Great location in the Ferry Building! I've enjoyed coming here for their nice selection of tea, but they also have some nice grab-and-go dumplings and baos you can take to-go while you're shopping, walking, and perusing the Ferry Building shops. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I like the decor inside--great for sitting and chatting with some tea.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service is kind. I keep coming back! read more

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This business is a pioneer from when it opened at its original Chinatown location on Powell Street. I never got to try it as I was rarely in Chinatown on weekends and, working full time during the day weekdays, I never found time to visit. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I'd heard about the birds in the cages that sang and chirped and the serene atmosphere where guests are able to enjoy a variety of Asian teas from mostly Taiwan, Hong Kong, and China.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When they moved to the Ferry Building, the challenge still was finding the time to have a tea tasting experience, again given my work schedule and the even more challenging parking dilemma here. A while back, I stopped at their front food stand and tried their pork belly bun while doing my Saturday Ferry famers' market shopping. It wasn't memorable and I didn't feel that I'd give this business justice based on one bun. A few months ago, while walking by, I happened to see that their food menu included more than just buns and dumplings. On a recent Saturday morning, I walked by and asked whether the meals were available and the kind gentleman said yes. I proceeded to order two things that caught my eyes and brought them home. After finishing my errands for the day, I decided to try the hand stretched noodles with ground pork (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=64bDoood5Q5yhB0idVHuBg), takeout while fresh for my lunch; I merely placed the noodles and the topping in a large bowl and reheated the soup (smoking hot is enough, no need to boil). I poured the hot soup over the noodles and ground pork and here's what it looked like after reheating and mixing (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&select=srp-WbRborxMdJTJdsBqRA). This is delicious and a perfect combination with the wide noodles being chewy yet toothsome. The ground pork gave it an easy element to flavor both the broth and the noodles. I will order this again. A few days later, I reheated the Teahouse noodles with beef (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=24&select=fNw84G99dvUvmYx3Z0nuLg) for dinner; it was packed well (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=24&select=Zqa0AdqoDfyvX06DB-w2aQ) and I was surprised how generous the portion was for a takeout order after reheating it as it actually became two meals. I reheated it the same way that I did the hand stretched noodles except that I left the noodles and beef sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes before heating and pouring the hot soup on top. The process was simple as I placed my order at the take and go counter and the gentleman kindly asked me to return in ten minutes to pick up my order. Another guy was there when I returned but my order was already bagged on a table behind the counter. After confirming it was mine, I headed to my next errand spot. I will return to have this again, likely ordering it spicy since I didn't notice it is an option until I reread their menu. read more

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I had a vegan lotus leaf sticky rice from the cart/stand they have at the front of the restaurant. It was pretty decent, although I think mine might have been a little bit stale because the rice was a little bit hard in some places. I think the food is probably better/fresher if you dine in. They had several vegan dim sum options available including steamed buns and spring rolls as well. I would come back to try their other offerings but probably wouldn't get the sticky rice again for $8 unless I was dining in. read more

Imperial Tea Court - vegan lotus sticky rice - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

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They thought me how to serve and prepare the proper Chinese tea. Not a long wait. Many great teas there to try, must go back. Food was great. We had appetizers for a small lunch. #spicemeister approved. read more

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It's been ages since I've been here. It's definitely gone downhill in the time that's elapsed. The food is mediocre at best and I've been to a lot of dim sum spots in the city. It's sad cuz it's one of the first dim sum experience of SF that tourists will most likely have. It's in the Ferry Building at lunchtime. Having two servers to manage the seated customers and people at the to-go window is very poor management decisions. All the tables are 4 tops which is another poor decision cuz there aren't always 2 or even 3 ppl who want to sit so you're taking up a ton of space and people end up having to wait for a table. I was sat in the back, which was terrible. It was dark and the floor was vibrating from the exhaust fan that was running in the kitchen. The servers were slow and obviously not very experienced. The chairs are heavy and the floor is concrete so everyone is scraping them on the floor as they pull them back making the most horrid noise. Overall I don't think I'm gonna go back here. Do not recommend. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice little hideaway from the ferry building's hustle and bustle.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] A great spot to choose from a variety of teas. They help give you the tools you need and a quick run through of what to do in order to enjoy your tea to the fullest. They have a moderate food menu as well. The dumpling platter that we got was quite solid with a good range of different items. The dumplings were cooked well and had a decent wrapping to filling ratio. We also got a sticky rice pork which was quite sizable and quite flavorful. If you're looking to take a tea break, it's a good place to stop read more

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This is a great option for a restaurant that's both reasonably priced and won't rush you in and out, both rarities in such a touristy area. The tea sommelier was passionate about making sure we rinsed our tea before pouring the correct water in the correct pot (hotter pot for chamomile). It was an enlightening experience that will make me think twice about pouring scalding water straight onto a tea bag in the future. We got an assortment of food, from shumai to tea noodles to chicken curry. Everything seemed very fresh and was flavorful and so warm on a cold SF day. The shrimp shumai was my favorite. I'd definitely come back to do a full tea tasting -- they really know their stuff! read more

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The business hours are relatively short, but the service is very good. I went in just before closing, and the staff was kind enough to help me with my takeout order. I ordered a bowl of handmade beef noodles and some pork and shrimp siu mai. The price is on the higher side, but since there are basically no cheap restaurants at the ferry terminal, I can accept it. As for the food, the siu mai was rather ordinary, and the beef in the noodles was a bit tough, but the handmade noodles were excellent and the broth was very rich and flavorful. Overall, it is a pretty good Chinese restaurant for the ferry terminal area. I did not have the chance to try their tea, so maybe I will check it out next time. 營業時間比較短，但是服務很好，我趕在關門前的一刻進去，店員也熱心的幫我完成外帶。我點了一碗手工牛肉麵和豬蝦燒賣，價格偏貴，但是在渡船口基本沒有便宜的餐廳，所以我可以接受這個價格。食物方面，燒賣略為普通；牛肉麵的肉稍微有一點硬，但是手工麵條非常的好吃，湯頭也非常香醇，算是渡船口這裡非常不錯的一家中式料理。沒機會品嚐他們家的茶，下次可以去看看。 read more

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We were walking through the Ferry Building trying to find something quick to eat as we needed to catch the BART back home. This caught my eye as we walked past, but we didn't stop here as it looked more like a sit down and order type of place. On our way back, a friend noticed that they had ready to serve items, so we ended up getting a few things. After looking around for a server or something at the take-out area - a staff member came by to put fresh items out. I ordered two bbq pork buns from her and she took off - my friend had to flag her back over since someone else wanted to order something as well. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I didn't try any of the drinks as we were short on time, but the inside of the restaurant looked pretty nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I would love to go insite, sit down and enjoy some tea with snacks next time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It seemed like a peaceful respite in the middle of the busy Ferry Building.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The bbq pork bun was soft and had decent flavor. 1 star off for the staff member leaving when my friend was trying to order (she was right in line behind me) and another star off for the confusing take-out window situation. There were signs posted that we can order from the window, but no one manning it/paying attention to see if customers are waiting. If there are signs directing us where to go or a bell/signal of some sort - it would make it much easier for people to grab more to go items. read more

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This was a very interesting restaurant in the ferry building and if you are a fan of tea they have an extensive menu to choose from. [[HIGHLIGHT]]From the front it's very unassuming but once you step to the back they have a good amount of seating.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was very fast and the experience of trying tea was super fun! I would definitely come back! read more

Imperial Tea Court - Hand Stretched Noodles - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

Highly recommended for the extensive tea selection and wonderful learning experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Roy and Grace have created a beautiful space of tranquility where I can share their knowledge of teas, and work my way through flowery white teas through green, to oolongs and finally black.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service is traditional Chinese tea, served either in individual cups or as a special table side presentation for three or four. Five stars and Imperial Quality! read more

I was surprised to see that the ratings aren't higher for this place! I had a great experience. We came on a Monday around noon and even though the ferry building was quite busy, there were a few open tables here so we were seated right away. Service was friendly and prompt. There is a nice, multi-page tea menu, and I chose black variety called Asian Paradise. You are served a pot of hot water, a cup with tea leaves to steep your tea in, and another small cup to strain your tea into. A server gives you a demo table-side so you know what to do. The tea was lovely and it was interesting tasting how the flavor mellowed out with each refill. To eat, I ordered the hand-pulled noodles with vegetables. I loved it! The noodles were bouncy and chewy and the broth was flavorful. Absolutely no complaints about the meal! read more

Imperial Tea Court - Hand-pulled noodles with vegetables - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

I thought the packet sandwich will be something new and flavorful but it just tasted like what it was -- pork belly wrapped like a burrito. It had no sauce inside, salty and not much flavoring. Wasted $7. The seller/cashier wasn't really in a friendly mood too. Definitely try other stores in this busy market. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

[[HIGHLIGHT]]There was an informal efficient to-go pick up option for the buns & sammies @ the front counter rather than only sit down formal full service w/a variety of tea choices in the restaurant, which looked inviting[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], & as always I'm thrilled when there are vegan & vegetarian dimsum selections & @ reasonable prices, so i ordered some to bring home ( sweet red bean & vegetarian Baos, baked veggie spring rolls & the Lotus sticky rice vegan ) The counter person was somewhat helpful & informative about the menu yet not overly doting... read more

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I had a wonderful experience here - great, helpful service, excellent tea presentation & service (we had Golden Monkey, and tasty dim sum (we had veggie sticky rice, shrimp dumplings, and wild purple rice & tofu dumplings. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant, in the middle of the Ferry Building, somehow feels like a tea house.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice for relaxing with special tea, tea service & a light snack.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Not the place to go for lots of cheap, filling food. read more

What a great place for the best vegan noodle soup. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cute spot we found wondering the market, the staff were so helpful and attentive.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We enjoyed ourself an amazing meal with steamed buns, i had the chicken and of course we also had the veggie buns. Ill say the chicken were so so but the veggie buns we pack with veggies and lots of flavor. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect spot on the cold days.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Imperial Tea Court - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

Very good quality tea here! Wide variety of loose leaf Chinese teas here to choose from. Fragrant and high quality. Some teas are more expensive than others but remember that you don't need much to make tea and the leaves are soon good that you can make about four mugs of hot tea with a teaspoon of tea leaves. You can select from already packaged boxes and bags or custom order at the counter. I don't know if they offer tea samples or tastings because I would easily buy more whenever I come here. I usually feel like I have to know what I want in advance which can be a bit of pressure for folks who need more guidance on teas. I've never had the food here but it's a good option to have at the Ferry Building. read more

We went on 11/9/23 after work on a weekday. For the two of us, we decided to come in for some quick bites and tea. We were quickly seated at a table inside and were in awe at the expansive tea menu. The staff was very helpful in providing recommendations for us to try. The ambiance of the restaurant is very traditional and adorned with beautiful artwork and pottery, although a bit small. We decided to order the dumpling sampler with the imperial breakfast tea. Although on the price side for the amount you get, we were impressed by the presentation of the tea and the food. If you're coming in for a regular meal, I recommend ordering more food as the dumpling sampler was small. Overall, I do recommend trying this place especially for tea lovers as you can also purchase tea leaves and other goods at the counter. Would definitely come back again! read more

Imperial Tea Court - Dumpling Sampler - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This place was a really nice surprise. This is one of the better places to have a meal in the Ferry Building. The hand stretched noodles have a great bite and the broth is excellent, the shao mai was fresh and flavorful and the Hong Kong milk tea was yummy. I also liked the Bruce Cost soda they carry. The service people we great too. Hope to get back soon. read more

I was craving Dim Sum and so I ushered my large group of colleagues into this adorable shop inside the Ferry Building. They weren't particularly busy at the time and so we were promptly seated and served our requested beverages. I had the black tea with milk, it was yummy but not very strong in flavor. Our waiter was friendly and patient as my group and I ordered sooo many different things from the menu. We shared everything at the table so we each got to try the different dumplings, pork buns, hand pulled noodle soup with beef and other yummy menu items. I thoroughly enjoyed everything we tried and would absolutely choose to eat here again when in the city. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Dumpling platter - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

I really enjoy this spot in the Ferry Building for lunch. Come here for lunch with colleagues usually for an easy quick bite. Last time, shared a floral tea with a colleague. We enjoyed sipping our tea on a rainy day in San Francisco to slow down our day. We also shared the dumpling sampler and an order of wontons. Both were great and the perfect amount for two. We ended with the tea cookies. The perfect end to a meal and a palette cleanser. Our server was very attentive and knew their tea selection well. Will be back. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Lunch dumpling sampler - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is a nice place in the ferry building. The gen mai cha Japanese tea is very good. Vegetarian options are available. The buns are good. The eggrolls don't have much taste however. The service is nice. And the presentation of the food for sit down is good. The tea selection is large and it's a very nice place to sit down for a moment in the busy very building. read more

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I got a pork bao ($3.50) to go from "Ready to Go" section upfront around 12:00pm on a Friday (Jan 2026). Checkout was quick. Bao tasted okay. Lukewarm (not in heated steamer). I did not try the sit down portion of the restaurant. My friend ordered chicken bao, spring roll (which looked like a burrito) and vegan wrapped rice to go. She said she enjoyed the bao and rice, but felt that the spring roll may not be fresh? read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This is a wonderful and tranquil haven where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and find a moment of peace.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The people working here are so amazing, and the teas are superb. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The interiors really do remind me of the old time San Francisco ambiance, and really take me back to a gentler time--and remind me that peace comes from within us all.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Thank for my wonderful wild pu-erh tea. Gung Hay Fat Choy! read more

In the mood for a traditional tea experience and we came across Imperial Tea Court in the Ferry Building. They have such a huge selection to choose from which was made hard to choose, so we chose one from Oolong tea group. I enjoyed the way they brew your tea at your table using some type of infuser and the server even shows how to do it on your own. The restaurant also serves up some very tasty dumplings as well as noodles to go with the tea. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Definitely a unique experience and different from your standard tea rooms but we found Imperial Tea Court quite enjoyable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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Stopped by during my lunch break and was quickly seated. The volume was quiet/average, decor is nice and well decorated. We browsed the food options and the tea menu - the server recommended the Phoenix Oolong! The tea had fruity notes which was pleasant. FYI if you are sharing a pot of tea, there is a $4/person charge on top of the tea pot charge... I think that's a little outrageous. The server introducing the tea did a small demonstration on the background of the tea and how to properly serve it. The demo was fine just wished the server was more enthusiastic and had more energy. For food, we ordered the dim sum sampler. It came with 4 shumai, 2 shrimp dumplings, 2 egg rolls, and a bao of choice. The size of each item was teeny tiny (not worth the $21 we spent on this plate). I would much rather go to Chinatown and get cheaper and better dim sum... I likely will not be back. If I did, most likely just for the tea service not for the food. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Phoenix Oolong & Tea Cookies - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Looking for a quick bite to eat at the Ferry Building before hitting up the Alcatraz excursion on Pier 33, my group stopped here to try some of their goods. We went with a Jasmine tea, petit shrimp dumplings, spring rolls, and some Jasmine tea. They had a dizzying array of tea options and as I'm not a connoisseur, I went with a Jasmine tea. Tea prices started at :$8 for the 1st person and $4 for each additional person. That pricing sounds rather high, but they had an extremely detailed presentation of how they prepared the tea. First they gave each person a small tea cup shot glass and rinsed it with hot water in front of you. Then they had a small bowl with loose tea leaves in it. They poured hot water in there and let the tea brew for a few minutes. Putting a lid on top of the bowl they poured the tea into your cup and were careful not to let any leaves to get into your cup. There was plenty of hot water for you to repeat the process. Petit Shrimp Dumplings ($8 for 6 tiny pieces) - These dumplings were TINY, but had decent shrimp flavor. Spring Rolls (2 for $7) - The rolls were deep fried with veggies inside and cut in half. Nothing really stood out about the rolls and they didn't have much flavor. The tomato apple dipping sauce that accompanied the rolls was a little odd and didn't go well with the rolls. Overall, I thought the food was EXTREMELY pricey given what we were served. However the service and presentation were a unique experience. I doubt I would be back, but it was still interesting to see how they served tea. read more

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Oh what an amazing experience! [[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is too cute![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The tea was excellent and so delicately delicious! I had the Valentine rose tea. The process was beautifully executed. It was served in a clear vessel so I could see the whole process bloom in front of me. Started with a bulb and bloomed into a flower with a rose bud in the middle. read more

It was so very mediocre--and I don't consider myself that picky or someone who goes out of their way to write a 1 star review. I regretted taking my friend there for a holiday outing. The sampler plate tasted dry and stale and looked immediately unappealing and unappetizing when the server put it in the table. The pork and chicken buns were just weird and seemed like a day old --just not fresh or warm. The tea temperature was served lukewarm and we had to ask server to please give us a pot of hot water. We sat at a table in the front next to us were stacked up water bottles and general pantry disorganization. All this for a bill of $82. Shaking my head. read more

Being in the ferry building, this was a nice stop for a lil tea and snack break. My partner is a HUGE tea lover and knowledge holder and he said their tea selection and overall quality was great. Food-wise was OK - paid about $1/small af tea cookie (granted, it was good) and then had a little dimsum sampler that was incredibly small for the price. The BBQ pork bun was good and staff were quick and kind. Overall, recommend coming here for the tea but the food you can probably get better elsewhere in SF. read more

The hand thrown noodles with braised beef was perfection. The broth was umami perfection. I will come back get every time I come back to the ferry building. The dumplings were great too but hands down Winner is the handmade noodles and broth. Service was kind and prompt. The ambiance is warm and everything you'd want in a tea spot. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Dumpling sampler and house hand thrown noodle with braised beef - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

Good, not great. I enjoyed the wonton with chili. It came hot and delicious. I've been here before. read more

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Hidden little spot in the middle of the Ferry Building Marketplace. Absolutely loved my visit here!! Our server was so friendly and funny, and the entire staff was helpful in clearing off the table in between courses - we had a lot of plates. We went all out on dim sum, and ordered some spring rolls and noodles as well. The dim sum was out of this world and exactly what I came for, but another highlight was their tea/drink menu. I enjoyed their fresh hibiscus iced tea and others tried the passion fruit ginger ale. The sticky buns and bbq pork buns were also delicious and a favorite among the table. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Ordered the noodles with chicken. The chicken pieces were inedible. Indistinguishable gristly dark meat pieces. The noodles and broth themselves were tasty. However, the overpowering inedible pieces of chicken ruined it. I should have taken it back but got it Togo and wasn't nearby. read more

Good location and promising menu but fell short of expectations. The service was attentive but also not very friendly. They could probably use a good lesson in customer service. The food sounded creative, but in the end wasn't very tasty and the portions were small. They also had a rule for the tea that you cannot share so that way you had to buy an additional serving if you had more than one patron. That's just weird since the tea came with at least three servings alone. Anyway, the quality of the tea was decent, but not spectacular. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Dragonwell Pork Dumplings (6pcs) - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

Can't speak much about the actual tea, but the food left much to be desired. Everything about the chicken curry was bland. The Teahouse noodles were okay, the meat was tender and the noodles had a satisfying chew. The flavor was alright. The best were the dumplings. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Teahouse Pork Dumplings (15pcs) teahouse noodles chicken curry - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

Stopped by this tea place for some afternoon tea, while exploring the businesses and eateries in Ferry Building. Upon entry, we were a bit confused as to whether we order at the counter or sit at a table or wait to be seated. There wasn't anyone around giving instructions or welcoming the customers. We decided to sit ourselves and then we saw the server coming towards us with the menus for tea & snacks. Lots of tea offerings - Green, Oolong, Black, Dragon Tea and many more. We decided to try their Gaiwan Tea Presentation with Rose Black Tea. The Rose aroma was lovely. Flavor was lacking in my honest opinion. The tea definately felt soothing and brought about a sense of zen for us. Calming, soothing and refreshing. Ambience felt relaxing and the Oriental themed decor was soothing for the eye. We will be back to try the Spicy Peach Black Tea and may be done tea snacks. read more

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We had a great visit to Imperial Tea Court, and the highlight was the wonderful tea we chose from their ridiculously large selection. After considering many options we chose a wonderful Chinese black tea called purple beauty that was served to us gai wan style. It was exquisite and the price was reasonable. We also got some snacks and hand pulled noodles that were delicious. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place also has nice traditional Chinese music playing for ambience and is of course in the lovely ferry building.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Minus 1 star because the service is a bit informal. Definitely planning to return and try more teas! read more

This used to be the spot, and maybe one of the last restaurants that has had a continuous presence since the Ferry opened. We popped in on a wet Sunday afternoon and realized they expanded their food menu. We ordered the beef noodle soup, a dumpling sampler and tea service. To be quite honest it felt tired and it's hey day long past - like a good Friend's episode. It felt family run and I believe we got the son. His confidence could use a pep talk as our tea service was a mess and we could not hear a thing he was explaining. The BNS was decent and I'd consider coming back just for that. The dumplings were meh. Service and food aside they continue to carry one of the best tea selections in the bay. Hope they sort things out. read more

We were scenery. I go this snack and drink They are actually pretty good. I do recommend this place. read more

Imperial Tea Court - Tea Rooms Near Me - San Francisco, California

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