I'm so glad they moved to San Pablo Avenue, within walking distance of my house. The tea here is affordable compared to other tea bars in Berkeley. What is most refreshing about this place is that it is free of any hint of tea-snobbery. They are eager to answer your questions and help you learn how to steep the tea yourself. The snacks are good (mmm, Macha trail mix) but expensive. The lunch boxes are...well, I could have bought the same bento boxes from Berkeley Bowl. I would only buy the lunch here because it's convenient. And sometimes, when you're sitting with a friend, drinking smooth, flavorful tea and listening to the in-store fountain, you don't want to get up to go get lunch anywhere else. read more

Delightful place for a quiet conversation over tea or study nook. They have a great variety of loose leaf teas here, and all that I have tried are delicious. At the counter you can order snacks like mochi, taro buns, almonds, dates and the sort that go so well with the tea. This is one of the most relaxing places to sit and clear the mind while getting work done, in the Bay Area. read more

Far Leaves Tea - Li Shan High Mountain oolong - Tea Rooms Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love that this place is so close to where I live, and hate that it took me so long to find it! Fantastic alternative to a coffee shop if you want to work, read or catch up with people in a chill and mellow laid back setting. They have a very wide range of teas to choose from, and the staff is super helpful in making recommendations. Their black teas are fantastic; I tried the Darjeeling, Choc Almond and the Rose Grey, and look forward to trying the rest soon. They also sell teapots and accessories that every tea enthusiast should check out! read more

Great spot for tea. I'm so glad this place is doing well! When it first opened years ago, I didn't think it would survive. I love sipping a pot in the upstairs alcove. With its tatami mat and minimalist surroundings, you do feel like you have escaped urban life - if only until your pot is empty. The automatic pots are pretty cool - I always try to figure out the science behind how they work...how can a pot know that it needs to be heated again? If you come here only to buy tea, there is a wide variety of all types. There tends to be more emphasis on more "purist" teas. Rather than the "trendier" teas you might find at Teavana, for instance. Don't come here if you have a restless child - too many breakable things! read more

Three and a half, this place has a good selection of teas and the lady behind the counter was very nice at suggesting one and allowing us to smell the leaves. She seemed genuinely interested in taking the time. I like the automatic heating pots on each table- as tea drinkers know, temperature of your water is optimal. This place is getting a little rundown though, needs a little more plaster on the walls- at least over the holes, maybe a new coat of paint. I'm sure its going for that rustic look, but I think a little sprucing up wouldn't hurt. read more

Far Leaves is a cozy little piece of paradise tucked away in an inconspicuous little shop off San Pablo that most would probably miss. Perfect place to retreat, relax, catch up with friends or make new ones, or simply just get some work done away from the hustle and bustle of campus. The selection of teas is incredible and will transport you to a new world. read more

Far Leaves Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Berkeley, California

Hidden gem Hidden gem!!!! This place sets me back home for some reason. I love going to real tea houses and this definitely gives the vibe of Berkeley. I've been trying to find a place like this in San Jose to take my beau but so glad that I was able to do this with my cousin. I have to say that I love it here and definitely would come back. Just hard on the bladder because I kept waking up several times throughout the night. read more

I used to go to Far Leaves when they were in a small space on College Avenue many years ago. On a recent trip to Berkeley, I was very happy to check out their new location - much more spacious, but still with the peaceful vibe I remembered. The Green Goddess oolong was perfect to sip and I spent a quiet afternoon reading and unwinding. I wish we had something similar in L.A.! read more

I was craving the Japanese Teagarden in SF, but couldn't really get out there. So... went to Far Leaves. The young woman behind the counter was very friendly and knowledgable. She helped me pick out tea, I was in the mood for some Oolong. Mmm... I sat upstairs and just chilled out. It was about 11 am on Saturday so it was relatively quiet. Seems like a really relaxing place to hang out and talk with a small group of people. On a side note, she let me bring in sushi from the spot next door! ;) don't tell! And she even watched my stuff while I ran over there. As far as the other review that said it needs paint and the like... I don't think so. That is the vibe it is giving, it's not snobby or pretentious, it's real. I wanted to give it 4.5. read more

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I had high hopes for this place, since I've been searching for a "real" tea shop that had a wide selection of teas, a quiet space, and relaxing environment. Disclaimer: When I came here, I was not expecting this place to be a ~trendy~ boba/PMT place, I wanted actual unsweetened, unaltered, and natural tea. AMBIANCE: When I walked in late afternoon, it was pretty dim inside and the layout was a little awkward. I ordered a hojicha and looked for a place to settle down with a book. Normally, it would undoubtedly be a quiet space, but another group in the back could be heard easily since the space is small. There are a variety of chairs and seating options (tatami mat, traditional Chinese carved wooden seats and stools), but they're not really suited for long term sitting. There are cushions, but they've gotten pretty thin over time. Presentation is great - glass teapot, glass cup - but the refill kettle kind of threw off the vibe a little. TEAS: Tea-wise, there were a great variety, but the oolong options were limited, so I opted for a hojicha. The hojicha wasn't bad, but it did taste like the hojicha I bought at the supermarket for $4 a box. This isn't really a place if you like the flowery/perfumed/fruity/artificial-ish teas from David's Tea, Teavana, or Lupica, but they do have some teas on the list that tend to be more "flavorful". Although this place has an Eastern vibe, they seemed to have a better stock (and diversity) of western teas. SERVICE: Service was okay, didn't really need help with choosing tea, but wasn't offered help anyways. TL;DR: 3/5 Ambiance - a good place to get work done, but not a great place to settle in comfortably 3/5 Tea - options are limited on the oolong/eastern tea front, quality makes pricing questionable. 4/5 Service - Bare minimum read more

Far Leaves Tea - Tea Rooms Near Me - Berkeley, California

A quiet hideaway to meet a friend to connect over aromatic tea and sweet treats. Friendly service and great selection of teas! We really enjoyed it :) read more

Ahhhh. Now I see what my friends were talking about when they said this is a beautiful place to hang out. The vibe here is awesome! I came here to work on my laptops. They have free WiFi and tables for laptops. They also have couches and other areas to sit that are more for socializing than working, which is great. The Rest Well tea is sublime. I didn't expect to drink it as fast as I did. Will definitely be back! read more

My wife and I were big fans of Far Leaves before they moved to San Pablo from their College Ave location. We were skeptical when we visited the new location, as we had built a routine around their previous location which was great for a shop/stroll before or after tea. But the new location is really starting to grown on me. It's become a once-a-week, get away from the office location where I can get some work done and have a great pot of tea in a pleasant environment. Tea selections, as in their previous location, and staff knowledge about tea and it's preparation is outstanding. They'll do a gung fu tea presentation for you if you ask or even offer samplings of a particular tea you're unsure about. Very helpful. Highly recommend the rare Oolongs and Japanese greens. Mochi selection offers a few interesting choices including molasses. A great place to pause, read a book and talk with friends. I do wish they had foods more available, I know that they're lunch / meal traffic probably isn't enough to support edibles, but it would be a nice-to-have. read more

Awesome space, good tea. Good place to sit and catch up for a couple of hours with friends on the weekends. Once I came here during a work day and there were a bunch of people on laptops who looked perturbed that I was having a conversation. I don't know who the asshole was but it seems to me that if you want/need perfect quiet you should bring ear plugs or not be in a public place? I'm unclear about what the expectations are I guess. The mochi is yummy and pu-er takes many steeping. read more

Tea drinkers should certainly seek this place out. Lovely ambiance and a great selection of teas and teaware. I had an Alishan High Mountain oolong, a first flush Darjeeling (I forget if this was 2016 or 2017, and I also forgot to check the tea estate), and a pu-ehr "minibrick". I steeped the oolong and pu-ehr over and over again. I had terrific assistance from an associate whose name might have been Brad. I'll definitely return. read more

Far Leaves Tea - A tea flight with professional tasting cups. - Tea Rooms Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is my favorite tea place ever. Delicious tea, calming atmosphere and none of the preciousness I dislike in most others spots. This will be a regular place for me to return to. read more

This is one of my favorite places to study in the bay area. I'm more partial to tea than to coffee but find myself at coffee shops more often due to better ambience/quality of the drinks. However, this place satisfies all my needs. Ordering: You order at the counter but you don't pay until you leave. After ordering, take a seat and the server will bring your tea to you - cup, pot, and small pitcher to hold the tea in after it is done infusing. You will also get a 1L electric kettle to refill as you wish. Drinks: All of the teas I've had are very solid. My favorite is the Dong Ding Oolong - it is a bit more floral than other oolong teas like Tieguanyin. They also have a variety of puer (they're REALLY strong though) and white teas or flavored black teas for those who want something more mild. I'm also quite partial to the peach black tea here. Food: The buns they have are good, although I know that they just buy it from 99 ranch or something lol. I've had both the taro and the veggie bun (veggie bun has carrot and gobo or burdock root in it). Ambience: Lighting is a little dim but enough to read a book, sketch, or study. Most of the times it's very quiet in here but occasionally there will be larger groups that come and that can be very loud and disruptive. If you're looking for a place to have a loud conversation I wouldn't recommend this place because it detracts from the overall peaceful atmosphere. Price: Everything is pretty expensive, but what isn't in Berkeley? Service: My biggest pet peeve about this place is that for something that has such a variety of quality teas, the servers don't offer any help or explanation about teas unless you ask. For the price I'd expect them to be more helpful as you peruse the menu but they kind of just stare at you and wait for you to order rather than offering any suggestions. Overall Far Leaves helps me to focus in a quiet space. Due to the distance from Cal it is never crowded when I come which is why I love coming here so much. Great place to just chill on a rainy day even if you don't have any work to do. read more

A lovely little tea shop on College that's worth a visit if your in the neighborhood. They serve and sell a large variety of teas from Taiwan, China and Japan. The oolongs are my favorite, but then again, the best oolongs are from my motherland, so I'm terribly biased. The pricing is fair and they give you a large pot of water to use on the self-boiling plates at each table so you can get multiple brews from one little cup. Which is lost on me if the tea is caffeinated at all... By the end of my second cup, I'm feeling jittery and headache-y. LAME. I love the set up of the store though the sound does carry up from the bottom floor if you are sitting upstairs. If you do sit upstairs, try to get a seat on the tatami mats. So nice. I consider this a coffee shop splurge. Oh, and they don't have wifi. Leave your laptop at home and bring a book. read more

This is one of the newer spots in the East Bay side of my coffee/ tea house rotation. For selfish reasons, i probably shouldn't review it cuz i like to keep little gems like this to myself, except i think they need the business - it's sort of hidden amongst everything else on that busy College/ Ashby corner - and they don't seem to garner a lot of traffic. Far leaves has a great selection of Japanese and Chinese teas of all varieties - oolong, green, white, etc - all of which are very reasonably priced, and provides a very relaxed and chill vibe. Unless you're a tea expert and sure you know what you want, i'd recommend having a staff person walk you through the menu. They can give you some suggestions and will let you smell the tea leaves before you commit to one. While I really, really dig this place it doesn't get 5 stars simply because the decor is a bit austere & the lay-out is a tad wonky - there are couple chill-out cushiony spots for bigger groups, but the small wooden desks and angular chairs upstairs look like they were pulled from a 1950's grade school. This is okay for Cal students and no-frills working people (like myself), but their not entirely comfortable for anybody else who wants to come and hang with a friend or two and talk. Also - beyond a very limited selection of light snacks, they don't serve much in the way of food. Not really a big deal though, as you can bring your own grinds in from one of the many eateries in the neighborhood, and they only charge you a nominal fee ($2). Overall - a great antidote to the insidious Strabucks phenomenon. East Bayers should support this place! read more

I'm so blessed to have found a cozy tea house. Susan is right! Hidden gem fits the description perfectly. I've been on the hunt for a moderately cheap tea house where I can indulge in good tea. This is it! The staff are knowledgeable and conversational. They let you smell test the teas. That process in and of itself is a whole experience considering their wide selection in teas. I had the Everyday Green Tea and it was the bomb! They gave it to me in a pot that I can conveniently reheat with their wicked reheating device. It had that kelpy flavor that I like. Don't forget to grab the Jasmine Biscotti! It'll send you to John Mayer's Wonderland. If that doesn't do it for people, you get your teas in perfectly-sized ceramic pots which doesn't make you feel like your hand is about to fall apart b/c it's so damn large. Plus, they have tatami tables. All in all, Far Leaves Tea is the perfect place to lounge for hours. I call it my post-yoga restorative sanctuary. There's no other place like it. read more

This place is reminiscent of Samovar in SF, but more casual and more reasonalby priced. There should be more comfortable seating I think...but the idea is cute....sitting on pillows on raised platforms and having a personal kettle on a burner... The tea selection is great too. Ok here is the part I really want to get to: they don't rinse the tea before they serve it. If you've been tea-tasting (or to Samovar) you've noticed that the tea leaves are wet (from being rinsed twice already) and that's how it was meant to be. This isnt a big deal at all bc you can do it yourself if you really care, but I just felt like being a smart-ass and sharing that... Cute place in general, peaceful enough to study, maybe too peaceful (you might just fall asleep with all that serenity...), but a bit of a walk from campus. Oh yeah! Friendly service :) read more

This scores a perfect 5 when it comes to Tea Houses. It's exactly what a tea-house should be. Really neat atmosphere, excellent selection of teas, and delicious cookies, what could be better? I love the seating, with the little tables and the pillows for chairs - its definitely a great pre-date sort of place, or place to go have a long chat with your girlfriends. read more

Where was this place for the past couple years I've lived around the area? I love tea, and the selection here is SO vast! Service : Came into the store 10 minutes after opening (2PM on Sundays) and there were two groups besides mine. The shop owners explained the differences between green,oolong,black, and pure (pronounced poo-ehr, had no idea!) and how they're made. 30 second tea lesson, check! :D Tea : Ordered the simple genmaicha tea (I'm not too adventurous yet). They brought us the tea in a little glass pot along with a kettle of water and two teacups. They also had samples of fruity tea, which was delicious. Their mochi, however, is not so good. The outside was stiff & not chewy enough. For $1 a mochi, expected a little bit more! Price : Good price for how many cups can be drawn from a kettle. Teas range from $4.50 to about $7.00. Each pot can produce anywhere from 4 to 8 cups depending on how dark you prefer your tea. People mention the 'overused' furniture, but it's really not so bad. It looks authentic & antique. Definitely no MODERN feel to the whole place, but it's quiet, peaceful, & serene. Nice getaway! Plenty of outlets & free wi-fi! read more

Can't believe I'v never been here before. Awesome place for tea without all they distraction of boba and coffee. This is exactly what I had in mind when I think of a "tea shop." The ambience is awesome, price is fair, internet is sufficiently fast for me to do my thing. Happy to found this place; it will be my regular hang-out in the future until too many of you start coming here. Try it for the nirvana ambience - zen. read more

my old roomie and i used to live here the weekend before finals. we loved it because it's cozy and quiet (but not TOO quiet - the eerie quietness of the library scares me). peaceful music typically plays in the background and we felt comfortable enough to chat btwn cramming sessions. staff and regulars are real friendly and tea is yummy (i love the ginseng oolong or monkey picked but monk's blend is a really easy drink for everyone). free refills on the hot water and when they know you're studying they leave you in peace. the teas also make great presents and they offer teapots and tea sets there. i LOVE that they have a good relationship to manpuku next door so they will literally bring your order into far leaves so you can munch on sushi while sipping delicious tea! great (and pretty popular) first date place too =) read more

The tea selection is vast, with not too common choices. Small snacks are offered which usually comprise of blood orange tea infused cookies and the like, pretty inexpensive. It's nice if you get to sit in the front, or in the front section of the upper level. I've tried studying here before and it was really distracting as a few different tables were talking really loud, so even with my earbuds in, I couldn't really tune them out. This is a nice place to just enjoy tea with a friend, I'd definitely stop in. read more

Great place for quiet, enjoyable conversation with a good friend. It has the feel of drinking a cup of cocoa, wrapped in a blanket, in front of a fireplace, on a snowy, Christmas day. Once you walk in, it's cozy, the staff is nice, and the assortment of teas are extensive. I can't say that I know tea all that well even though I've been drinking it my entire life. I drink the traditional oolong, red, and green teas that my parents drank, but I never really delved into trying other types of "exotic" teas. So to say the least I was overwhelmed by their selection of teas. I can't say that I truly enjoyed the teas that we tried but perhaps I am not the tea connoisseur you would want to take tea advice from in the first place. But my rating of the atmosphere is fantastic. It's cozy. It's warm. They don't rush you. You can spend hours on end here chatting with friends or working on important documents. And I have to say finding a place like this on a cold, chilly Bay Area night is always a welcome pleasure. read more

Finally. It only took me 5 months to discover this hidden gem of a tea spot. There's nothing I love more than a quiet place where I could sip on a hot cup of tea and catch up on my latest book. This place offered that and more. I loved that there's free wifi and a really cozy seating area along with an electric kettle right at your table. Since I went on what must've been their slower day, I scored a spot next to the window and parked myself there for a good couple of hours. The lovely lady who served me was really nice. Some people might prefer to have their servers check up on them often, but I'm the opposite type. I appreciated the fact that she left me alone for most of the time so I could focus on my biznass of finishing that chapter I've been stuck on for weeks. My genmaicha was a bit weak on the roasted rice aroma, but I didn't mind it. With their wide breadth of tea selections, I'll definitely have to return there and try them out again in the near future. read more

Far Leaves Tea - Purple plum rice cake + genmaicha. Refreshingly good! - Tea Rooms Near Me - Berkeley, California

I didn't really know what to expect when I went inside. The guy working that day wasn't that friendly. But I give four stars for the tea. I bought the Lychee tea. It was great! You can smell the lychee in the tea leaves, and you can taste it in the brew. Subtle and sweet. I think I might make some purchases online. read more

I never knew this place existed until recently, when a new friend of mine suggested we go here. Once I walked in, I was in a wonderful, peaceful and relaxing place.They have all different types of teas. they also have treats such as mochi (a japanese rice cake filled with sweetened beans), date cookies, and other snacks. you order at the counter and later the person brings over your tea selection in a teapot with a large kettle of hot water. My friend and I sat in the back of the room where they have pillows to sit on instead of chairs. We had to take our shoes off, and I thought that was kind of fun. I ordered the rose green tea. Looking at the tea leaves through the glass teapot, I was pleasantly surprised to see small flecks of pink and red rose petals. The tea was delicious, warm and wound me down then it wound me up and I started to really feel the caffeine after three cups. it was awesome. At first, I thought the price was a little steep, but then I realized that each pot produces about four to five cups of tea or more and the ambiance of the tea shop feels like you are going away on a mini vacation. There are beautiful red, blue and orange lanturns hung throughout the shop and soft peaceful music playing. I will definately be back next time I want to relax and hang out with a friend here. read more

There are tea houses and then there are tea houses, and far leaves is a tea house:) Don't think about it too much! just take your keys, or bike or your bus card and head out there, you will know what i mean. If you happen to be from the middle east or have traveled in those parts, beware! this is no Turkish or Egyptian tea house - you wont be watching a football (soccer) game and trying to talk over a bazillion others (ah! i miss those coffee/tea places as well) This place radiates peaceful energy. You could meditate there. I went with a friend and it took us a while to realize that we were whispering! The collection of tea is impressive. The menu groups the tea by type and the amount of caffeine. you can order a pot for yourself or share with a friend (cost a little more). The Chinese gongkfu (a zen way to tea making) is available, though i didn't try it. hey! why are you still reading this? leave already! go get some tea :) read more

After three visits in the last three days, I am now hooked on Far Leaves Tea. They have a big selection of teas, and the staff will help you pick out ones to try. You get a pot of tea with unlimited water, so you can brew as much tea as you want. After you sit down, they tell you how hot the water should be, how long to brew it, and how many times you can brew it, depending on the specific tea you chose. If you are a new customer, sometimes they bring you little treats to snack on, like biscotti or mochi. They will also package the remaining tea up for you to use it again at home, if it is a tea like Tuo Cha which can be extracted all day long. This is a perfect place to study (free wifi), catch up with friends, and relax. They have traditional Japanese seating as well as Western-style tables and a bench with pillows, and plenty of outlets. They also have a nice gift selection! I will be back there soon. read more

Great little spot for tasting many types of tea with such a quiet and peaceful environment. Customers normally would either be reading or working on their laptops. It's a great escape from the lively downtown Berkeley. Besides a great selection of tea, they also serve these tasty burdock buns which team wonderfully with any type of tea. Having been hosting me for the past two years, it's consistently my favorite tea room to spend a quiet afternoon. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE! My friend and I were walking down College when we spotted this place. I love tea! I have to go! We shared a pot of some really good tea that was recommended by the staff. We were seated on top of this antique bed with our shoes off. Our tea was really good and the perfect and most relaxing place for conversation and just chilling. The tea was served traditional style and I just found it SOOO endearing and reminiscing. I definitely will come again! It was super fun! We sat for hours and were not rushed at all. A pot of tea ranges from $5-9? Maybe more but our tea was really reasonable. :) read more

This is my favorite tea house! Sort of my third place :) They have such an amazing selection of teas and most importantly of Pure teas. I love the tiny teapots, cups and the ability to heat your water up, at you table, in cute pots. The staff is knowledgeable and very friendly. The space is lovely except for the chairs which are very hard and uncomfortable. They have light snacks that are yummy! read more

Yet another hottie hot spot in the Elmwood area. The place is adorable and has a very cerebral/relaxing ambiance. If you want to meet cool philosophical types with good taste (in tea!) then come here. I just like it because the tea is really good and the staff are lovely to (look at) talk with. read more

This is the spot for a grounded, Zen, pure experience of Tea. I have not been to other tearooms in SF yet, mostly because from my google searches, it seems that a lot of them are more "trendy" or are culturally based in English High Noon fancy frills tea service (nothing wrong with them, but to me, Tea is an eastern thing). Atmosphere is spaciously intimate, music is subtle, but complimentary (Pandora did a stellar job with their jazz playlist today, mmm Ben Webster). The owner is lovely, and the entire place constantly reminds you "be here now." read more

What a hole in the wall gem! The staff is really nice and makes helpful recommendations. We tried the dong ding oolong which has a grassy and full taste and the white peony which has a light and floral taste. Two great teas and a great atmosphere to match. Overall quiet place so good for working, reading, or having a chill afternoon. read more

What a beautiful space. The tea selection is amazing. The staff was so friendly and helpful. They answered all my questions and gave me great recommendations. The presentation and care for tradition is seen and felt very deeply. Not only is the tea wonderful, but the energy of the space is perfect to work, meet up with a friend, or spend the afternoon. I highly recommend far leaves tea to anyone who is looking for a cozy sanctuary in the east bay. read more

Great relaxing spot to sit down, relax, and sip some delicious tea with friends =D I was here several years back with an old friend and hung out upstairs with some quality green tea. Service and prices are solid and they're very helpful if you're interested in picking up some tea as well. read more