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Aroma Tea Shop
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Food Tea Rooms Coffee & Tea, Tea Rooms [Edit]
302 6th Ave(between Clement St & Geary Blvd)
San Francisco, CA 94118
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
(415) 668-3788
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 7 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Parking:
- Street
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
105 reviews for Aroma Tea Shop
Review Highlights
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"Blue People Oolong gets me all scientific." In 10 reviews -
"...in need of some good loose leaf tea come by and pay Haymen..." In 8 reviews -
"...ended up getting a 20-minute tea lesson with free tastings." In 5 reviews
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105 reviews in English
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Review from Jenna H.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2012
I'm not a big tea drinker, but I enjoy the occasional cup with certain meals (or if the bf decides to make me some) We actually stumbled this place on accident. I came to this area to get a drop in hair cut, but was told there was a 20min wait. No biggie. Boyfriend and I decided to just walk around, and him being the HUGE tea aficionado he is--(I'm telling you we stop at ANY tea related store, even the one he hates i.e. Teavana) HE DRAGGED ME into the place. I don't know my teas, so I was pretty uninterested at first, however I found the containers of teas to be very entertaining.
My boyfriend immediately headed for the tea bar, as the previous customers got up to leave. We were immediately greeted by the tea master, Haymen, who was offering complimentary samples of teas that has been previously steeped. I love sweet and fruity flavors, and shy away from bitter things, so I immediately liked the Strawberry Black Tea.
My boyfriend was a kid in a candy store, exchanging conversation about teas I've never heard of. I left for my hair appointment knowing the bf would be kept entertained. I returned 35 minutes later, and they were STILL going at it. Honestly, by this time, I FELT SORRY for Haymen. There were no other customers, so I'm guessing he had to keep my bf entertained-- and the bf talks A LOT. (I know you're going to read this review, but sorry baby, sometimes you need to stfu. =D )
Haymen was super nice and patient, and didn't feel like we were being rushed or pressured to buy anything (or leave the store). In the end, I decided to buy the Strawberry Black Tea (which he gave a free small baggy of dehydrated strawberry to make the tea even sweeter) and the bf left with some HK style tea.
I had to do the awkward "it's time to go" dance, and this time I was DRAGGING HIM out. But, not before leaving a $5 tip to the tea master.
Thanks Haymen for being a great sport! -
Review from Surge C.
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
My go to tea shop!
As many reviewers have mentioned, the owner is quite eccentric, but can help you find any perfect tea whether it be based on flavor or health benefits. I am an avid lover of the blue people oolong.
The owner insisted on me going through a variety of COMPLIMENTARY tea tastings. There were so many great ones, but I especially loved the berry mix, which he calls the "Taurus" mix just to get those people who are into zodiac signs a reason to buy it, haha. He was such a delight to work with, even making a "special concoction" to show how tea can be enjoyed in an alcoholic way too. -
Review from April H.
Crystal Lake, IL
2/16/2012
My boyfriend decided to take me there since I love tea. Love, love and triple love this place.
First off the owner is fantastic and funny as hell. You come in feeling cozy in this small and welcoming tea shop. It was empty when we first started to drink but that quickly changed. Because of the great vibes and friendliness everyone was in a cheerful mood drinking. Never felt pressure to buy anything and he was so generous with free sampling of teas. I think we sampled around 10 teas by the time we left. So flavorful and yummy. I left with a Blue people tea and Berry Blend for my twelve year old the owner recommended. You can see they are passionate about tea and it shows. Any place that heart is in what they do is the place for me. I highly recommend this place for tea lovers.
I will have to say this is a great idea for a date night. Good laughs and fun way to meet others in the city. I'm from Illinois and made me see why someone would love this city. I even found a youtube of his trip to China to show my son. He loves his tea. Said it was the best tea he has ever had. Promised him a visit to the store if we are ever there again.
Thanks again for a great time and tea. -
Review from Hube N.
San Francisco, CA
12/27/2011
Although I'm not an avid tea drinker, I do enjoy a cup of coffee now and then, and Haymen found a type of tea of tea I'd enjoy. He carries a huge assortment of different kinds of tea, from black, to green, to ceylon, to oolong. You can get teas that are sweet, tangy, bold, or a combination. He also sells tea sets, kettles, cups, tea trays, and other tea goods.
Haymen was very nice and welcomed us to try different kinds of teas. I really like his set up, where he's able to wash, brew, and serve tea in a moments notice.
The service is great. Haywen doesn't pressure you to buy anything but welcomes you to try anything you please. I love the pictures he puts with some tea types like the vanilla ice black tea and the other black tea with some rapper on it. xD
I ended up going for an ounce of the hawaiian blend, which had a pleasant aroma, and after brewed, had a nice, strong taste to it. The fruity flavors become subtle in tea. I also got an ounce of a coffee flavored tea (I can't remember the name for the life of me. A label for each kind of bag would be nice, but won't knock off a star for that). Haywen's really funny, so you'll be sure have an enjoyable visit, even if it's just to sample the various teas or get a whiff of each of his many kinds of tea leaves.
There's also a location in Washingon street, in Chinatown. Will update after my next visit(s). -
Review from Ryan H.
San Francisco, CA
3/11/2012
I just can't understand how some of these snobs rate Haymen and his shop anything less than 4 stars. His prices seem dead on, he's HILARIOUS, and will offer you test tastes of almost any tea. I really don't think I'll buy tea anywhere else in this city
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Review from Thomas M.
San Francisco, CA
10/26/2011
Aroma tea is a charming little purveyor of fine Chinese and Taiwanese teas just off of Clement Street. They're generous sampling policy allowed me try a variety of teas, where I settled on Dragon Well, a glossy-leaved green tea with a grassy, sweet smell. The sample the lady made for me was awesome, but I'm on my 15th brew and I still have been unable to replicate the flavor of the sample! Even following the directions on the package with a variety of brewing vessels, the tea tastes uninspired and boringly astringent. YAWN. But then again it gets me wired. ZOING!
HOWEVER, I was able to replicate the delicious sample of Blue People Oolong at home. This stuff is the real deal, with a fruity smell and a pungent sweetness with a looooooong (oo-loooong, get it?) finish that could rival the half-life of Selenium-82. When I first sampled the tea, this lingering sweetness was VERY reminiscent of a pseudo-sweet taste sensation, like stevia or aspartame. BUT DON'T GET IT TWISTED: there is no aspartame in this brew, that peptide loses its tastes hot water (probably due to temperature hydrolysis). Rather, this sensation is due to Glycyrrhizin (also known as (3)-30-hydroxy-11,30-dioxoolean-12-en-3-yl 2-O--D-glucopyranuronosyl--D-glucopyranosiduronic acid) from the licorice plant. Blue People Oolong gets me all scientific.
Now go to Aroma Tea and experience food chemistry in action.
http://www.chemspider.... -
Review from Jade L.
8/23/2011
I love this place; it's my favorite tea shop. This is significant because:
1. my parents travel to China to buy tea. It is one of their reasons for flying their butts out there.
2. everyone in my family has a cupboard dedicated to tea and teaware
3. buying tea from other stores gives you teabags with crappy tea, or whole tea that is crazy expensive and limited, or a BS experience of 'americanized' tea talk.
4. their tea is fantastic and great value for how much tea you get. huge tins everywhere.
I love the guy that runs this shop. Free tea-tastings are such a great idea to find what you like from the 30~ varieties of oolong and pu-erh. There are some crazy tastes like milk oolong, phoenix oolong or orchid oolong, etc.
If you want to get educated on tea, check this place out. Everyone needs some old pu-erh, a tie guan yin, and several oolongs. Great value for the tea, and nice samples all around.Listed in: Best of Richmond
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Review from Kinjal S.
9/27/2011
While waiting to be seated at Burma Superstar we took stroll around the neighborhood and we found this really nice cozy small little tea shop....
We browsed through the funny titles on different tea jars... For ex: one was called Vanilla tea with a pic of Vanilla ice on it! hahaha...there were other funny ones too...
The owner/manager of the tea shop was catering to a couple of customers who seemed to be doing some tea tasting :)
We bought a couple of those flower teas that bloom when soaked in water.
Will definitely go back when I am there next to try more teas -
Review from Lina S.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
I love this place! The owners are both very informative and friendly. If you are looking for something different, this would be the place to experience something new. Hands down, Jade Iron Goddess Tie Guan Yin and Supreme Taiwan Jin Xuan Milk Oolong have become favorite's. I now have a separate cupboard just for exotic tea. If you haven't experienced this place, please do!
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Review from Albert L.
6/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Yelp brought me and my girlfriend here one day when she wanted to buy some teas (as a substitute for all the coffee, unnatural juices, soda, and alcohol). We were greeted by a young gentleman (the Tea Master) and he offered us to have a seat at the counter. There was already a couple sitting down before us and they were sampling/buying the various teas that he was suggesting.
It was pretty cool and felt like I was at a bar; he'd pour us tea shots and we all got drunk off tea. We asked for recommendations and to try various other teas and so he did. (There's probably 100+ different teas here to choose from). There was a ton of refreshing teas that we drank and when we found a tea that we liked, we purchased it (sold by lbs). We spent a good 30-40 minutes just sitting down chilling and discussing about teas and the healthy properties of each of them.
Only thing is that the lbs of tea adds up and is pricey. The couple that was there before us spent well over $150+. We left spending $60. -
Review from jenny k.
Los Angeles, CA
8/14/2011
Aroma Tea Shop is one of my favorite places in San Francisco. I don't think of this place as much a tea store than live, interactive theater; Hayman being the star, of course. He has a dry, dead-pan humor that comes across easy and genuine, and you can learn a lot about tea while having a great time tasting his wares.
Some of the tea is very pricey and it's easy to end up spending way more than you were anticipating. That being said, most of the best tasting tea I've had is from Aroma Tea Shop. -
Review from Chelsea B.
San Francisco, CA
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
he was a little weird, but the tea was super good.
probably the best tea I've ever bought.
Blue People Peach Oolong tea.
I'm definitely going back for more. -
Review from Jessica T.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2011
When I go out - I don't get wasted. I get hydrated.
I'm not a big drinker. At all. Whenever I meet up with friends at bars, I like to match their shots and overly sweet cocktails with glasses of water. By the end of the night - I'm feeling alert, revived, and energetic - and they're sluggish, tired, and ready to go home.
Recently, with the wave of colds and flu that been going around this city, I've become even more focused on staying hydrated and keeping my body healthy with antioxidants.
One of my favorite ways to accomplish this - is by drinking tea.
Aroma Tea Shop is an ideal tea oasis for learning about all of the health benefits of tea, a great spot to buy high quality tea, and even a unique spot to be moderately social as well, while being schooled in the wonder that is tea.
Aroma Tea Shop has a small darling tea bar area where you can sample teas for free, while you decide on a tea - that suits you. Throughout the sampling process - Haymen will educate you about each tea and all of the intricacies about that particular tea.
We asked him for a recommendation and he spoke highly of the Blue People Oolong. He was right. It's wonderful. It coats your throat with a slightly sweet after-taste and after just a couple of small cups - I instantly felt a surge of energy. My skin even felt smoother and more moisturized.
If you're looking for a distinct tea adventure in which you can learn first-hand about wondrous teas, without pretension, and with a couple of spoonfuls of wit - then come to Aroma Tea Shop.
You will not be disappointed.
Trust.Listed in: Tea Spots
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Review from Jonathan W.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
The Tea Master is in da house!!!
No sorry its not me, its my good buddy HAYMEN!
Now you might be thinking that this is another biased review, The reason Haymen and I are friends is because i came into check out his tea shop and has some tea with him.
I am not a big coffee drinker, I do enjoy it every once in a while but I love TEA! Green tea, Black tea, Oolong, Ceylon, English, White tea, Chai, I love them all. Tea bags are good for convience but horrible for fully experiencing a tea. I used to only drink tea in tea bags but after switching to loose leaf theres no going back for me. A cup of Green tea everyday is very healthy for you so i recommend it. I found ATS on yelp and decided to go and check it out . As i entered i was intimidated , there were so many different types of tea on the wall. I didn't know where to start!
Haymen offers free tea tastingsand based on one's you try or are familar with Haymen can make suggestions and let you try even more teas. It was on a Wednesday that i walked in, mid afternoon and it wasn't a very busy day. I ended up staying there for about 2hrs talking with Haymen and trying a lot of different types teas. We found some common history between us which is how we became friends. I am a regular customer at ATS and can't stop coming back when i need to feed my tea craving.
Another reason that really keeps me coming back is the wealth of knowledge about tea that Haymen has is amazing. Everytime i go in i learn something new and learn tips on how to get the best out of my tea. Haymen even goes to China to visit the farms. What more dedication can you have? Haymen is a tea master for sure! So if you are in need of some good loose leaf tea come by and pay Haymen a visit. You will definitely enjoy your Tea experience here! -
Review from Kathy S.
1/3/2011
Yup, free tea tasting!
I walked in finding a group of 5 locals laughing having a tea "party" with the owner (Haymen I gather). As I was tasting I noticed that this joint seems to have some sort of a cult following and locals walk in and out, chit chatting with Haymen, not walking out before purchasing something.
Anyway, I got to business and let Haymen know I what I was in the market for. I wanted mint black tea but he only had peppermint black tea. I was still impressed as most places don't even have that. I tasted around 5 teas. The lychee black tea was exceptionally good and the coconut black tea was exotic with a silkiness to it.
The "human oolong" tea wasn't anything special. They were out of Matcha tea (apparently it's out of season?)
I just had my pepermint black tea this morning and I'm STILL wide awake 14 hours later! Quality stuff :) -
Review from Jamie P.
Tempe, AZ
9/21/2011
This tea shop was great! The tea shop owner was very helpful and provided a tasting of many teas. Being new to tea drinking, she showed us the proper way to prepare tea and helped us to choose some great teas. The next time I'm in SF I'll definitely stop by again!
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Review from Liz E.
2/13/2011
Oh man. This tea shop was the best thing that I could have possibly stumbled upon today!
Let's get this straight: I love tea. Black tea, green tea, oolong tea, rooibos, herbal, froofroo-flavored -- I love it. It's what keeps me going every day.
That being said, the tea tasting experience at Aroma Tea was totally new for me. It was like wandering into a winery and being poured a bunch of wines in a row without having to ask for it or pay a tasting fee. I thought I had died and gone to heaven, which happened to be run by a tea guru/comedian!
I think they literally have everything at this shop -- including pu erh, which was also something I had never tried. I'll admit that I was fascinated by the tea "bar," and the constant flow of hot water and tea leaves. I have no idea how long we were there, but we must have tried about 10 teas, and left with 4.
Good tea is not cheap, but it is worth every penny. I would recommend this place to all of my friends, tea enthusiasts and tea novices alike. -
Review from Christina K.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2011
I've always been a Stash ginger-lemon tea drinking girl but when a girlfriend and I happened on this tea shop in my 'hood, my mind changed. Free tea tastings. And don't let the word "free" fool you. It's a performance too. The owner is an entertainer and seriously knows his stuff.
My hubs bought me a gift cert here for Christmas and I loved spending every penny. I look forward to opening my bags of tea every night and sipping stuff that not only tastes great but has great health benefits.
Very much a Clement Street hidden gem! -
Review from Mae R.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2011
We wandered in here randomly one rainy San Francisco afternoon and were greeted with a friendly tea tasting on the spot! This place completely lacks pretense -- it's all about the amazing teas. I'm such a fan.
Each time I have gone back, Haymen has gone out of his way to give free tastings and free scoops of tea to take home when I buy -- and by that I mean free scoops of the really good stuff. I love places where the owner/managers are enthusiastic about their business and products -- and Aroma is definitely one of them. I ask all my questions and have learned a lot about tea from him Go!! This place is a gem. -
Review from Jackson W.
San Francisco, CA
2/13/2011
Their tea is very overpriced. My friend from Turkey laughed at me when I told him how much I paid for my small packets of tea. The tea is primo, but way too expensive for how much you get. The lady who gave us tea spoke no English, which is not her fault, but it's more fun to be able to talk with your host.
I recommend "The Vital Leaf" in China Town instead. This place is affordable, fun, and they have a huge selection of absolutely top notch tea. And trust me, I drink a lot of tea. -
Review from Jay M.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 6/19/2010 2 photos
Hi. My name is Jay, also known as Ignorant Ass Mothafucka.
I could not be more ashamed than if I was circa-whitney-bobbeeeh!
or Beyonce when she had to hear that J-Hud won the Oscar on her first movie (how many bad movies has Beyonce done now? i lost count)...
Anyway, good tip fellow Yelper on the tax thing. i gotta see bout dat.
All in all, I coulda been the first yelper on this business, but no use whinin bout dat, cuz honestly, I don't deserve first spot considering my observably racist rambling in my last review.
So this review, a make-up? no...just a refinement. I love dis place. Guy knew how to talk to queers like myself. It's always an fun place to go blazed outta ur mind...cuz let's face it: the guy is FUNNY AS HELL!
Learn about tea beforehand, or get an awesome, visitor-tailored presentation...a great and relaxed crash course. I felt like i was sitting in a non-Filipino, non-plastic covered, non-white room...with a bottle of Allizay at my disposal...and a clean pipe.
Tea, yes, I learned more than just tea. Tea, it's just an accessory. The real sale: reconnection. In a world where EVERYONE is plugged into their iPhones and "smart" phones, it just takes a shriveled up, flakey, old piece of leaf to remind us what to really invest our energies in. Deal with my description! Ask him what goes well with milk and sugar...he'll make an artful selection...even one that's marinated in milk! Now all you need is a non-fake sweetener folks (splenda + loose leaf tea = oxymoron).
So thas my redemption review, or should I say make-up sex review. Hope you 'wrap up' the credit card, cuz this tea shop might be the best damn Paht-nah ridin ur way to a more pleasurable connection with your boos. Learn to invest in the best betches...rewards are mutually satisfying ;)
Salute!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/10/2007
over-priced over-shmished... if yer dumb enough to buy stuff here u can get at da store.
But… Read more »
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Review from Lori B.
Petaluma, CA
9/27/2011
We love this place, we know Yang and she is very welcoming. Whenever we go to Chinatown we will visit. Cheers to ordering online when you run out of awesome green tea that promotes health like know other.
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Review from Jeremy S.
9/22/2008 1 photo
I had a really pleasant experience at Aroma this weekend. Dropped in and sat down for a tasting, the woman serving was very kind and patiently took us through probably a dozen different teas. You can try anything in the store and prices go from around $11 for 4oz to around $45 for very fancy stuff. The teas I purchased were around $22 each.
While some reviewers mention feeling pressure to buy tea, I didn't feel any whatsoever. I think it's natural that you'll feel an obligation (self-imposed) to buy if you've been tasting tea for an hour, but I never felt like I was in a sales pitch. In the end I found 3 teas I really like and have been brewing like crazy all weekend... have.. to... peeeeeeeeee!
I suspect they're reading their Yelp reviews carefully... one reviewer expressed concerns over how they charge sales tax and I noticed they have a detailed explanation over their cash register about sales tax... coincidence?!?!
Anywhoooo, what a great way to spend half an hour in the Richmond... -
Review from Kate V.
3/15/2009 1 Check-in Here
Listen up ya'll--I spent a third of my birthday money here! Yes, that is how much I love tea. Since this affinity has transpired, I've come to enjoy looseleaf tea as a delicacy...though, as with many things, quality and cost's direct relationship is a factor and forces me to stick with prepackaged tea bags on a regular basis. However, it's taken all of my self-control not to return to this place since I first came with a friend and fellow tea lover around six months ago and purchased the fragrant supreme jasmine pearls (a white tea). Living three blocks away has made it all the more difficult to keep myself away from the good stuff!
But it was my birthday. And I had taken the day off. It was time to indulge.
As she did at my first visit, Ying made at least half a dozen different teas for me to try. They teach an easy yet exacting tea-making regimen here: steep for two seconds, rinse; steep for one minute, ready! It's quite simple. Tea bags take longer to steep since they're filtered and not as fresh. Also, they inform you here that their tea can be used several times before it loses its potency--at this rate, even though their teas are upscale and pricey, you wonder if you're really saving money by buying cheap teabags which you only use once and throw away.
It's ok if you come in not knowing what you want to try--they will be sure to hook you up with something good. The selection of green teas is so extensive that I've stuck to trying mostly oolong, white, and herbal teas here. They have mostly naturally-flavored teas but quite a few infusions as well (ie peppermint black; vanilla ice cream-flavored "blue people" oolong).
The herbal combo of burmese pink roses, lavender, and osmanthus flower (which are each their own flavor and can be tried and bought separately) is AMAZING and comes ready to use in individual packets. I made this, along with a $12 teamaker fit for one, my birthday present to myself.
I gotta hand it to Ying (and her husband whom I haven't met yet)--it must not be easy serving and explaining the same tea over and over, day after day, to us amateurs. But I suppose that's where their passion for tea comes in--they're informative, helpful, and nice. This is a family-run business, and they've done great for themselves, so much that they've opened a second location in Nob Hill that I still have to check out.
I almost forgot--provided you purchase something, they'll always send you home with a small free sample of any other tea you want. Even if it's NOT your birthday! How great are they? -
Review from Tom Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/16/2009
This place makes me love where I live even more! After a little bballin' and a dirty dirty (dirty in a good way) lunch, I wanted to stop by the Aroma Tea Shop and do a little tasting after hearing so much about it from my co-worker. Brought my roommates with me and all three of us were in for a treat! We sat down and began to sample a few of the hundreds of teas they offer. While enjoying the tea, the hostess was so nice and informative with us, describing the different type of teas we were drinking.
At work, we mostly have some cheap house coffee (Peet's is long gone after the market went downhill) and I feel like it was time to drink something I little more beneficial. After my visit here, I can't even look at another lipton tea bag. I definitely feel a bit fancy buying high quality tea, but if you think about the cost per drink, it's sooooo worth it!
I walked out of there with a bag of Blue People Oolong. While tasting it, the hostess said 9 out of 10 people who try it would love it. Lets make that 10 out of 11 =D. -
Review from Belinda S.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 8/9/2008 2 photos
W T F!!!!!!!!
I opened my tea bag and I was UTTERLY DISGUSTED. The pictures are self-explanatory: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
GROSS. GROSS. GROSS. GROSS. GROSS. GROSS. GROSS.
Thank god I didnt drink this stuff after I bought it... no wonder why the owner was telling us that we must "rinse" the tea first before brewing it.
Did I mention GROSS?!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/23/2008
Ugh. I fell for it too. Wanted just to look around the store, but my dumb friend wanted to try a… Read more »
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Review from Jane D.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2012
I assume this place is pretty new, since I'm an avid tea fan and only discovered it (lol). It's got great tea and fun events at great prices, in a cozy atmosphere. Love it!
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Review from Jimmy L.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2008
Awesome Entertainment, lots of great teas. Friendly atmosphere. This is the best way to get into tea drinking...
One of the best places to take a visiting friend. -
Review from Eva Leona Lerriqs S.
Berkeley, CA
3/22/2009
This place is great! I sampled about eight kinds of herbal tea. My favorite was the lavender with pink roses and osmanthus. Very soothing.
I've been here twice. The first time other people were sampling tea, and the tea woman seemed to not know about all the herbal teas I could try. She kept bringing me tea with caffeine. The second time I was the only person in the shop and the tea woman brought me many herbal teas to try. It was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend it. -
Review from Tomas V.
San Francisco, CA
6/16/2010
Ever been intimidated by the tea shops in Chinatown that cater mainly to tourists and are pushy about selling you the expensive stuff without much time to spare on explaining or demoing the goods? Enter 'Aroma Tea Shop', totally unexpected tea awesomeness. Tucked away in the Inner Richmond, this store offers all the teas you can find in C-Town in a more relaxed, cozy atmosphere.
the guy running the shop, Haymen, is the man. Period. Go pay him a visit, you'll be glad you did.
And PS: awesome Chinese teas make a great souvenir or gift from San Francisco, believe it or not. -
Review from Tom W.
Palo Alto, CA
Updated - 1/10/2010
I came back here last night and had an even better experience than before. I was in with two friends for about three hours with one wonderful pot of Supreme Dong Ding Oolong and the owner must have given us around 15 tastes of other teas including a vodka white tea cocktail. He was very generous and we tried to return the favor with purchases of different loose leaf teas, though even then he'd throw in extra tea samples. He was very friendly and knowledgeable and all the oolongs we tried were great. He has a reasonable selection of bill paying teas, including chai lattes and fruitier concoctions, but his selection of high quality connoisseur tea is great and very reasonably priced. His most pricey tea ($100 for 4oz) sells for $300 at price-gouging Samovar, where you can get a $50 POT of green tea.
It's a tough area for parking, but if you stay a while, it's totally worth it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/18/2008
Aroma is a great addition to the S.F. tea scene primarily because of their focus on learning. I… Read more »
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Review from Sam T.
2/26/2008
Always a party at the Aroma Tea Shop.
My friend and I decided to check out Aroma Tea Shop after a nice afternoon meal of dim sum. The storeowner, Haymen, with a charm spliced between a mad scientist and a used car dealer, greeted us as we entered. He sat us down at his fancy tea table and proceeded to let us sample one type of tea after another.
Haymen would grab a random bottle of green tea off the top right shelf, then go for a bottle of the black stuff from the bottom left. He would ask us to take a whiff from each one before he dumped the leaves into a teapot.
Welcome to How to Drink Tea 101. Class is in session. Not before long, I learned which tea leaves needed a hotter or cooler water temperature to be steeped. What were the origins of the leaves. How it should taste. Which pouring would bring out the maximum aroma of the tea.
I would recommend anybody to stop by and take a look. Go for a free tea tasting and enjoy the experience. Haymen won't pressure you to make a purchase. He really seems to be enjoying what he does. So, check it out. -
Review from Andrew K.
7/10/2011
Awesome tea tasting. Blue people made my day. Fun, interesting activity and healthy too!
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Review from Becca F.
Sacramento, CA
3/5/2009
Before Teavana was the rage at suburban shopping malls, this young guy from Macau (Haymen DaLuz) was educating people about loose leaf teas. Sure, the storefront wasn't much to write home about...
but I loved that tea service table he imported from Asia -- even the ashtrays that swing out from under the rail (and I don't even smoke!). The well-dressed Haymen was professional and not condescending as he carried out a tea tasting like it was a sophisticated wine tasting.
I appreciated the explanations about 'rinsing or washing' the leaves / herbs before you actually brew and drink. Tea has a subtle taste that is often lost on a society that chugs strong, black coffee -- so he also explained we shouldn't steep the leaves for too long.
Ounces of loose leaf teas can add up quickly, but you can get several infusions per teaspoon if you know what you're doing. However, I fell in love with the Taiwanese milk oolong from day one -- which explains why I'm purposefully hide my wallet when I passby this boutique!Listed in: Born to Shop
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Review from Ms Ayden B.
Richmond, CA
9/25/2007
It's a grand show to come in from the cold and be treated so;
The Da Luzes are the lights pouring tea as a show.
As a tea mistress I appreciate their class;
Buy tea anywhere, but here you also get sass. Yum. -
Review from Joseph S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2009
There's a special place in my heart for this shop. I went here with a girl and I'll always remember it. It was a one of those crush-filled moments when you're waiting for the first move. I made it of course. But when the dude asked me if I was paying for her tea order I said, "Nope, nope."
It's a good place to take a date. It's even a good place to get your tea. But it's a bit overpriced and nontraditional. They know how to make tea, that's for sure. But it's a little too business oriented and non-zen for my flavor.
But if you're looking for somewhere to purchase your Supreme Monkey Picked Oolong or whathaveyou, this is a good spot. For me, it's more nostalgia than anything. But if you go, be sure to set it up for some nostalgia of your own. Use it as a followup to a weekend lunch date...fo sho. -
Review from Lindsey A.
Los Angeles, CA
9/9/2008
Yeahhhh, I'm a tea snob.
Ever since my Aunt sent me a tea pot from Japan with a bag of Genmai cha, my addiction's only been going downhill.
But real talk. Come near me with a tea bag and I'll kick you in the face.
My mom found this shop when wandering around Clement before work and she came home with 3 bags of tea saying, !!!!ifoundateashop!!, excitement!. Ever since then, she's been going there for tea. Mostly just to sit at the little tea bar to drink a ton of samples.
She took me there yesterday after dim sum and we had a nice time trying a bunch of herbal teas. We ended up taking a bag of Peach Passion tea home, which was a beautiful blend of black tea, passion flowers, and dried peaches. The lady also gave us a free bag of Blue People Oolong, one of our absolute favorites. (mom was like, free!tea!!!!!!) . Thoooooough, we only asked for 2 oz, the girl was like "Hey, Imma over fill this bag and then give ya'll 15 dollars worth instead of 11 dollars worth like you asked for haaaaaaaYYY". Okay, she didn't say that. But if she did, overpaying wouldn't have been a problem because I would've been too busy laughing. -
Review from April D.
Benicia, CA
12/28/2009
Have a hundred dollars to blow.......on tea? Even though the recessionary crunch may have you strapped for extra cash, one sip of this tea might change you mind (it did for us!).
We found this shop from the workers of SenSpa. After a day of relaxation and drinking chocolate oolong tea, a popular drink at the spa, our masseuse directed us to see Ying at Aroma and we are so glad she did.
As soon as you walk in, Ying offers you a seat, takes note of the kind of teas you enjoy and she brews you a small cup of fresh, piping hot loose leaf tea. The Husby and I purchased: Milk oolong, chocolate oolong (excellent with chocolate covered almonds and dried apples) and blue people (has a sweet, licorice taste to it) and $100.00 later, we were happily sipping tea; we were warm, cozy with absolutely NO buyers remorse.
Thought I might mention that the teas can be used for approximately four cups before becoming dilute. Bonus - the tea is so fragrant and tasty, additional sugar or honey is not needed.
So, give Aroma a wiff and a swig and if you love tea, you will be hooked ;) Place is small, but their selection packs a major punch!!
Oh, and PS! Parking is a bit sketchy and there's a flock of pigeons fluttering about; don't be surprised if one comes into the shop. Adds to the experience. -
Review from Jenna K.
Pleasanton, CA
4/22/2009
I love this place. I have never been to a tea tasting before and was very impressed with the culture involved. It really gives you a great appreciation for tea. We were able to sample a lot of different teas as part of our tasting and learned a lot about the health benefits of specific tea varieties. The man and wife team that ran it were very knowledgeable and inviting.
A++ -
Review from JC R.
Sacramento, CA
12/8/2008
I never thought I would find myself in a tea shop but there we were, with the sole purpose of Christmas shopping and got a gift ourselves by finding such a great tea shop.
The woman who...man the shop (the ones in the pictures, banners, etc) is an awesome hostess. She let us try everything, and the best thing was that her..decorum (what a word) was simply genuine. I had never met anyone who loved tea the way she seemed to -- and she was more than knowledgeable.
Great tea experience and the prices are... I don't know how to tell tea prices but they're definitely not cheap yet worth more than they are.
Try hoji chan, if you like the toasty flavor. $27/4oz. Yikes, but yum.
