This place is so much more than a tea house. It's a reset, a tiny retreat that gently reminds you life doesn't have to be lived at 100 mph. I just finished a hike in Altadena, found Callisto on Yelp, and wandered in looking for a quiet post-trail moment. Instead, I was met with such a genuine warmth that made me feel like a guest instead of a transaction. The owner herself took my afternoon in a much softer direction. I ordered the afternoon tea service and fell into my book. This is the kind of place that invites you to read, write, and decompress. My tea of choice: Yellow Brick Road with osmanthus flowers blended with Darjeeling black tea. It tasted like sweet blossoms dipped in honey. The service also comes with three mini savory toasts, a scone with mascarpone cream and marmalade, and dessert. I chose the chocolate peanut butter cupcake which sent me into a blissful chocolate haze for the rest of the day. If you crave quiet, delicious, almost healing moments, you need to come here. Wendy, thank you for taking such good care of me and inspiring me to chill out for the rest of the afternoon. read more

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My book club met here for our January meeting. Parking was a breeze, for context we had arrived around noon on a Sunday. Their tea menu has beautiful descriptions that helped us choose the perfect teas that aligned with our book's themes. We had a larger group and the owners were a delight to work with to make the reservation to accommodate us and schedule a tea tasting. We had a wonderful experience and enjoyed the delicious teas. read more

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My friend and I made a reservation a week before we went and we had a lovely table reserved for us when we arrived! There's parking in the back, they give you a paper to place in the car. Inside is so cozy and inviting. I felt right at home chatting with my friend and we really enjoyed the calming atmosphere. It did get busy for a while and filled up (3-4 ish) and for a bit loud. There's a couple tables outside as well. There's offers like happy hour, they have games you can play and treats and snacks! My friend ordered the avocado toast, they are small portions ( a snack size) not a whole plate. Which is to be expected at a tea house. I ordered the fried fruit plate and savored it! We had the tea service (can't recall couch) but absolutely delightful! We really enjoyed pouring our own tea, timing it to our liking and sipping away! The notes from the different fried fruits were so tantalizing. I loved taking a bite and having a sip, because the flavor profiles were just crazy. The fruit wasn't your average fun of the mill, think hibiscus and olive, very creative play on the palette. My friend ordered another pot of tea as well we enjoyed. The service was lovely and we felt really relaxed but taken care of. The bathroom is super cool as well! Great place to come with friends, for a girls catch up, etc! The tea is yummy, they have a selection of items to snack on and just a good space to hand. read more

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I booked a birthday party here for my friend and we had an amazing experience. Vegan friendly food, beautiful teas from around the world, bright and cheerful atmosphere and friendly staff. We all tried a different tea so we could taste each others' and I really appreciated the vegan options with my dairy allergy. The free parking lot is a huge bonus, as was the pristine restroom! read more

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I'm happy I found this place on Yelp. What attracted me the most is that their menu offers vegan selections. I called and made a reservation a week in advance. I found parking in the back. I saw a sign to ask for a parking slip since parking is limited. I just placed the slip inside my car. We all got the individual tea pot option and everything was delicious. I wanted more toasts! Looking around, it was a full house but we were the only table doing tea time. Seems to me it's a local spot. It's a good option when you want to catch up with a friend. It's also affordable for a tea time. Staffs are friendly and we had a great time. Our phones have no connection inside the tea house though. I asked for the guest WiFi password and it worked. I would love to stop by again in the near future! read more

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Afternoon Tea at Callisto Tea House was such a treat! I'm vegan, so my friend and I wanted to find an afternoon tea spot that had vegan food to enjoy. Callisto Tea House is definitely the spot to go! My friend and I each ordered the Individual Pot of Tea (16oz) and Food for One since we wanted herbal caffeine free tea. I got the Peach Elixir Tea (cold brew version since it was 94°). All three mini toasts were absolutely delicious. I wouldn't call the cream cheese cream cheese, but a super fresh herbed cashew spread. The zataar on the hummus toast was a perfect flavor boost! I got the Lemon Ginger scone and my friend got the Blueberry scone so we could share! There was one vegan and one non vegan sweet treat option, so I got the Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcake (vegan) and my friend got the Ube Blondie (not vegan). I took the cupcake to go but my friend absolutely loved the Ube Blondie. If it had been vegan, I 100% would've had that too. I tried the cupcake this morning and it was super yummy! Light moist chocolate cake and peanut buttery frosting. 100% would go back. The husband helped us at the beginning and the wife checked us out at the end. How cool! The wife explained that there are so many vegan options because they have vegan friends, and her husband is vegetarian. Parking lot available right next door! They give you a parking pass to put on your dashboard. read more

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I booked a reservation to celebrate my friend's birthday the week before and they were able to accommodate us with no problem. They have parking in the back but it was full on a Saturday morning. No worries though, there's plenty of street parking. We all chose the afternoon tea and the food was very delicious! The lemon scone was freshly baked, mini toasts were flavorful, and the ube blonde was decadent. I liked the tea I ordered too, but sadly they don't have refills. The price was great at $30, considering other tea places charge more, and with less tasty food. We had a great time and would come again! read more

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Callisto Tea House was absolutely a lovely shop and experience! I went with a friend and the owner (i assume) was so lovely and told us about all the teas and gave her own recommendations of which we tried 2! They also kindly cut the toasts in half for us because we wanted to try each of the flavors (there were two of us). The tea was absolutely lovely, I ended up buying a bag of the sundrop (yuja) tea to take home, and i loved the information they had on local events and history like Drag Kings! I felt very welcome and at peace in the shop and the atmosphere was clean but not cold. I will absolutely be back! :-) read more

Callisto Tea House - Mini Toasts, all but the avocado toast. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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We had reservations mid-day. When we arrived, it was empty, but all tables were full when we left. Servers were very nice and the tea selection is very descriptive. We opted for the Gongfu set and while it is expensive, it was very fun. The food was also yummy. read more

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Visited with a friend on a rainy Saturday and we had a lovely time. We arrived right as it opened at 10am and it was empty but got busier later in the morning. There were many different loose leaf teas to choose from and the serving tea pot had enough for three tea cups full for around $7 which I thought was a good value. There were also a few different scones and pastries to choose from. Overall I enjoyed how this tea room felt more modern than other places in the area, but still had the classic tea cups. Fun alternative to your average coffee shop for a meet up with a friend! read more

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A high tea experience with a twist! $69 Gong Fu Tea for Two includes a lesson in making your own Gong Fu tea. Delicious vegan toasts and highly recommend the add-on " Treat Yourself " option. Ube Salted Caramel Blondie is a must-have. Suggest making a reservation as seating is limited. read more

Callisto Tea House - Assorted preserved fruits, sesame bite and toasted seaweed, part of Treat Yourself option. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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This tea house provides the perfect balance between English tea and Asian tea traditions. With serving tea and goodies like an English high tea, there were so many Asian flavors between the tea and treats. I opted for the peach elixir which was heavenly. I also really loved the miso hummus toast. All together, this afternoon was nothing short of scrumptious. read more

Callisto Tea House - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Wow we saw really good reviews and decided to give it a try and it did not disappoint! We ordered the afternoon tea service with gong fu tea, which was absolutely lovely! The spreads on the toasts are very unique (savory) and tasted really fresh! We got the hummus, red peppers, and the one with the cucumber - every single of them was delicious! We also had two cupcakes of choice and scones that come with cream and jam. We chose diamond cutter as our gong fu tea of choice. If you are serious about tea and are ready to take it to the next level from tea bags, give gong fu tea a try! They also have small board games to borrow while you sip on some high quality tea! Service was absolutely amazing! Highly recommend to book an appointment (they also take walk-ins). There is parking at the back! read more

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Such a cozy, welcoming spot! We received THE BEST service and were so patiently educated on the wonderful teas. The eats were top notch and you could taste everything in the teas exactly as described. The quality was superior and we especially enjoyed the Gong Fu service. read more

Great place to hang out or get some quiet me time. This is a tea house with pastries, afternoon tea set and mini toasts. Aesthetic interior and minimal design. Not bare but allow the mind to get creative. Large selection of tea from darjeeling black tea, puerh, jasmine, oolong, fruit/ herbal tea sourced from japan, india etc. Cold brew also available. We tried all four flavors of minitoasts. All taste very good. We ordered three sets to share. Each set comes with two mini toasts. As for tea, my favorite is silver spring which is a white tea from india. Light with a hint of floral scent. My second favorite is peach Elixir which is caffeine free. It is rooibos tea and lovely peachy aroma. Excellent service. Private lot Parking in the back. read more

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Absolutely perfect tea shop. The tea was phenomenal, the inside is sooo clean and inviting, Employees are so lovely, well decorated and aesthetic, 10/10 experience. Will be coming back again read more

Callisto Tea House - Journaling, and enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie with my earl grey - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

I came to Callisto in late June ( 27th, 2024). My best friend and I enjoyed the afternoon tea service. Everything was so tasty! We both had the Muhammara mini toast and the Tea Time Mini toast. My friend also had the avocado mini toast, and I had the black sesame mini toast. So many flavors and they were all amazing. The lemon ginger scones were so flavorful and the chocolate peanut butter cupcakes were light and fluffy, and the peanut butter frosting was so thick and awesome! The owner of Callisto was also our server. She is a lovely, sweet soul, with a welcoming spirit. All of the food is made in house, except a few of the items in the pastry case. A calm, peaceful environment. I highly recommend and I hope I get to go back again, soon! read more

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The first time I heard of this place was at Alhambra Library where the owner did a mooncake & tea tasting. I learned a lot about the tea-making process and both the mooncakes and tea were delicious, so I finally stopped by to try out their afternoon tea service. The toasts, scones and cookies were very filling and paired well with the teas we chose. I really like the atmosphere of the tea house-- there is even a mini library with books about tea and miscellaneous topics. I came back again to try the tea & cheese tasting and was pleasantly surprised with the different notes in the teas provided. It's a nice cozy place to read/work or catch up with friends while having tea and snacks, and the owner/workers are very knowledgeable and also a pleasure to interact with. I will definitely be returning to try more teas! read more

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Had an amazing tea tasting experience at Callisto! Came across this place in a Google search and had the pleasure of hearing from Nathan about tea brewing techniques and the origin of each tea. We did the 45 minute custom tea tasting and it was such a peaceful and fun experience (make online reservations through the phone) Parking was a bit difficult as this lot is shared with other businesses and you need to get the parking permit from them to park there. My party of six tried four teas: - Indonesian Oolong - First Snow Jasmine - Wild White Longevity -Hummingbird Out of the four teas, I liked Indonesian oolong the most. It was a very unique and nutty flavor. I also really appreciated how Nathan walked us through how to brew different types of tea and at what temperatures. He showed us how the timing of tea brewing can greatly enhance the tea flavor. I also got to see and try the gong fu tea brewing method, which was steeping tea leaves in iterations of small intervals. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here and would highly recommend this place for people who want an aunthetic tea tasting experience. read more

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Such a wonderful experience at this tea house the owners explained the teas and experience of brewing at the table and the food and tea was awesome ! Such a hidden gem in Pasadena can't miss this experience read more

Amazing tea house. Love how it is own and run by the sweetest couple truly honoring, educating about, and respecting Chinese tea traditions along with women and LGBTQ friendly teas. I am especially excited about their drag king history tea sampler box where we can educate ourselves about fabulous drag queen from the Tang dynasty onward with proceeds benefiting LGBTQ and drag king friendly organizations. We especially adored our Valentine weekend tea sampling service where we learned about traditional Chinese teas white green yellow and Gongfu style with the cutest animal ornaments changing color in hot water. Above all, appreciated their both gluten free AND vegan tea tasting treats as this is a rare gem to find. Will return again and again for these delicious teas, friendly down to earth owners and staff, sweetest cottage plant ambiance style and more. a true Pasadena all time favorite read more

Callisto Tea House - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

Cute interior design. Space did not feel overwhelming. Informative descriptions of all of the teas they offer. They have both hot and cold brewed teas. I got the tea that helps with digestion and it sure helped a ton with the bloating I was dealing with that day. read more

The restaurant has a small parking lot to its side. There was surprisingly quite a few cars. Once inside we were given a stamped paper and tokd to go out and put on the dash of our cars. I had made a reservation for afternoon tea to celebrate our friend's birthday. We usually try to make it a bit special. I had asked if they do anything for birthdays and they said no. When asked if I can bring a candle they had said candles would be no problem as there is a cupcake as part of the service and she would put a note in the system so that the cake comes later so it wouldn't be weird. Upon arrival tea service comes with your choice of tea, 3 kinds of toast, a scone, and your choice of cupcake or blondie. All 3 kinds of toasts were unique in flavor. All very good. Can't say which is my favorite as I enjoyed them all. The scone was a good texture as well. As for dessert we had tried both and I couldn't taste ube in the blondie so I prefer the peanut butter chocokate cupcake. What my friends and I were a bit disappointed in was that unlike other teaspots you are not given refills of your tea. I was also disappointed for my friend because they apparently didn't put the birthday note bc the cupcake arrived on her tier and with no candle. I came prepared luckily and stuck my own candle for her. So just a note if you're wanting to do something special you'll need to set that up on your own. Also there is a 2 hour seating limit. It's a bit small so not too much seating. For quality of food tho it was pretty good. read more

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Such a nice break to come to Callisto for tea and toast! Sat outside for the first time with my pups while enjoying. They have a few tables and chairs and umbrellas out front. Inside is cute, clean, and welcoming as usual! Had the turmeric ginger pot of tea for a caffeine free option as well as their avocado toast and black sesame toast. read more

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Vegan Review Love this place 10/10 I had been once before and decided to go again. Make a reservation because they are always prepared with a tea cup setting, a live plant and menu I had tea service which comes with an option for tea hot/ cold and some sweets, bread with spread and I did the additional treat yourself for some dried fruit, the sesame bread and nuts. The seasonal blueberry scone with vegan cream and orange marmalade to spread was excellent. Always more than what I can eat in one sitting and I enjoy reading so the book shelf had games and books you could enjoy while you wait. There was this amazing book about female heroes and I was here for it. I will be back read more

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Lovely afternoon tea! There's a peaceful ambience and it was very relaxing for a rainy day. I was able to just enjoy the company of someone while staying cozy with many brews of tea. The food was also yummy, I enjoyed the miso toast and muhamarra toast! The people at the tea house were very nice and good at explaining the different tea notes/sourcing process. read more

Callisto Tea House - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

We held our book club here and everyone loved it!!! The tea, food, atmosphere and service were all excellent!!! We will absolutely be back! Also, for the price was great! It was less than $40/person after tax and tip. It is a smaller space, so I called ahead for a reservation for a party of 7. read more

Callisto Tea House - Book Club! - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Totally cool owners and equally awesome tea house. I recommend taking one of their weekend tea classes to learn more about tea and the great benefits from certain types of tea. read more

Been a few times and had a fabulous time always. I love all the vegan options and ambiance. Great for vegans and non vegans alike! read more

Callisto Tea House - Afternoon tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I wanted to do something special for my milestone birthday last month so some friends joined me at Callisto Tea House in Pasadena. They have a Gong Fu Style tea experience which is their traditional Chinese tea service, where tea is brewed at the table in a small clay pot. After drinking each pot, the leaves are brewed again, allowing you to experience the way the tea develops as the leaves open up. Since I was turning 40 I opted for Longevity. It was so light and perfect. We also tried their Dragon Girl and Fairy Fire. Love the names and their taste! Each of them had their own unique flavor, and they were some of her best teas I've tried! It all came with the Traditional Afternoon Tea service which includes 3 savory mini-toasts (their take on the classic tea sandwich), 1 scone with cream and jam, choice of cupcake or blondie. Everything was so yummy and I can't wait to come back to try their tea tastings next time! read more

Callisto Tea House - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

Cute little tea house by the mountains. Always welcoming and services are warm and quick. Great offering and I also love the cold brews! They have tea sets and mini toasts. You can try taste the difference in homemade sourdough bread!!! read more

Callisto Tea House has been a favorite of mine for at least a year, yet I haven't shared until now. I've been selfish, trying to keep the place my little secret. But that's not fair. Callisto deserves the praise and to reap the accolades of embodying exactly what a teahouse should be. Any place can sell a decent cup of tea, or have a clever interior with relatable artwork, but the true spirit of tea is in the experience. A teahouse should be welcoming, offering hospitality with an unassuming and gentle aesthetic. A place for a kind conversation, and for thoughtfulness. That is a teahouse, and that is exactly what Callisto offers. Each time I walk through the door, I can feel tension leave my shoulders. Sometimes I stop by for a quick visit, sometimes I linger for hours, but long stay or short, I enjoy every minute. The tea is top notch, and expertly prepared. The crew knows how to represent each variety to guide you towards exactly what you're looking for. I'm partial to hot tea, but Callisto brings an excellent iced tea preparation and cold brews that stand tall on 100-degree days. The tea list is updated periodically, as it should be, as certain options are seasonal. And if you're looking to bring a piece home with you, they have loose leaf and teaware for sale. There is an assortment of light bites that pair seamlessly with the tea. I love the scones, generally savory. And they have mini toasts with toppings ranged from local marmalades, roasted red pepper spread with walnut, cucumber with herbed cashew cream cheese, and more. Plus a few baked goods appropriate for those who like something a bit sweet. The scones, the sourdough for the toasts, the cookies, it's all baked in house, and it's all delicious. Callisto is always a little busy without being too busy. It's a place to read, catch up with a pal, or get some work done. It's the little things that take this shop to the next level, and I think they get that. I'm a fan of how they always ask if I would like to choose my own teacup from their collection. I generally ask them to surprise me. And when they bring me a particular cup because it's their favorite and they want to tell me about it, I can see the chat as the genuine gesture of connection that it is. If you need a cup of tea, yes. If you want to learn about tea, yes. If you're a tea veteran and have been looking for a local place to kick back and recharge, yes. I've chatted with the owners and they are lovely people, you can tell that this teahouse is a work of passion for them. And that positivity really shines through in their work and the establishment as a whole. I've had a handful of favorite teahouses over the years, but it had been a while. I am very lucky to have Callisto in the neighborhood. read more

Callisto Tea House - Mini Toasts: Muhammara & Tea Time - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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A fantastic little gem a friend introduced me to! Not only is the name cool, but so is this space! It's more of an Asian teatime, with Asian snacks and inspired flavors for their baked goods! I don't know all the much about the different kinds of tea, but the person allowed us to ask as many questions as we wanted and let us smell the fragrances to decide what tea we wanted. Not only that, we got to choose our dainty cups and paired with some delicious snacks. It was a perfect place to chat and have a delicous pot of tea! Their service was top notch, I didn't feel rushed at all, had all my questions answered, and everyone was incredibly welcoming! I can see what all the rave was about!! Stop by with a dear friend to chat and enjoy some tea and snacks together. It's one of those things where you get to take it slow and enjoy the company. (the yummy snacks don't hurt, either!) read more

Callisto Tea House - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

Just have to update this sweet small business. The food is outstanding. The tea service is excellent and unique if you're looking for something like tea but not British...small bites, sweets and great tea!! read more

I really enjoyed my experience. The new afternoon tea is very delicious, but only available on weekends. I thought that Nathan and Wendy were so knowledgeable in their craft and so easy to talk to. You could definitely just come here to relax or just to kill time. There's so much to do. I thought that the food was really good, and I loved how they bake so much of their own products. Highly recommend adding on a gong fu tea service. I personally really enjoyed my 20 year old pu-er tea from Yunnan. read more

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Ooooo la la! I found a hidden gem in Pasadena/Altadena/SGV area! Came here for the afternoon tea (RSVP in advance) and it was so delightful. it is not the traditional english tea where you can get elsewhere. the afternoon tea has a modern twist, and has more unique choices of tea. ordered the First Snow Jasmine and Hummingbird. The jasmine was so fragrant. you could smell it from the moment it was poured and it continued to my taste buds, it was just so perfect. hummingbird was different than other black tea I've tried, it has a warming aftertaste. neither of the tea has the typical bitterness; you know the tea is brewed to perfection. the afternoon tea menu: the 3 little toasts, scone and the cupcakes were served in the perfect portion. everything was absolutely delicious. I usually don't care for cupcakes BUT these are so moist and light. worth every calories! my favorite was the red pepper toast, I need to come back for more of them, and get more of the first snow jasmine or try their other goodies. they also have cold brewed tea, i think it would be so refreshing on a hot day. they let you smell the loose tea before you decide if this is something you want to try. you can tell the owners are very passionate about tea. everything in the store, from the tea, goodies down to the decor and display, reflect their hard work, and how much they want to share this with the community. Please do yourself a favor and come check this place out! read more

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Kinda pricey for tea IMHO. Loose leaf and brewed to order. You have the option of using sugar syrup or agave to sweeten (and can customize sweetness level). Friend said the avocado toast was slightly salty but good flavor. The pandan cookie tasted like a sugar cookie -- it had a garnish of dried mango pieces which didn't really add to the flavor, but did make it more aesthetically pleasing. read more

Callisto Tea House - Avocado toast and cucumber toast - Tea Rooms Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I thoroughly enjoyed this tea house and will definitely be back! The service was impeccable and the tea and tasty treats tasted even better than they look! We sat outside for about three hours enjoying our afternoon tea and spilling the tea LOL read more

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I love tea houses and have been to a fair share of them, so when a video of Callisto Tea House came up on my TikTok feed, I bookmarked it immediately. What caught my attention was the Asian-flavored snacks such as the black sesame toast. Anything black sesame, I'm sold. The outside of this place was a bit deceiving. What looks like a boring medical strip mall with a small parking lot in the back, they transformed the interior of this tea house into a cozy and well-designed space. Their menu offered about 8-10 options for tea and some snacks, albeit smaller than what I've seen at other tea houses. I was a bit disappointed that 2 of the 4 mini toast flavors weren't available, so we had to settle on the black sesame toast and cucumber (2 mini toasts for $6). Once you place your order for tea, they have a wall of tea cups you can select, which is a cute touch. They have some other desserts available such as scones, cookies, and brownies, but we'd just come from lunch so preferred to get something light. We tried a few different green tea blends and the mini toast and enjoyed everything. However, the biggest bummer was that they did not offer refills. At other tea houses I'd been to, there were loose tea leaves in the pot that we could continue to refill with hot water. read more

In a love affair with Callisto was dangerous but this story ends happily in a lemniscate loop. Impeccable service along with a chill vibe made this experience unforgettable. Starting off with the Gung Fu service that came with my choice of white longevity tea and a couple of extras. This service comes with toast and I went with the avocado, black sesame, muhammara and tea time. They were all flavorful and paired well with my tea and other teas I tried out. Besides what I mentioned I also went with the Ube blonde with a sprinkle of salted caramel. This was an O to the M to the G moment! Definitely Mouthgasm certified and something I'm still thinking about. Besides my first tea that I mentioned I also had their glowing embers and Peles glow. I mean I enjoy tea but this made me love it now! I'm not going to describe all of them but I can honestly say they were all amazing. And that's where the awesome customer service comes in the mix. He explained how to bring out the flavor of the tea along with using an hourglass. He also poured a little hot water onto a cat which turned a different color when done so. Instead of thinking about this tea spot I highly recommend you actually going. And that's my take on this epic tea journey. Peace out... read more

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