Visiting Vital Tea Leaf in Chinatown is always more than just a tea tasting--it's an experience,…read moreand seeing Uncle G again made it even more special. We met him last year and were so excited to return and bring our kids this time. He had shared so many thoughtful life lessons with us about family and children during our first visit, so it felt meaningful for him to finally meet the kids we had spoken about for so long. Uncle G is truly a legend--warm, welcoming, and full of life. His energy and vitality are incredible, especially when you consider his age. It's fitting for a place called Vital Tea Leaf, because he really embodies it. The tea tasting itself is wonderful, with the chance to try a wide variety of teas in a relaxed, social setting. What makes it stand out even more is how it brings people together--visitors from all over the world end up chatting, sharing stories, and connecting over tea. It's one of those rare stops in Chinatown that feels personal, memorable, and genuinely uplifting. We're so glad we came back.

Uncle Gee was amazing. Loved his vibe. He taught us soo much about tea, etc! We tried a few…read moredifferent tea and all were great. The service is amazing. They have a wide selection of teas. I highly recommend this place!! I will definitely be buying tea from here!!

WOWWWWWW I've tried nearly 20 different matcha brands around SF and this place truly has one of the…read morebest matchas I've ever had. The ice cream was fantastic as well! The Hokkaido cheese tart was delicate, soft, and absolutely delicious. Everything was so good, definitely coming back soon.

Service was fast but it gets extremely busy since it is in Japantown. Really crowded depending on…read morethe day you go and it gets quite hot in there. I got the ube matcha which was $8.50. As a Filipino from the mainland, I don't think it tasted like ube at all and it was quite sweet. It was still pretty good although the matcha itself was lacking. I would've liked it if it was much stronger to balance the sweetness of the ube.

Cute place for a nice tea party. I've been to the location…read morein Pacifica as well but this location is more of my vibe. Very cute and cozy, food selection is great and service was Good as well. Reservation recommended as they do get busy. Eligible for Amex Resy Credit

Lovejoy's is the first team room I visited a loooong time ago. First with my grandmother and mom,…read moreand now with my daughter. Celebrated birthdays, Mother's Day, baby showers, and bridal showers here. Always a treat when we visit. During our recent visit, kiddo and I ordered the Queen's tea. We always order the cream cheese and mandarin orange and smoked salmon sandwiches. This time we also ordered the chicken curry and tomato and cheddar - both good but would've like a bit more tomato. Table next to us ordered the sausage rolls which looked good - will have to give it a try next time. Reservations are highly recommended since it can get quite busy.

Sooo good! I got their hojicha cream latte and it was amazing. Perfectly creamy, flavorful, and not…read moretoo sweet. The place is pretty small, so there isn't a ton of seating, but it's definitely worth swinging by. Will absolutely be coming back!

Stopped by for a quick matcha! I normally go to the one on…read moreclement but was in the area so I decided to give it a try. I got my usual cream matcha latte with oat milk. The recommended size was smaller than the usual one at the other location. Consistency was off. There was too much cream and not too much milk given the small size. Matcha was still rich in flavor but wish it was more balanced. Overall size recommendation was off and consistency was off. Interior is clean. No lines, quick service.

I came here at the recommendation of a friend along with a few other people and we got a pot of…read moreturmeric chai to share so we could sit inside and chit chat. They have quite the selection of teas which are pretty fragrant and the menu is helpfully organized based on the level of caffeine in the teas. I thought the tea was decent. I learned that The Center is a space where events and classes are often held, and that there's actually people who live here (presumably upstairs). When I went on a Sunday afternoon, there were quite a few people there to talk or work on their laptops. I admit this place is a bit too "woowoo" for me, but I'm sure for some other people this would be a good fit for their desired atmosphere.

A lovely third space! The inside is a lot bigger than I was expecting, since the entrance is a…read morelittle hidden down an alleyway. This space feels super homey compared to other cafes as everyone mainly sits on the floor and you also take your shoes off inside. There's a huge selection of teas, and you can get free refills on the pots for as long as you want ($12)! I came on a Sunday afternoon and it got SUPER packed while I was there and pretty loud. I'd recommend coming earlier if you want to snag a table. I saw a lot of people catching up or doing work as well!

This place is absolutely amazing! The food and teas are so delicious and the ambiance was so…read moreadorable. The teacups are all so cute! The staff are also so sweet and knowledgable about the foods and tea selection. We went for our anniversary and they brought us a special tea(: will definitely be coming back and would 100% recommend!!!

This place is awesome! Wasn't sure what to expect, just wanted to grab some tea in a relaxing…read moresetting on a cold sf day. Came Saturday afternoon and it was pretty empty and super cozy. It's just a coffee/tea room with super chill vibGreat tea, super nice staff, cool vibey music and just got to enjoy tea in a comfy setting. This place is honestly one of the best "coffee shops" in town and I can't believe it's my first time coming. I was apprehensive at first because I thought I had to go through the church to go in, but the entrance is on the side through a wooden gate that's open and leads into a cute side area with a fountain. Along with tea they have chocolate drinks and I think coffee too. So happy to have a relaxing place to grab a beverage that's in a setting that doesn't feel like a sterile Apple Store. Love it!!

Great little cafe inside the Japan Center Mall that serves all kinds of Japanese comfort food. Came…read morefor the onigiri and surprised that they also serve Gyudon. I absolutely love this dish. It's so delicious and comforting. They also sell other yummy snacks like mochi and sodas. You can eat at the designated area right next to this cafe. Service was nice and efficient. Located on Webster and Post inside Japan Center Mall.

Visited the Japan town for mochi and I bought to much they are so sweet for me not a fan…read more But the onogiri taste good and warm

A local friend highly recommended the crème brûlée milk tea here. To make things even better, the…read moreparking gods were on my side and blessed me with a spot right around the corner, which meant I could enjoy my drink inside while giving my tired feet a much-needed break. I don't normally drink a lot of boba, but vacations are for treating yourself, right? The crème brûlée milk tea was basically dessert in a cup. You could actually taste and chew on little bits of torched caramelized sugar throughout the drink. The boba itself was perfectly cooked, soft and chewy. And then there was pudding in there too! Every sip had me going "ooh" and "ahh" as I discovered another delicious texture. The only downside was that the drink only comes in one size, and it was a bit too much for me. I was genuinely sad that I couldn't finish it. That's one of the reasons I don't order boba very often. I can eat way more food than I can drink liquid for some reason. But I'd happily return to Urban Ritual to work my way through more of their milk tea menu the next time I'm in San Francisco.

My friend and I decided to take a break for tea since it was an unusually warm afternoon in SF, and…read morewe were exhausted from walking around all day. We didn't have to wait in line to order, but all of the tables inside were packed. I was in need of something light and refreshing, so I decided to try the lychee IPA (non-alc). My drink was prepared promptly, and it immediately quenched my thirst. The lychee flavor tasted fresh, and its sweetness was tempered by the subtle hops flavor. The drink was also lightly carbonated with just the right amount of fizz. The menu wasn't as extensive as those of the larger, more established boba shops, and I wish there had been more fruit-flavored teas - especially for the summer. Nevertheless, I can't wait to try other tea varieties on my next visit.

My coworkers recommended this place and I'm so glad she did! I was able to take my six year old…read moreeven though online the minimum age is 9. Luckily, the worker called his manager and got approval for my son to go in. You can't pick the cats up sadly but if you sit down one will Forsure make its way into your lap. The room was very clean and well kept. We enjoyed being here while sipping on hot cocoa and playing w the cats

Came here for the Neko Oji-san collaboration, as that's how I learned about the cafe (I love the…read morecomedy short form manga online, check it out!). Parking nearby is horrendous, super busy even on the weekdays before the rush hour so I can't imagine weekends when people are out or other high traffic times. Get ready to make some rounds and pay for parking and be careful since there's very specific signage and times. The cafe itself is cute and cozy. Front area is a gift shop with lots of cat themed gifts and goodies like keychains, stickers, and such, and also some items from local and small artists too, which is neat. The cafe also has community events like movie showings ("The Cat Returns" was one of them which is a great choice) and cat yoga. If you're local, you can also get a time stamp if you are a frequent visitor. Definitely follow their socials for more information. There's reservations online and you can also do walk ins if it's not super busy. You can book for a 55 minute visit or a 30 minute visit. PRO-TIP: There's a discount for students, so if you want to be surrounded by some feline friends while you study or relax, great place to do so. You can hang your coat on the rack and there's a mini shelf area for your shoes. So you gotta walk in with socks! With each visit you can either get a hot cup of tea or a cold can or box drink from their fridge (sparking water, juices, etc.). Very refreshing and you can enjoy it in the cat area too. Sanitize your hands before and after visiting. There's lots of cats hiding around, sleeping, walking around, and some are super friendly and will go into your lap. There's toys you can play with the cats with and there's a wall of adoptable cats. Lots of seats or you can opt to sit on the floor with the cats too. There's relaxing lo-fi music throughout too. Pretty cool that they rescued 2 cats from Qatar and neat that we got to see them. As with all cats, some can be a bit spicy but it's usually just a warning teeth rub. I own cats so there's nothing new. I'm horribly allergic to the cat that specifically lives in my house, but I didn't get an allergy here, meaning that the cats are clean and well taken for. My favorite was a large sleepy orange boy, Ron (permanent non-adoptable resident) that was hanging out next to me the entire time.

What a lovely place to browse! So many gorgeous ceramics and the employees really know their stuff…read more They gave us some samples of cold brewed barley tea (SO GOOD) and then my partner talked tea with them for a while before deciding on a sencha purchase. They knew how to answer her specific questions and make a good recommendation!

Came here to shop for matcha accessories and the staff were so nice and helpful! They were amazing…read moreat explaining different products in the store. They have a great selection of matcha bowls and other drink ware, perfect for gifts or for yourself. Will be my go-to store for tea and tea accessories.