I’m a coffee guy, so I wasn’t really sure what would make these teas any different/​better than say Oolong, down the street. Boy was I wrong. The first time I had a Naked Leaf tea (a grape tea) at a neighbors house in Sunnyside it absolutely blew me away. The flavors were strong and complex without being artificial or overpowering. I don’t get up into Kensington as much these days, but when I do I always make a stop at the Naked Leaf. The quality of the teas is remarkable and the owner is incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.
Love the Moroccan Mint and the Happy Day. Have also enjoyed their tulsi tea. Not a sit-​down, drink-​in place, but somewhere to get top quality bulk tea.

Colour me impressed. Naked Leaf «has me covered» ;). I was a Naked Leaf virgin, but remembered all of the ranting and raving Sarah Louise has done for The Naked Leaf. And so today I popped in for a visit.
The shop is cute, not a spot to come, sit and enjoy your tea, but definitely a place to partake in the fine art of tea sniffing and learn a little something along the way. Knowledge is, after all, the reason we need naked leaves in the first place, is it not? Best learn all we can!
What I really love, beyond the tea sniffing, is that this shop is into supporting local. I picked out my own tin with a design from a local artist to take my grape green tea home in. Magnifique! Another cool factor… they do custom labels. Hello next year’s Christmas presents!
You’ll be wanting to explore this little tea shop. I promise.

The Naked Leaf is a fantastic tea shop. With so many shops focusing on blends and flavoured teas it’s great to see one bring in quality teas for the seasoned tea drinker. They have great teas from all the major tea producing regions and some rarities like a Japanese Black tea and the actual Jin Xuan — the real «milky» oolong.
Besides tea another thing that makes the Naked Leaf stand out is their use of local products. Local artists create the art work for the tea tins and local potters create much of the tea ware. I wish more businesses promoted and supported the local economy.
The staff are always friendly and accommodating. Surprisingly the Naked Leaf is one of the few shops that lets you taste the tea before you buy it. That should set the bar for those not doing this.
I noticed one of the other reviewers made a few pretentious remarks about getting the same teas at lower prices elsewhere. To me, that’s like saying, «You can get a bottle of Chardonnay at Solo Liquor for $ 12. Why go to a wine merchant and spend $ 40?» The quality isn’t the same.
Overall great tea shop!

Today I went shopping for price comparisons. I chose two well established tea vendors to contrast the prices paid by Calgarians for Assamese black teas. Both Naked Leaf in Kensington and Tea Trader in Inglewood carry the same product.
For Assam Hattialli, the Naked Leaf charges $ 24.00 for 100 grams. The same tea at the Tea Trader is $ 18.00 for 125 grams.
The second tea was the Assam Banaspaty. Naked Leaf charges $ 14.00 for 100 grams of FOP Banaspaty (Flowery Orange Pekoe) and Tea Trader charges $ 12.00 for 125 grams of Banaspaty SFTGFOP1 (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe). FOP is definitely a fine quality tea, nobody would fault it. However, SFTGFOP1 is the finest grade of Orange Pekoe tea.
I have tried the tea sold by both, the Hattialli is virtually the same quality at both stores, but the Banaspaty sold by Tea Trader edges out Naked Leaf both in quality and in quantity. Regardless, the FOP sold by Naked Leaf is still superb tea. It is spicy and sweet with moderate to full body that just coats your palate. The Tea Trader product is more pronounced as has more finese.
If you are pressed for time you will not go wrong at Naked Leaf, but if you can make it to Inglewood, there is more value for the money at Tea Trader, and better tea in the case of the Banaspaty.

In an area with 5 or 6 options for sourcing premium teas, The Naked Leaf stands out as being my front runner in Kensington. Owner Jonathan takes the time and engages/​samples customers to learn about their palates and the sorts of teas they enjoy. I have been a happy customer for 2 years now and I keep coming back to try new varietals and stock up on favorites like the Spiced Green Tea with a few grams of mint. Also, their Black Tea selection is out of this world and I would highly recommend their Earl Grey. You won’t look at mass produced tea bags the same way again.

Lovely tea. Beautiful pots and cups by local artists. Very kind people running the place. A new favourite

The Naked Leaf has, by far, my favourite selection of teas in Calgary. If you are in Kensington, strolling about and looking to treat yourself, let it be to one of the beautiful teas the Naked Leaf has to offer.
It is very clear that each tea has been carefully sourced and selected. I don’t know that I have ever tried a tea at the Naked Leaf that I didn’t adore, and that wasn’t fresh. My personal favourites are the Milk Oolong II and the Mao Jian Feather Tip. Upon selecting a tea, you can also choose your favourite tin, showcasing local art.
All of the teaware is also fabulous, many items handcrafted or local, all very unique.
The only reason I don’t stop in here more often, is this is not a sit down teahouse, but a teashop where you take your lovely teas hooome to enjoy. I do believe tea by the cup is offered to go, however. :)