Top Tea House in Oakland
Asha Tea House
80 Grand Ave #100, Oakland, CA 94612, United States
Really really want to love this place: its super close to my house, most of the people who work there seem nice, its stylish and mellow. However, I dont. Ive gone many times and while the tea drinks are quite good, I am usually going because my kid wants boba and I avoid caffeine after noon so we end up with seasonal fruit ades off the kids menu and they never have enough fruit added for my taste (and no, I dont want to add extra fruit for another $2, that makes the drinks way too expensive). Todays experience was particularly annoying as the worker didnt see my order (I had ordered using the self-serve station because they were too busy making drinks to help me). It was taking awhile and no one was doing anything so I asked about my order. He realized his mistake and made our drinks but I was never offered an apology. And when he was done making them he left them on the counter and commenced talking to his friends (I was waiting outside with my daughter and didnt hear him call out my name but I was visible and given the circumstances, the best customer service move wouldve been for someone to come hand us our drinks and give an apology). To top it off, there was very little boba in either of our drinks. Overall, I think Ive decided I wont be returning :(
Golden Tea Shop
901 Franklin St # 128, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
My SO is a fervent tea enthusiast so weve been here a handful of times thus far and its definitely worth at least one visit if you like tea as well! (Much as we love boba, this review is for the left side of the store where they sell loose-leaf tea! Weve never made it to the other side yet, but maybe one day, Ill be able to update about the boba as well!)This is still the only place Ive found thus far that offers quality loose-leaf Chinese tea in the bay. SO likes for me to be there with him because I speak Cantonese and its a lot easier to ask questions (Never have I felt more powerful than when I walk in here with you.). Oakland Chinatown businesses have been hurting, especially over the last couple years, so I like to support whenever I can + I happen to also love tea (my tastebuds are much less cultured though) -- win-win!Weve asked the staff for recommendations and theyve been great about giving us a variety of different tea recommendations that fit the bill. This can get to be a pretty expensive habit, so thankfully, you can choose to purchase these by weight (e.g. we sometimes do 2oz of a higher-end tea and 4oz of a more budget-friendly tea). Prices are very fair considering the quality of the teas they offer. (Please dont waste it and only steep it once! The taste often changes with every infusion!)They have a pretty giant selection of Pu-erh + Iron Goddess/tieguanyin (Im sure there are other types but those are the ones weve focused on so far. Will update as time goes on!) There are also some flowers (e.g. rose petals, chrysanthemum -- Ive also seen osmanthus + lavender), tea sets, teapots, tea accessories and other little gifts available. The teas come in loose leaf, pearls/balls, and cakes.Most recently (aka yesterday) when we came in, one of the owners relatives was helping out at the store and we inadvertently disrupted his late lunch. He waved aside our apologies and asked if wed like to have tea with him, and what was originally a well just stop by for 5 minutes to pick up more chrysanthemum turned into a lovely 1.5 hour chat where we learned all about different types of pu-erh, what to look for in a good tea, the differences between raw (un-fermented) vs aged (fermented) pu-erh. SO was absolutely thrilled (he has been to 1 tearoom in Montreal where he got to do something like this and has been searching for a similar experience/place ever since). We had a really great time! :]I dont think Ive quite settled on a favorite yet, but right now, I am partial to the pu-erh + the milk oolong (if youve never tried it, its super cool--tastes milky + reminds of a unsweetened milk tea despite there being no milk in it!). I also really like getting the chrysanthemum flowers here to make my chrysanthemum/goji berry/date tea for nighttime (I am super sensitive to caffeine).They do accept credit card, but due to the service charge fees, if you can do cash or Venmo, theyd appreciate those forms of payment more.Sooo, in short, if you are a fellow tea enthusiast, youll be super happy here! Stop by and check it out sometime!P.S. The aisles are narrow so if youre wearing a backpack, please be mindful of where that may go in space when you turn around, especially if you usually lack spatial awareness. Please dont knock out an entire aisle of tea!
Earthly Coffee and Tea
5506 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Oakland, CA 94609, United States
Very quaint shop. I was walking back to work (Childrens Hospital Oakland) and decided to get some chilled Iced coffee. I saw they had some foods and I opted for the veggie bean burger. I also got a blueberry ginger lemonade made in house.They use ACME bread, but its press toasted and it was GOOD!!!!The chai iced coffee was good, not overwhelmingly sweet.The juice was really good too!Prices are fair.Veggie burger - $9Chai - $5Juice - $4Good customer service and was fast to get things done.
Tea On Piedmont
4098 Piedmont Ave, Oakland, CA 94611, United States
Stoked to see a local tea shop that makes really yummy boba tea that ISNT super sweet! Ive been ordering the jasmine boba tea and its quite tasty, and the subtle sweetness is perfect for such a delicate tea. I also like that they have a large collection of non-dairy milk options. I do wish the teas were a wee bit less watery—I think maybe the concentration of tea used in boba drinks is typically stronger than what youd use for a regular cup of tea, so that might be where the issue is?As for the ambience, the space is really big and beautiful, but it is quite echoey because of all the hard surfaces and big open ceiling. It would be nice with some sound-dampening decor to help make the space feel more cozy.They also offer some nice locally produced sweets and treats, but the thing Im most excited about is the asian pastry options. I hope they continue to carry these pastries—brunch boba and buns is a perfect combo!
50 Tea
1004 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
Fast service. Excellent for brief stop and customer service. Quite low in customer traffic, but it pays off with very satisfying beverage! Street parking.I had the chocolate mocha frap, 30% sweetness---the lowest they offer. It tasted better than Starbucks.I was so happy because the drink was so satisfying and they were generous with the chocolate syrup ^.^Im satisfied with the serving size and taste. Couldnt finish it actually, since my conscience reminded me about how much sugar possibly in the cup.My first visit here, during their grand opening which was SO long ago, was disappointing. But now I see that the business greatly expanded its scope and menu, I am very pleased to return and gave it another try :-)Im not ready to give it 5 stars yet, Id be happy to visit and try other items before updating my ratings :-)
Sophies Cuppa Tea
2078 Antioch Ct, Oakland, CA 94611, United States
Stepping through the door of this beautifully curated spot in Montclair, is essentially stepping into another world, a world of beautiful art, rare porcelain, and even finer teas.Lovingly tended by John and Sophie, Tea masters, who have a deep knowledge tea based on regular travel to Fujian as well as other ancient tea sources in China, I was treated to simply the best large glass of simply Wu Long, (Their spelling, I have no knowledge whatsoever of Mandarin) that Ive ever had, and was also treated to a rare sight. I have seen tea wheels but none larger than the one I was presented with At Cuppa Tea, easily 30 inches in diameter,, with a specially made tea wheel stand you will only find here, because they had it made especially for their tea wheels.The decor and mood in the place was an absolute oasis of calm and tranquility in a ever-maddening world, (Even in Montclair) and is now on my to-do list every time I am in the neighborhood.Id try the Wu Long, however, their green tea selection, ( I am a Jasmine pearl fanatic) is simply a marvel of tea curation, and John, was a gracious and knowledgeable host, with an affable manner sometimes missing in high level tea establishments, and I ended up leaving with a rare Jasmine, as well as a vastly improved attitude, as will you when you visit John and Sophies Cuppa Tea in Montclair. Treat yourself to some relaxation!
Thornhill Coffee House
5772 Thornhill Dr, Oakland, CA 94611, United States
Ive stopped at this place twice since Ive been in Oakland, first with my brother and then my boyfriend. The owner has been so sweet and kind, she makes all customers feel warm and welcome. Talking with her is like catching up with an old friend. The food and drinks are delicious, and theyre made right in front of the customers. The owner puts a lot of love and care into her shop. Its so quaint and beautiful. If I lived in Oakland, Id be stopping there for food everyday.
TF Montclair
2066 Mountain Blvd, Oakland, CA 94611, United States
Very kind staff, but bad bubble tea. I have tried mango milk tea and Thai tea. There is no tea flavor, and it tastes very artificial. The pearls are very hard, and the wait is very long.Came back today to try the frozen yogurt, because I had a bad experience with the bubble tea. It was great!!! I got vanilla, rose petal, and mango. All were very yummy. They also have so many popping boba flavors, and Chinese mango pudding, which other yogurt shops dont have.(really recommend the mango pudding topping!!!)
T4 Oakland
1068 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607, United States
The service attitude was very bad. I ordered two chicken nuggets and one fried chicken. I waited for 50 minutes and the clerk did nothing. I asked over and over again that the man should be the owner of the store., did not reply at all, had a bad attitude, and then took an egg waffle that was already cold and was returned by someone else and asked me to order this one first. Of course I refused, and then the male owner of the store hurriedly I hurriedly went to make an egg waffle, but by this time I had already waited for 50 minutes, and had already asked four to five times before. By the time I got two chicken nuggets and fried chicken, I had already Its been more than an hour, and when I placed my order, there were only three customers waiting in front of me. The number of customers behind me had already changed... Then, Ji Danzai and Ji Yi because they were waiting for me I hurriedly went to get it after asking again and again. The quality was mediocre and inedible at all. I only ate half of it and threw it away... I will never patronize this store again from now on., I will never patronize it again... Boss, thank you for letting me have diarrhea after eating it, and I still need to take diarrhea medicine??
Peets Coffee
3258 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland, CA 94610, United States
From days of long agolike this morningfrom uncharted regionsof the universelike peets on lakeshorecomes a legendthe legend of jvaka rin tin tinaka storm whenshe bested callistoand became de factoleader of the morlockssporting a proud mohawkno, not mihawk of eiichiroodas one piece anime serieswith his nonflammable swordbut ororos locks of love mohawkfor the denizen mutantsliving hiding in the sewersartie, leech, caliban, raphael,donatella, michelangela, andleonarda kuno, to name a fewahemanywaysas i were(or was) narratingthe legend of jvdefender and baristaof the universea mighty baristaloved by medium mochano whip coffee drinkersfeared by the tall, thegrande, and the ventias jvs legend grewpeace settled acrossthe caffeinated milky waythese are jvs digitsand together their lettersform wordsand togethertogethereven opposable thumbscan live long and prosperwith each otherthank you jvand your morning voltroni mean peets team