I came here on a weekday afternoon, where it was peaceful but there were a few other customers. The…read moreemployee was friendly and was wearing a high quality mask which I appreciated. They have an extensive menu of tea, I decided to get the black mango tea, which is indicated as high caffeine. They told me to keep it to less than 1 min steeping or else it gets oversteeped. They were prompt with coming out with my tea leaves and teapot, and gave me a towel to put your teapot on in case of spills It was bitter, but definitely has the fruity notes I was seeking. I was able to make several potfuls of tea which still had some flavor in them, so the leaves seemed to do well with re-steeping. They provided me with a kettle so I could continually reboil the water, so I felt it was decent value (since total it cost only slightly more than the average boba costs nowadays). I'm thinking I'd like to get the lychee or hojicha next time. The worker didn't mention to me if they offer milk, which I wish they did. But they do sell snacks. The bathroom is clean. They have free wifi but the day I was there, unfortunately they were having issues with the wifi. They have a 2 hour time limit on weekends, but no limit on weekdays. I appreciate that they have outdoor seating, for those who are airborne illness conscious, and also so you can enjoy nature and sunshine while having your tea. A lovely spot overall, right on San Pablo Ave so you can take the 72 bus lines to reach it.

My best friend and I were so bored this summer, we made it our mission to find experience based…read morefood/eats. We stumbled upon this place on social media and wanted to check it out. It is such a vibe. There's street parking (limited) we ended up parking 10 mins away from a public parking spot. We got the four seasons tea (they charge $3 per extra person for a cup) so for us two, it was only $3 extra on top of cost of the tea. We ended up spending $20 for tea for us both and the little snacks (pineapple bites and mochi). For the experience I'd say the pricing was worth it and especially if you are a tea connoisseur. Keep in mind, if you do go, you have to talk quietly since it's a quiet ambient atmosphere

Who knew you could have a tea flight? I didn't before visiting this spot…read more First of all, the ambiance speaks for itself, but the service is what set this experience over the top! I appreciate the detail Kebzie shared about each tea. I learned that certain teas can be steeped multiple times, changing the flavor profile. My favorite tea changed throughout the tasting experience due to this. I appreciate that each tea was labeled with the number of recommended steeps and the best temperature to pour the water. We were also given a tea pet which was perfect because my friend and I were discussing our intentions for the coming season. We were both very stressed from work and just life in general so this is just the type of experience we needed. We were able to slow down & enjoy each other's company all while learning more about tea (we're tea obsessed). Thank you so much to the Blue Willow team! My only complaint is that there are limited food options (the snickerdoodle cookie was excellent!). I say this as more of a warning so people don't come hungry, but it didn't take away from the experience. One final note: "If you get a few leaves in your sipping cup it's good luck" ~Kebzie

I'm new to the Bay and trying to actually explore, so I'm really glad I found this place…read more I came with a friend on a slow Sunday around 4pm. Parking was pretty easy, though there aren't a ton of spots. Since it wasn't busy, we got a lot of attention and guidance on the teas, how to steep them, and what to pay attention to while drinking. We did the 3-tea flight ($25 + $3 per extra cup) and both got a snickerdoodle cookie, which was really nice alongside the teas since they were served without added sugar. This was the first time I think I actually understood tea descriptions. Earthy? Apparently that means I might feel like a little glistening frog licking a water droplet off a leaf in a swamp during the fall . I learned earthy teas probably aren't for me. But then you'll be sipping something, slightly lost, and suddenly be like....wait, I taste the chocolate! The plum? Brown sugar?? You start connecting the descriptions to what you're tasting and learning your own preferences: hotter or cooler, longer or shorter steep, which flavors you keep going back to. The changes between steeps are subtle, which I think is important to know if you're new to tea. It's less about huge flavors hitting your taste buds and more about slowing down enough to notice. We also had a little owl tea pet that we poured water over while setting intentions for our goals. As our conversation moved through life, plans and where we both are right now, I started to understand how tea becomes a ritual. Water to leaf, leaf to tea, tea to you, then back to the leaf for another steep. Calmingly informational is probably the best way I can describe it. I learned about tea, learned a little about myself, had a great conversation with my friend, and left understanding why the whole process can feel so grounding. Sooo I'd definitely come back! I think it's especially nice for catching up with someone when you actually want to sit and talk, a quieter date, or even just trying something you haven't done before.

Ended up here for an impromptu tea experience because we had no idea what we were doing. We tried…read moretwo different tea leaves; I only remember mine being the duck sh!t one. Wasn't blown away by it but always nice to try different tea.

Came with a friend to drink tea and chat. Got here right as it opened on a Friday and the small lot…read morefilled up fast. But most people were in and out. No reservation, just shared two pots gaiwan style, one pu'er and one white tea that they recommended. Sat outside and it was so lovely. I have my own gaiwan and am familiar with that style but was a bit surprised they didn't offer any instruction on using it. But they were so friendly when helping us choose our teas I'm sure they would have if we asked for help. They pre-rinsed the tea leaves and left us a hot thermos of water that we used to brew our teas. Friend bought her own gaiwan and some teas on our way out. They have so many cute teapots for sale, I suspect many are handmade.

at this point I have tried most of the Matcha places in downtown and this is the only one I have…read moregone back to multiple times. The Matcha is always a beautiful bright green color with a large depth of flavor. both the hot matcha and strawberry iced matter matcha are my favorite depending on the weather. Also they have adorable tea and California enamel Pins for sale at reasonable prices. I can get my morning cane and birthday present shopping done on the same day.

I moved to Berkeley about a month ago, and Asha quickly became one of my go-to spots for matcha. I…read morelove the vibe and decor of the cafe, the baristas have always been sweet and friendly, and the menu has a great selection. I especially appreciate that they have genmaicha, which can be harder to find. Their version has a distinct roasted tea flavor that doesn't taste watered down, which I love. Their strawberry matcha is also delicious, with a fresher, juicier strawberry flavor than a lot of other spots. I would honestly give this location 5 stars based on the drinks and regular barista interactions alone, but my last experience was really off-putting. I noticed that people often study there with laptops, so I came in with mine and brought a small lunch from Oori down the street to make a morning out of it. I've done this before without issue, but this time, a woman with crazy eyes who seemed to have a higher role came out and very abruptly scolded me, saying, "You CAN'T eat outside food here," while aggressively pointing toward the door as if I needed to leave immediately. I completely understand having a no-outside-food policy, and I would have had no problem following it if it had been communicated respectfully. But the way she approached me felt unnecessarily harsh and honestly pretty upsetting. I apologized right away, packed everything up in a panic, and left. After processing it, I realized how inappropriate the interaction felt for something that could have been addressed with a simple, polite reminder. Overall, Asha has great matcha, a cute space, and friendly baristas, but that experience really left a bad taste in my mouth. Just a heads up: the drinks are good, but you may want to be careful about bringing outside food in, because the policy might be enforced in a pretty unpleasant way.

AI Slop photos for their drinks and menu :(…read more Drinks were just Okay. Would not go back unless it was the only option. Decent place to study.

Advertisements for the latest Matcha are around but I would go for the coffee. Arabic music plays…read moreand the decorations are reflective of their culture. Brought me back to my childhood in Saudi Arabia. The barista was welcoming and the overall vibe was quiet even with the music. I would come here to study. I ordered the orange blossom mint decaf and it was delicious. I should have gotten the Turkish coffee but my body can't handle the caffeine.

What a delightful find after a morning of bike ride into Berkeley. We stashed our bikes and…read morequickly became immersed with the variety of colorful, tantalizing pastries beautifully displayed inside the cafe. Eclairs galore! Friendly server quickly got our tea and iced latte out. I also couldn't resist a chocolate dipped scallop shaped cookie which turned out to be two sandwiched together. Very flaky texture and lightly sweetened which was perfect. We saw that they also offered different savory sandwiches and a "French taco" lol. Will have to return and try next time!

This spot is so underrated. It should be a viral sensation simply for the insane amount of…read moreoptions!! It was such a treat to see so many beautiful desserts. The staff working was so helpful and answered all of our questions. I'll def be back to try some savory options. Loved the mango passionfruit tart/eclair!

Cute store. Very clean. I like that they display each donut and muffin in the case with its name…read moreand price (vs just a list of flavors on a menu) so you can see exactly what you're getting. The lady at the counter was super nice and personable. She was easy to talk to and friendly. She asked if we wanted our treats warmed up but since I was taking mine home, she recommended to heat it up for 45 seconds at home. Thank you!! I ordered: * black sesame mochi muffin - nice chew, great sesame flavor, and not too sweet * churro mochi muffin - covered in cinnamon sugar, so good. Great texture as well. * banana bread pudding - looks so ooey and gooey! I took an edge piece because I like the chewy crispy texture. Love to return when I'm back in the area.

Clueless staff during today's visit, at least they were honest about not being to answer my…read morequestions. They offered to show me an allergen sheet but it had nothing related to drinks on it which was what my question was about. Worthless stop today. Kinda made going out of the way in the future not likely!

Such a cool place. Never been to a cafe that has so many South Asian inspired beverages!…read more I got a summer special, a Rasmalai chai einspanner. It was super fragrant and creamy, not too sweet! Service at the register and at the bar was very quick.

Food 4 Service 4…read moreAmbiance 3 Saturday walk in for my Karak Chai fix. Staff friendly and helpful. Explained answer to questions on menu efficiently. Kind and seem to enjoy working at the location. We ordered the Karak Chai, Orange Saffron Latte ,Elachi bun and aloo tikka wrap. Parking is tad difficult on the street, they do have close by parking garages and lots. Interior clean, exterior could be tad cleaner.