by Katie K.

Dobra Tea has developed somewhat of a cult following among certain groups of college students. People honestly have a standing date once a week here to hang out... and they keep going after they graduate... and talk about Dobra Tea all the time... It's a little strange. I went here once, and was frankly overwhelmed. We got a pot of tea and really liked it, but we were hungry. We could see that other people had food, but there was no menu for food, and our waitress had a bit of an attitude so we were too shy to ask her what they had for food. We drank our tea, tried not to stick out like sore thumbs amongst the other tea connoseuirs, and left promptly afterwards. I think we went to Starbucks. Dobra just wasn't our scene.

by Gaia K.

the tea menu here is more diverse than anything I have ever seen. I love how I feel when I come here - it really awakens the senses. in the summer you can smoke hookas on beautiful sidewalk tables. oh and katie...the food menu is on the last page i believe.

by L J.

Sometimes a restaurant or bar serves ambience over their actual product, Dobra is a tea shop located in downtown Burlington, Vt, is one of those places.  As you enter the wicker dominated tea room, the sounds of foreign instruments playing through the speakers and the smell of tea hit you like a ton of mellow bricks.  On the walls, photos of exploited tea farmers and vendors from all over the world bring a sense of culture to the scene of patrons who desperately wish they knew a foreign language besides their high school level education of French or Spanish.      Upon being seated, a strangely calm waiter places a dictionary of tea on your table.  The hard cover, green leather bound book handles like a novel, with the second half being a travel log of the world-travelers who founded the joint.  After flipping through 50 pages of teas named, "Memories of Prague," and, "White Dragon," I decided to go with the Masala Tea, a spicy chai served with milk and honey.      Looking at the light fare offered, I opted not to buy their six dollar hummus plate--mostly because I don't like hummus.  They had pastries and other things called, "Bohemian Spicy Nuggets," which caught my attention, but I wasn't looking to eat as much as I was trying to observe the Burlington hippy in its natural habitat.      On the far side of the seating area, there are two elevated platforms where people can take off their shoes and sit Indian style on cushions decorated with moons and stars.  Palm reader beads and flickering candles overwhelm this section of the tea room, as it seems like only the elite tea snobs are welcome.      Dobra Tea is a cozy little place for anybody looking to relax in an extremely calming environment, however if you're looking to spend five dollars on tea I would recommend going to a market and buying a pack.

by J B.

This place is really good. The people here really know their tea and take it very seriously. They give each table a bell to ring when you require more service. The teas are very good, and the menu is literally a book. I would suggest trying the "memories of Prague" tea. And the green tea milk shake is delicious. Some people might find the place to be a little strange due it's solemnity.

by Matthew M.

I really love the Rooibos chai that was purchased here, but nothing beat the experience of sitting on their platforms-with-pillows tables, enjoying the ambient music and the mellow people-watching, and indulging in one of Dobra's white teas.The tea here is fabulous, but it's the experience that seals the deal for me.  Service is poky, but so what?  You don't come here to rush; you come here to slow down and enjoy the finer things in life.

by Kelly G.

I highly anticipated the opening of Dobra Tea when I heard it was coming.  As a no-caffeine girl, coffee shops often have fairly limited selections that I can drink and so a tea-only shop seemed like it would a pleasant new blip on the radar...and it was.The tea selection is amazing and the fact that they serve it in regionally appropriate tea-ware is even more amazing.  My knitting group used to go and sit for hours in the sitting-on-pillows area and knit and drink tea, eat pitas and ginger.  It's heaven.  Until your butt falls asleep.My big complaint would be the tables and chairs section the chairs are so uncomfortable...so if you go, sit in the pillowy-take-your-shoes-off section.

by Nicole M.

Shamefully, I have only been to Dobra Tea once in my entire 17 full years spent in Vermont.However, the experience was unforgettable.You can literally drink any tea from any part of the world in this place.I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to sit down at one of the low tables designed so that you sit crosslegged across from your partner--but that gives me all the more reason to go back and visit.I don't remember which tea I had--there are so many kinds, and I'm not exactly a tea buff--but it was delicious. I put honey and milk in it.I also had a toasted pita bread, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. That too was devine. While delicately sipping tea from my tiny teacup and nibbling on the sweet cinnamon toast, I felt serene and at peace with myself. The service was wonderful--not knowing shit about teas, I asked for a little advice, and was welcomingly given some.In the summer, Dobra Tea has a small hookah set up outside. Again, I have not taken part in this because of a bad first experience with hookah, but otherwise would do it in a heartbeat.Something even more fascinating: On the Web site, you'll find the origins of Dobra Tea, which is in Prague during the end of Communism. There are now apparently 50 tearooms in Prague, according to the site.A great place for a quiet get-together with a close friend, Dobra Tea is on my A-list. If nothing else, the ambient atmosphere will sweep you off your feet.

by Carrie M.

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful visit to Dobra Tea on our trip to Burlington. This review is written by him:Our visit to Dobra Tea was the highlight of our day.  We ran in here during a heavy rain and plopped down on the couch in the back corner.  The place smelled wonderful - mostly filled with the smell of chai tea, which I guess was a very popular flavor that day.  Soon after sitting we were given two huge booklets and one bell.  The booklets contained the types of teas they served with descriptions, the types of pots they were served in, and a short history of tea.Even before entering I knew what type of tea I wanted - Lapsang Souchong.  A very smoky tea with a smell that slightly reminds me of scotch.  We rang the bell and the server came to take our order.  It took about about 10 minutes to for our tea to arrive.  Longer than we would have wanted, but the server did check in on us and very politely apologized for the wait.  The combination of tea and atmosphere was a pleasant break from the dreary weather, and once we were ready to pay the server said our tea was on the house.  On the house!?  I'm not sure why they decided we'd be on the house, but it made our day.  We tipped well, and bought some Lapsang Souchong and Jasmine tea to take home with us.  I understand that sipping tea in a small tea house could be considered boring, but if you can relax enough to take in the smells, tastes, atmosphere, and your partner (if you bring one), then I highly recommend dropping into Dobra Tea.

by Niko X.

Burlington has more than its share of great coffee houses--none of which serve great tea.  Dobra Tea has filled in that gap.  Tucked just off Church Street, entering Dobra is like being transported far, far from post-hippy, college town Vermont.  The cavernous atmosphere is broken up into mini-little rooms, some of which have pillows to prop yourself up upon the floor.  The mood is set; bring on the Bible -o-tea.  Yes, that's right.  Dobra has a tea menu that's easily two inches thick.  Sorted by country of origin, you can select teas from traditional locations like Japan to more exotic, less-known selections from Vietnam.  Depending on your selection, you receive a different size or style teapot, which I'd assume is best suited for steeping that type of tea.  The experience is decidedly religious.  Unfortunately, some of the staff are arrogant hipster-wannabes (hence Dobra's lack of a fifth star).  However, I've been waited on by some nice staff who graciously brought me extra hot water to 'stretch' my tea pot to a few more cups.

by Quinn S.

This one is epic.I have a special connection with this place that goes back long before they opened.  When I lived in Austria and needed to get away from it all, I would throw on a backpack and jump a train to my favorite place on earth.  Czesky Krumlov is a sleepy little haven in the Southern Bohemia region of the Czech Republic.  My favorite place within my favorite place was a teahouse on the bank of the river that snaked through the town and set the lazy pace of life.  The teahouse was called Dobra Cajovna.  The proprietors were young men with long beards who disliked the presence of German tourists and children, which kept the place a peaceful little sanctuary.  I would sit there for hours every day, drinking countless cups of Yogi Tea while sketching and writing or the Turkish Red with a new friend in the saloons, which is what they call the little curtained-off rooms filled with velvet cushions and a hookah.  In the summer we would sit and smoke and sip on the balcony that leaned out over the river, sheltered from the sun by bamboo curtains.Before he was allowed to open a teahouse, the man that ran Dobra Cajovna was required to tour the Orient learning about the tea he would be serving.  The walls were lined with black and white photos of the man bringing me my tea in Tibet and Turkey, posing with the local masters, learning the way of tea.  Not long after I returned to Burlington, a sign announced the opening of a shop called Dobra Tea in a space on Bank St. that once housed a hair salon.  Soon after they opened, I visited the shop and was so struck (stricken?) by the similarities before I even reached my table, that I asked the gent I met at the door if they were connected with the place in Czesky Krumlov and sure enough, the company owned several shops in the Czech Republic and one in Burlington, Vermont.  There is something special about the only Dobra outside of Europe being in my hometown, although their web site has a big banner ad for opening your own teahouse franchise.  I am guessing that they don't require you to travel the Orient before granting a franchise.  That day, he told me that the teahouse at Czesky Krumlov had been destroyed by a flood, but that they were in the process of rebuilding, so I am hoping that they will be there next time I make it back across the Atlantic.One of my favorite memories is of trying to order shisha along with a tea that the owner deemed inappropriate for smoking.  He started by saying that the tea was not well suited as an accompaniment to flavored tobacco, and when I responded that I didn't mind, he said that he couldn't in good conscience take my order without trying to dissuade me.  Although he would never outright refuse my order, he would not leave my side until I caught on that all of his suggestions were the polite and traditionally appropriate way of telling me that no way in hell would he bring me that tea and a pipe.  I am certain that he had enough polite and evasive responses to leave me blue in the face before he would ever resort to a simple "no."  In Burlington, they take a different approach to reach the same end.  The pipe comes with a complimentary pot of appropriate tea.  I think you can choose between the Turkish Red that I used to drink and a mint tea.  The Burlington location is also the first to employ women, since we enforce those pesky equal-rights laws that some other countries don't seem to bother with.  It's no big surprise that they are just as knowledgeable, chill and wise as the guys.  The Burlington shop does a nice job of replicating the originals, and has overcome those bleeding-hearted liberal "no smoking in a teahouse" laws by serving the shisha outside, but that drastically limits the times of year you can smoke it.

by Jill H.

Great tea; smelly waiters.  I'm not joking either, unfortunately.

by Sarah R.

To preface this review, I typically wouldn't seek out a place like Dobra on my own. Sure, I love tea, but I am in no way a tea connoisseur. I'm the type of girl who gets her tea from a bag or Starbucks, and every time I go to a place like Tealuxe or Infusions, I'm the slack-jawed yokel who stands agog at all the choices in front of her before settling on something really safe and boring. Also, Dobra tends to attract people who are high on spirituality and low on materialism, so you can imagine my discomfort at the prospect of going to such a place. I found that I had no reason for concern.The environment is incredibly soothing and relaxing. Low lights, earth tones, lots of candles, different types of exotic music, and saloons in the back complete with beaded curtains, Oriental rugs, and low tables with little pillows for sitting upon set the scene for relaxation while enjoying some top-notch teas. When presented with the tea menu (which is really a book), we were totally overwhelmed until we read some more about the different types of teas offered. At Dobra, one can get tea from virtually all over the world, and each comes with an interesting description. We settled on a blooming anemone black tea, the exact name of which escapes me. It was a lovely accompaniment to sitting at the sidewalk on Church Street, people-watching on a gorgeous August day. The staff were also quite pleasant and very knowledgeable, which is obviously a requirement to work at a place like Dobra, where people take their tea seriously.The total for our one pot of tea (which would have yielded multiple infusions of tea, had we stayed longer) was approximately $5, and I purchased two types of tea to bring home, including the type I had tried during my time there. Dobra is a lovely little relaxing place to sit down and have a cuppa after a day of shopping on Church Street. I'd definitely come back on another trip to Burlington.

by Jess X.

What a great little place!I was a little overwhelmed by the menu, which was literally a small book filled with items and descriptions. It even included historical info about the teahouse and the various types of teas. You can also buy loose, dried teas to go and make at home. I ended up going for just a basic Indian chai, which is much, much different than those cloyingly sweet things passed off as chai in Starbucks and the ilk. This is much spicier and it's tempered with honey and milk. It was absolutely delicious. We also shared a platter of dried fruit and these delicious black sesame squares. The decor is cozy and cute, with an emphasis on cozy. This isn't the place to go with a large group because it's quite cramped really. I didn't notice until I was leaving that there are small private rooms where you sit on the floor around a low table. Those look wonderful! Service was a little confusing though, as it wasn't clear whether there was table service or whether you should just go up to the counter and order.  Service is on the slow side, so this isn't the kind of place to go if you're in a rush. This is where you go for a calm, slow-paced experience.

by Rob R.

Where else can you see white college students kneeling on the ground and playing Hindi music?  This ain't Chicago, but Burlington's really an amazingly hip and progressive town for a city its size and lack of pigment variation.  The tea menu is a freakin' bible in terms of voluminousness.  The second time I came back, I couldn't find the drink I got the first time, and it doesn't help that there's no table of contents or page numbers.My favorite drink so far (this coming from someone who drank nothing more sophisticated than Celestial Seasons before coming here) is the Staroborshov.  This Czech tea foams up with sugar and looks like a beer.  I felt very cool drinking it amongst the Beta male tea drinkers.

by Quinn E.

I don't do yoga, and I probably never will. I prefer coffee to tea. I think chakras is someone who made music in the 80s, and my spirit animal is probably a Canadian Goose. Hisss! But for some reason, I fell in love with Dobra. It doesn't make any sense. The people seated next to us were obnoxious, a know-it-all brat daughter telling her father what a failure he is because he watches tv. I don't know why I didn't mind. That shit usually drives me nuts.I ordered a medium bodied oolong, and enjoyed it immensely. My gf got the house green tea, which was kind of like moldy grass, but I don't like green tea so you might feel differently. The server brought out hot water for refills and instructed us on steeping times, so we enjoyed a few cups. We also got a hummus plate, which was a reasonable $6. It wasn't huge, but was a lovely snack to share with a tea companion. And, other than our bad luck of being seated next to little miss arrogant, the ambiance is pretty unbeatable. Dobra was the highlight of my most recent trip to Burlington. I don't know if they're piping something into the ducts at this place or what, but it was an oasis of calm for me. And I'm never calm!

by Matt W.

I've only been to Dobra Tea once.  I don't think I will go back any time soon.  The tea I ordered was ok (although I don't remember what kind it was).  It was my misfortune to go to Dobra at a moment when I was hungry in addition to having a desire for good tea.  Had I not had a hankering for a snack I may be writing a very different review.  Alas, that was not my fortune.Being hungry, I looked over the food menu.  The assorted tea biscuits and dried fruit and nut plate sounded like good accompaniments to tea.  Whoops.Our server left the main seating area and returned a few minutes later with, I kid you not, a bag of Costco dried fruit and nut mix.  The cookies, also store bought, Voortman's I think. In other surroundings this might have not been as bothersome.  However, when you bill yourself as a purveyor of fine quality goods, I tend to expect that level of quality throughout the menu.  It may not be reasonable, but as soon as I saw the Costco bag I began to wonder about the quality of the teas.    Were they what they were being billed?I don't know and I won't be going back to find out.

by Madeline L.

This is my favorite place to go with my friends in Burlington! I go to boarding school in Burlington, so when I get the chance, this is my little place to go and escape all of the drama and crap that goes on there. Dobra tea is an awesome place if you are into tea- they have so many options. Although it does get a little annoying when you have to wait for a seat sometimes in the middle of the day, or if you want a booth in the back when you have a large party.Dobra tea has some of the BEST baklava EVER. Its made by someone local in town, and its great to go along with your tea. If it is your first time going, make sure you check out their Specialty Tea portion of the menu.

by Ann Y.

I returned here this time with my husband in tote and I just adore this place. It is the BEST tea house I have ever been to. They have over seven types of Puer which is my husbands favorite. He was a bit overwhelmed but our server was patient with him and he found one that was perfect for him. I also had a Jasmine tea which was wonderful, though they gave me a weird look when I asked for sweetner, but whatever.  The baklava was very good. We had two pots of tea and baklava for around $13. I love the look alcoves with beads where you sit on the floor. It felt like a very spiritual experience. When the Urban Tea Lounge closed in Chicago, I didn't think I would ever find a place on par until I…

by Rachel B.

I was only in town for the night, but I fortunately stumbled upon Dobra Tea.  Beautiful decor, calming atmosphere, quality tea.  We took our shoes off and sat on the floor in a carpeted booth with dim lighting and folk music playing.  It was the perfect escape.

by Meg O.

My second day in Vermont, back in the summer of 2006, my friend, her twin sister, and her sister's boyfriend and I climbed Camel's Hump, and then headed into Burlington for dinner. I was already smitten with Vermont as a state, but fell in love with Burlington as soon as I walked onto Church Street. The sister's now husband took us to Dobra Tea, where I was simultaneously overwhelmed and delighted by their huge, poetic menu, calmed by the soft interior and comfy cushioned seats, and refreshed by the tea and snacks. That summer, every trip to Burlington included an hour or two at Dobra, and it was lovely.Flash forward to summer 2009. I'm back in Vermont, the land that I love, for six weeks, and had a yen to spend the day in Burlington. The plan was simple enough: brunch, walk Church street a little, and then hole up at Dobra to read. I think my friends enjoyed Dobra as much as I did, although it did get chilly at times with the air conditioning. We all ordered iced teas, but I think when I go again I will revisit the Moroccan Mint and the Chrysanthemum teas, and then branch out. If you like Yerba Mate, this is the place to be. We stayed for several hours, reading and chatting at leisure, and I even finished Thackeray's Vanity Fair. Good afternoon. Good Burlington. Good Vermont.

by Allison L.

What an unexpected gift!I lived in the Czech Republic for six months and grew to love the Dobra Cajovna line of teahouses that you'll find in most cities of any significant size. When I came home, I gave up on the idea that I would ever experience something like that in the States.How wrong I was. It just took a few years and a trip to Burlington.The environment is spectacular. Everything was hand-assembled in Prague and shipped over from there. The tea is terrific, the menu huge. The servers are friendly and patient with many questions and anecdotes. I got some Genmaicha to take home to Adam, and I wish I could go to Dobra Tea every day!

by Allison L.Meg O.Rachel B.

What an unexpected gift!I lived in the Czech Republic for six months and grew to love the Dobra Cajovna line of teahouses that you'll find in most cities of any significant size. When I came home, I gave up on the idea that I would ever experience something like that in the States.How wrong I was. It just took a few years and a trip to Burlington.The environment is spectacular. Everything was hand-assembled in Prague and shipped over from there. The tea is terrific, the menu huge. The servers are friendly and patient with many questions and anecdotes. I got some Genmaicha to take home to Adam, and I wish I could go to Dobra Tea every day!My second day in Vermont, back in the summer of 2006, my friend, her twin sister, and her sister's boyfriend and I climbed Camel's Hump, and then headed into Burlington for dinner. I was already smitten with Vermont as a state, but fell in love with Burlington as soon as I walked onto Church Street. The sister's now husband took us to Dobra Tea, where I was simultaneously overwhelmed and delighted by their huge, poetic menu, calmed by the soft interior and comfy cushioned seats, and refreshed by the tea and snacks. That summer, every trip to Burlington included an hour or two at Dobra, and it was lovely.Flash forward to summer 2009. I'm back in Vermont, the land that I love, for six weeks, and had a yen to spend the day in Burlington. The plan was simple enough: brunch, walk Church street a little, and then hole up at Dobra to read. I think my friends enjoyed Dobra as much as I did, although it did get chilly at times with the air conditioning. We all ordered iced teas, but I think when I go again I will revisit the Moroccan Mint and the Chrysanthemum teas, and then branch out. If you like Yerba Mate, this is the place to be. We stayed for several hours, reading and chatting at leisure, and I even finished Thackeray's Vanity Fair. Good afternoon. Good Burlington. Good Vermont.I was only in town for the night, but I fortunately stumbled upon Dobra Tea.  Beautiful decor, calming atmosphere, quality tea.  We took our shoes off and sat on the floor in a carpeted booth with dim lighting and folk music playing.  It was the perfect escape.

by Allison L.Meg O.Rachel B.Ann Y.

What an unexpected gift!I lived in the Czech Republic for six months and grew to love the Dobra Cajovna line of teahouses that you'll find in most cities of any significant size. When I came home, I gave up on the idea that I would ever experience something like that in the States.How wrong I was. It just took a few years and a trip to Burlington.The environment is spectacular. Everything was hand-assembled in Prague and shipped over from there. The tea is terrific, the menu huge. The servers are friendly and patient with many questions and anecdotes. I got some Genmaicha to take home to Adam, and I wish I could go to Dobra Tea every day!My second day in Vermont, back in the summer of 2006, my friend, her twin sister, and her sister's boyfriend and I climbed Camel's Hump, and then headed into Burlington for dinner. I was already smitten with Vermont as a state, but fell in love with Burlington as soon as I walked onto Church Street. The sister's now husband took us to Dobra Tea, where I was simultaneously overwhelmed and delighted by their huge, poetic menu, calmed by the soft interior and comfy cushioned seats, and refreshed by the tea and snacks. That summer, every trip to Burlington included an hour or two at Dobra, and it was lovely.Flash forward to summer 2009. I'm back in Vermont, the land that I love, for six weeks, and had a yen to spend the day in Burlington. The plan was simple enough: brunch, walk Church street a little, and then hole up at Dobra to read. I think my friends enjoyed Dobra as much as I did, although it did get chilly at times with the air conditioning. We all ordered iced teas, but I think when I go again I will revisit the Moroccan Mint and the Chrysanthemum teas, and then branch out. If you like Yerba Mate, this is the place to be. We stayed for several hours, reading and chatting at leisure, and I even finished Thackeray's Vanity Fair. Good afternoon. Good Burlington. Good Vermont.I was only in town for the night, but I fortunately stumbled upon Dobra Tea.  Beautiful decor, calming atmosphere, quality tea.  We took our shoes off and sat on the floor in a carpeted booth with dim lighting and folk music playing.  It was the perfect escape.I returned here this time with my husband in tote and I just adore this place. It is the BEST tea house I have ever been to. They have over seven types of Puer which is my husbands favorite. He was a bit overwhelmed but our server was patient with him and he found one that was perfect for him. I also had a Jasmine tea which was wonderful, though they gave me a weird look when I asked for sweetner, but whatever.  The baklava was very good. We had two pots of tea and baklava for around $13. I love the look alcoves with beads where you sit on the floor. It felt like a very spiritual experience. When the Urban Tea Lounge closed in Chicago, I didn't think I would ever find a place on par until I…