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Categories: Tea Rooms, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: SOMAMon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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This is my happy place... the place I go to when:
1. I want to tune the world out and tune myself in
2. I want to stare into wide open spaces and just blank out my mind of everyday thoughts, feeling, emotions
3. I want to write or read or do absolutely nothing but sip tea
4. I want to smile at every person who passes by
5. I want to find warmth, comfort and a place to just "veg out" and reflect
... maybe I shouldn't be writing this review for the crowds that might show up now!
It's strange... every time I come here, I feel like the pace of life slows down, I get in touch with myself (no, not touch myself... get in touch with myself!) and I leave happier, calmer and in tune with the world... all this from a tea place?!
I've been here for brunch, lunch and high tea (yup! british indian desi!) and each time have been thoroughly satisfied with the ambience, the service, the food and of course, the tea!
I'm a fan of:
1. Matcha Tea Service & Cookies - perfect for two or just one if you're in a munchy mood
2. Samovar Masala Chai - so much like home made chai back home with a spicy kick
3. Lychee Black Tea - perfect for those looking for a blend of the strength of black tea and the fruitiness of lychee
4. Samovar Sweet Yerba Mate Blend - my all time favorite thing to order! Comes in an awesome cup with a filter straw and warms your hand. Kind of tastes like fresh rain, sweet, fruity but woody
5. Japanese Maki Bowl (Tofu or Salmon), Soup, and Ryokucha Brown Rice Tea - absolutely filling and refreshing
6. Indian Tofu Curry, Basmati Rice, & Masala Chai - very tasty, flavorful and filling. Watch as the aroma attracts passers by
7. Egg Bowl - great brunch item
8. Shitake Mushroom or Smoked Salmon Quiche - good if you're not heavy into meat
9. Homemade Assorted Cookies Plate - the lavender cookie is to die for
The wait staff are absolutely the friendliest and always seem to be calm and cheerful... but not in an over caffeinated way... in a spiritual way.
Go to Samovar... and you might just find yourself... happy, content and at peace with yourself and the world. Om mani padme hum.
Salmon salad= best in town
Tea= meh
View= OMG!!!!
This place was very nice, a fine spot for some fine teas near the Metreon. I thought the place was overdone, a bit, but then the focus is as much on the atmosphere as it is on the tea. An aficionado with whom I went told me they'd over-steeped the tea, or 'burned' it. This is a small frustration, as it creates a bitter aftertaste that would not be present were the tea steeped for the proper duration and with water at an appropriate temperature.
The location is wonderful, and you can't ask for a better place to spend a sunny day.
My friend and I are currently in a pretty deep discussion about why this Samovar is our least favorite (he likes the Hayes Valley one, and my favorite is the Castro Samovar). So, we sat, looked around, and decided that the Yerba Buena location just spelled CHAOS.
The tables are extremely close together and the high ceilings and airy feeling somehow make people speak very loudly. There's a lot of movement going on, and so it's not exactly a "relaxing" place to sip a mug of Masala Chai (my favorite) and start a new book.
When the weather's nice, the outdoor area is probably your best bet, as you can enjoy the sunshine and the tea and food. But like I said, this isn't your place if you want the nice and relaxing atmosphere.
This is my least favorite Samovar, and it still gets 4 stars. That's saying something.
If this had…
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I like this spot. It's very pretty. It was a really nice day so we sat outside, so I can't say very much about the interior. It was also kind of too warm to drink hot tea so I decided to go with the Jasmine Lemonade and the Wasabi Caeser Salad with wild smoked salmon. Both were pretty good choices I thought. Although, I ended up letting A have my Jasmine Lemonade and I had his Schizandra Berry Herbal Infusion. He liked my Jasmine Lemonade much better and I didn't mind having the other one. I also ended up trading my caeser salad for his Ginger Qinoa Waffle with fresh fruits and a bite of his Cherry Oat Scones w/ Devonshire Cream & Jam.
I am definitely liking the tea lounge and am hoping A will take me back. ;)
Went back to the same location with some friends this last weekend. Decided to give them another shot because the food was refreshing last time and the thought of that relaxing sort of atmosphere called out to me despite the horrendous service of my last experience.
Our waitress this time around was MUCH nicer. Huge difference in service, it was a completely different experience. The food was, again, delicious. I ordered the duck jook again and it was awesome. Furthermore, at the end of our meal, we were kindly handed a comments card, which definitely was not present the last time I went. I wrote positively of my experience, and will happily go back again.
Thanks for remedying things, Samovar.
So the food is quite good (though a bit overpriced). The atmosphere, awesome.
The service?…
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A cozy place for a small group of people and a place of peace in Yerba Buena Garden Center. The ambience at this specific location is their selling point. I love tea and fully appreciate that Samovar serves loose leaf tea as I think the flavor is always superior. I've been here on two occasions. The first on a date and the second with three friends.
It's a cute place where the staff doesn't try to rush or hassle you, so this made it ideal location to bring a date along and chat on a sunny afternoon. I like the idea of complementing the tea with food. We had the Chinese Duck & Veggie Stir-fry, Squash Dumplings, & Pu-erh tea. The food was delicious and the Pu-erh tea was almost like the Pu-erh tea I had in Yunnan. However, the portions were small and unsatisfying. This is not a good place to sit down for a real meal.
The second time around I brought friends visiting from the East Coast and a new San Francisco local to give the place a second try. We stuck strictly to tea and ordered the Blood Orange Tea and the Jasmine Pearl tea. Both of which we all enjoyed to the last drop.
A nice hidden little tea lounge that I never knew about until I came across it on Yelp. Don't expect service to be fast. This is definitely a nice date spot if you want to spend time and chat or intake the beautiful view of the city/ YB garden, maybe even catch the sunset while you're at it. =)
Tea/Eats:
- I really wanted to try the aloe vera and cucumber chilled tea that everyone raved about, but no such luck the day I came (they didn't offer it that day). I wanted something fruity and the waitress recommended one of the special berry teas. Oh my, it was so strong and herbal tasting. It reminded me of Chinese herbal shop smells, but it tasted exactly like how those shops would smell. I asked for honey and doused it in my tea, but it didn't help much. *skip*
- Jasmine Lemonade tea: Yum, I wished I ordered a whole pot of this one. Refreshing and cool on a nice warm day. *favorite*
- Assorted Cookies Plate: Cracked wheat rooibos shortbread, lavender butter cookie, oat crumble mini-cake. All were delicious and great accompanied with tea. My personal favorite was the lavender butter cookie, so fragrant and rich.
- Raw honeycomb, blue cheese, and fresh fruit platter: We switched the blue cheese to another type of cheese (they only had feta and some other kind of cheese that we chose). I wish they had a wider selection to choose from (I'm picky when it comes to cheese). The raw honey comb was what intrigued me to try this snack and it tasted great with fruit and the wheat cracker.
It is a wonderful place to let loose, relax, and just enjoy the view. I lost track of time here with good company, but service was quite slow. Maybe it was because we sat outside, but I would recommend sitting outside versus inside if it is a nice day outside.
P.S. Their restrooms are quite dark with weird lighting and they had a incense holder near the sink that made it seem creepy to me.
This is my favorite place to meet people in the city. The view is great, the food is delicious and yummy, and I love the masala chai. I have even had my tarot cards read here a few times, which has added to the fun. Favorites: The Jook or egg bowl and the honeycomb cheese plate. I recently went to the Samovar in the Castro and was not as pleased. It felt very much like a chain restaurant when the waiter pushed the "special", the tea tins available for purchase had changed size to be much smaller (outsourced, I was told by the staff) and I was given a Samovar magazine to read while I ate. I didn't like the icky marketing feel of the whole experience. I will stick to the Yerba Buena Samovar that I love and hope they don't go the same route.
I met the owner a long time ago when he just started his first Samovar. I went to the one on Yerba Buena with a friend and our dogs. The tea and food was excellent. We ordered the brown rice with miso soup, carrots and seaweed that came with green tea. It was filling. Nice place to go on a sunny day and sit out side.
This tea lounge is perfect for lunch if you have an hour an a half however, if you're on an hour break it's going to be tough to be back in 60 minutes.
Now, time issues aside this tea lounge overlooking Yerba Buena Park provides a fresh and soothing meal. I had the turkey sandwich and the jasmine lemonade and it was a perfect combo for a light lunch.
The space outside overlooks the park and inside it's flooded by light and has an airy, zen like feel.
As mentioned by previous reviewers the service needs some work with communicating with customers and time it takes to get even drinks.
All in all though a nice get away from the usual hustle and bustle while still staying close to work.
On a beautiful day, during a bustling lunch hour in Yuerba Buena Park, several coworkers and I sat down to lunch at Samovar. Salads were enjoyed, teas were sipped (and in one case, sniffed) and conversation was flowing freely.
The only non-fluent and non-seamless part of our lunch? The service.
Though there were a few large groups sat within moments of one another, it's hard to imagine that such a reputable establishment would forgo simple communications by conveying that drinks, lunch or even the bill would take longer than normal. Twenty minutes for lemonade is a stretch, while half of the beverage order never arrived.
The remainder of the meal's service followed suit and it definitely soured my impression of Samovar. While the food was good, it was certainly not worth the wait or lack of service. And as someone who visits here just a few short times a year, this experience is not one that would lead to choose Samovar for lunch a second time.
Tea service or lounging around may prove differently, as those occasions require less attentiveness and time consciousness of need, but for a quick lunch or dinner complete with water refills, you may want to consider other options in the area.
Who says there aren't quiet serene places in the busy city?! People who haven't been here - that's who!!!
It's amazing that I ONLY drink tea (no coffee!, ever!) and I hadn't been here before. I have to really appreciate the variety and quality of the teas....but more than that, the knowledge the staff had of the teas. Yes, it's a tea lounge, yes they should know...but come on, how many times have we been in a sitch were the knowledgeable were..um....not so knowledgeable?!
I had something called The Ocean of Wisdom. Yeah, a custom blend of teas for the Dalai Lama. Uh, if it's good enough for His Holiness, it'll def be good enough for me. And it was!!! Tasty and with depth of flavors! You should try it
The food was totes tasty too. Felt healthy and filling (which are two things that don't always go hand in hand). Multiple flavors to choose from. My favs were the Squash Dumplings, uber yum and the Moorish Platter! They braise their tofu....very different to what I've had in the past and i LOVE it!!
This is my mental yoga spot. Warm and relaxing on a chilly night, sunny and soothing on a nice day, Samovar is such a relaxing spot with a really solid line up of tea.
The views are great and the broad selection of teas ensure you can find a remedy for any mental hurdle you are looking to overcome.
Such a hidden gem, tucked away behind the Metreon, within Yerba Buena Gardens...great views, outside seating and awesome folks to boot!
There is a grand selection of teas; Green, White, Oolong, Herbal and even a few specialties, all ranging from about $8 - $75 a pot. I must say, I have yet to be disappointed with a selection. (No, I have not forked over $75, just yet, but I hear these are just divine:)
The menu also has some great food selections, my favorite being the Honeycomb, Blue Cheese & Fresh Fruit platter and the Squash dumplings....fresh and delicious each and every time!
On a cold, SF day - slip into Samovar and indulge; sit back, relax and enjoy the afternoon in style. It is a great spot for catching up, small celebrations or a simply lazy afternoon.
There are also locations in Hayes Valley and the Castro, which I have visited as well, but always find myself making my way over to Yerba Buena for this spot:)
Favorite selections thus far;
Osthmanthus Silver Needle Tea
Bai Mudan Tea
Gyokuro Tea
Lobocha Sencha
Wayu Dark Roast Tea
Ok last time I was here they were working on staffing issues. This time it was much better. Service was far more professional and timely. They even handed out surveys afterward, so you could give your two cents. (Obviously they stepped up the service because they knew they were being evaluated.) Food was delicious and I ordered the sable black tea with herbal mix, as recommended by my server. It was excellent. Good subtle tones with a strong finish. Dynamic flavor palate of herbal with a swift caffeinated punch of black tea. Nicely done.
It's nice to sit at the top terrace and embrace the sun. However, you definitely pay for the ambience. Food and tea are excellent, but high priced. Schizandra Berry Herbal Infusion* tea, claims to be discovered 2000 years ago as a "potent elixir" giving you whatever you need: energy, relaxation, beauty, sexual prowess...it has an after taste of a curio antique shop. Very interesting. Pick a sunny day when it's not too windy to enjoy the most of it. Don't come hungy because portions aren't overfilling. Allow plenty of time for waiting and don't expect too much from the staff, they seem new at the job.
This is my idea of a tea lounge. Just a peaceful place to enjoy tea and savor their incredible food. The servers even speak in a gentle voice like massage therapists do.
The first time I was there with my hubby, I ordered the English tea set and he got the Japanese tea set. As soon as his Japanese tea set arrived, I immediately claimed it as mine. Hello! Salmon with seaweed salad and seaweed wraps. The squash miso soup that it came with is simply amazing and mindblowing. Definitely worth trying.
The English tea set comes in a 3 tiered tray. Good but I've had better at the Ritz. So skip this and try another tea set. I would love to try the Indian tea set next time. Everything here is affordable compared to other tea places.
For pics and more detailed review: http://www.yummysf.com...
$18 for a pot of gyokuro!?!? $9 for sencha? Come on! There are multiple places back in Boulder, Co where you can get loose-leaf gyokuro for $3 and when I asked the very friendly server at Samovar about the price difference, he said they steep their tea more carefully. I'm sorry, I know SF is more expensive than Boulder in general, but people are suckers if they think that good, properly brewed green tea should cost so much. The sencha I had at Samovar was good but it didn't taste as good as the gyokuro I would drink in Boulder for a third of the price. The reason I am giving Samovar 1 star (even if they do have friendly service, nice ambience and great tea) is because I believe their prices make people think a pot of gyokuro should cost that much (I also understand that some grades of gyokuro are special and worth a lot but the $18 gyokuro is, according to my server, a base level gyokuro. Pots of the high grade gyokuro cost more than $60!). What really annoys me about it is that it is driving a green tea price-bubble and it makes good green tea unaffordable to the average joe like me.
I don't understand it either. SF seems to be the vanguard for good coffee. I haven't had a bad cup since moving here. So why is it so behind the times on tea? Is there even a place in town with loose-leaf Japanese greens at reasonable prices?
Great tea, lots of variety. A bit pricey, but I guess that pays for the ambiance too. Definitely a place to come here to relax, maybe even good for a date.
Service, on the other hand, is horrible. Real horrible. Maybe it was just our waitress, but this was absurd. We made it a game to figure out long it would take for her to come over. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, no length of time was too great. She was like a professional ignorer.
Samovar is one of those places only the "locals" know due to its location on top of Yerba Buena Gardens. Since many tourists, or "out of towners" would have no reason to dawdle up there, Samovar continues to be a somewhat "hidden gem" in the San Francisco nightlife.
This is GREAT place to take date if you want to show her/him some class without breaking your wallet. However, the tea house tends to be a little quiet, so be careful what topics you decide to expouse in the venue.
The only downsides to the lounge is the size. Groups of ten or more will most likely have to sit in the outdoor patio section overlooking Yerba Buena and the waterfalls. On a temperate day, this shouldn't be a problem. However, on a day when the fog decides to flex its muscle, your tea excursion can turn into a mild artic adventure.
Take my advice, DO NOT come here if you are extremely thirsty!
Samovar is designed for you to order your tea, get your personal tea pot, sit, relax, and just shoot the breeze. Don't be like me and order a chilled drink thinking it will quench your thirst-or you will find yourself about $25 in the hole from constantly ordering refills... lol
Love tea? Sanovar has tea. Lots of fabulastic tea. And a damn good Jasmine Lemonade. Luciously yummy.
Coming for a lunch on a beautiful sunny San Francisco day is sure to please. Soaking up the sun while sipping on a tea and munching on a healthy rice bowl or sandwich is sure to make you feel rejuvenated or want to play hookey. Strolling through Buena Vista after wards is an especially nice finale.
Samovar Chai is like heaven in a cup... every time I have that first sip, all the troubles of the world seem to wash away, and for a few moments, I'm in utter bliss.
Also delicious:
- Portabello Mushroom Sandwich
- Coconut Rice Pudding
ive been here couple times w my gal pals for saturday brunch and we all loved it... i especially liked the outside view (Yerba Buena Garden) through the humongous glass wall. it looks so beautiful, make you a happy heart. :)
on a negative side note thou, waitress will keep asking if you are done w your dish/tea where its pretty obvious that you are still working on it. it would be nicer if they dont seem like they are rushing us. -.-
I love their tea and I love their tea. Did I say I love their tea, but it's in the pricey side. You pay for the view of the city sky rise and the atmosphere, the experience. I still want to bring my girlfriend there but she's too busy working and being a busy body who works just 1.5 city blocks away haha...
Anywayz, yes I totally recommend this place for a nice small lunch and a cup of cool metal tea pot! Not the best for meetings though cuz, twice we had to put our laptops on that large metal plate that was very uncomfortable to eat on.
Who would have ever thought that monkey picked oolong tea would taste this good? Whether or not it was the primate's doing, or the exotic staff preparing our teas, I cannot say.
Leave your cutesy little netbook at home and actually enjoy the ambience here. Without relying on a spot near an AC adapter might also entice you to sit out on their terrace and enjoy the view.
If you are a tea fan, want to lounge with a friend (or friends) without the craziness of a bar, or just want to relax, Samovar is a good spot for you. The lounge is located at the top of Yerba Buena Park and offers a relaxing view and a quiet, serene atmosphere.
While I haven't tried the food, the tea is quite good. Each tea order comes with a small cup, a small pot with tea leaves and a medium sized pot with hot water. Steep, drink, refill, repeat. There are no waiters trying to rush you out or pressure you to try anything you don't want.
When you have find yourself needing a reflective moment and have some time, this is the spot to try.
Ahh.
I love the tea and the passion for tea. I strive for tea snobbiness, but these folks know more than I do and are eager to share and help you explore. I tried a couple oolongs and a couple greens (visiting three times in two days) and they were great - interesting, unique and different teas. From the sampling (and comments from my companions), this is a place that doesn't have slightly differentiated teas on the spectrum, but significantly different varieties to check out.
Small serving note: I found their recommendations for steeping a little long to my taste; the oolongs got a bit bitter if left too long.
I brought a couple friends here for dinner and we had a terrific, relaxed and yummy meal. Enjoyed everything we tried - including the Moorish plate (the mint, walnut, chevre-stuff date bites were outstanding!), the stirfry (fresh veggies, duck, brown rice) and the warm bread pudding for dessert.
As noted, the service was great - Lara was quite helpful with recommendations and information about teas and food and helped us have a great evening.
I was in town as part of the Oracle problem (the big show, with 30,000 of my friends) and was glad it wasn't packed - a true getaway, right on top of Moscone). I wish we had Samovar in Denver. It is pricey, but worth it to me.
You know there are those people that you spend time with and they take you somewhere amazing on a beautiful day and it's like they give you energy.
Sitting outside Samovar on this beautiful day with one of my favorite people felt amazing. I love having tea. The thing is I myself forget how much I love certain things until I get to spend time with those people that appreciate the same things and remind me why I like it so much.
Looking at the Asian fusion menu I was instantly drawn to the curry egg salad sandwich on a nicely toasted chibatta roll. It had apple slices in it which was a really nice crisp texture and sweet against the lightly salted curry egg salad. I really liked it. Along with it came a mixed greens salad with a nice light vinaigrette, melon slices, and strawberries.
For dessert we split a cranberry scone with jam and devonshire cream. It was also super tasty. As for tea I had the first white tea on the menu. I just really like white tea, it tastes very refreshing, slightly softer and less harsh than the black variety.
What's really nice about today is that I feel like I've been eating the same thing over and over recently. Just going to the same ole same ole restaurants. So this was a really nice change of pace to be brought to a new place to try and enjoy. I always like trying to bring other people to places, so it was a nice change to have someone bring me somewhere new.
The service was fantastic. The company was perfect. The weather was spectacular for SF. We're sitting listening to live music from the park in front of the Metreon, then there is the nice trickle of water from the fountain nearby, then you look up at the skyscrappers around and realize how beautiful it is. 4 stars for the combination of everything amazing.
A great place to relax after a long stressful day!!!
Great service, fantastic view/ambiance, decent food and tea.
=)
If you find yourself near or at the Yerba Buena Gardens .... then this place is absolutely worth checking out. I had lunch outside and it was so peaceful. Recommend the "Moorish Service" offering. The food and tea were amazing!
Make me wanna give up Espresso and become a lover of Tea! I recently spent a day in SF on business and was introduced to Samovar from my Tea-loving friend & colleague. We sat outside on one of the comfortable couches and started to unwind. The server was there immediately to assist with tea or food selections. My friend enjoyed a tea and food combination while I chose an Iced Chai Tea with a sandwich. Our food selections were delicious...and as you can see from the photos, quite a presentation. Looking forward to going back and having a relaxing meal with a cup-a-tea in a beautiful location...it doesn't get much better than this folks!
Pricey, but it makes you feel special with quality food & tea in a peaceful architecturally-pleasing setting. The music is a peaceful accompaniment, not distracting from the meal.
I had the Moorish platter, recommended by a significant other. The food quantiy was a bit less than I would prefer, but it was tasty.
Excellent place to take someone for a chat over tea.
Really nice and decent place to for relaxing day and just hanging out with your girlfriends!!
The food was pretty good, but I found the tea not hot enough. It turned cold really fast. Service was not that great. It took forever for us to change a table and there were practically no one greeting us when we were standing @ the door for like 15 mins. People basically ignored you.
But overall, it had pretty good views, except for those half-naked-middle-aged man by the fountain.
If you are looking for a place to drink some tea and relax while reading the newspaper or a good book, then this is the place. The food was alright, healthy and decently priced, nothing to write home about. I did enjoy the dessert tray, but just make sure you bring a couple of friends to help you with it. I'm a fan of lots and lots of tea, just please keep bringing me loads of boiling water to drench and redrench my tea leaves with, so I was happy that the waiter put up with me by refilling my little cast iron tea pot about 50 times.
When I recently met up with my besto Amy in the city, she suggested we grab some tea after dragging me around shopping at the mall. For some reason, I just assumed we'd go to the Coffee Bean or something, but instead we walked in the opposite direction. Once we entered the Sony Metreon, I was quite confused, but then enlightened again as we entered Yerba Buena gardens in the back.
She points up at the top level. "We're going there!" I didn't even know there was anything up there before this. Hidden up there is a very chic-looking zenified tea cafe with a spacious outdoor patio for seating and a beautiful view of the buildings on market and the garden below. I'm thinking this place has to be pretty pricey because it looks like it, plus I'm here with a girl who just bought a $1200 dress that's not even for her upcoming wedding. Well... let's have a look see.
On to the menu. First thing you'll notice on the menu is that the backside is filled with different teas. Kinda like the beer selection you would get at Yard House or, thinking of a Bay Area equivalent... Sushi rolls at Sushi House. They range from normal run of the mill teas to $50 a cup. I'm no connoisseur of tea (I think CB&TL suits me just fine 100% of the time), so let's go with inexpensive and safe. It's been a long morning with a graduation and shopping in the city so I just need something cold and refreshing. My eyes now clue in on the first chilled beverage on the menu: "Cucumber and Aloe Vera Tea - Mildly sweet and super refreshing." Ding, we have a winner!
What? None for today? Okay, give me another minute. The next thing I find on the menu is the Schizandra Berry Tea. It reads: "2000 years ago Shen Nong first identified this potent elixir as an "adaptogenic tonic," ie, it gives you whatever you need: energy, relaxation, beauty, sexual prowess..."
"SEXUAL PROWESS??" That is the first time I have ever seen that on a menu anywhere. Well, it's Saturday afternoon, I'm up in the city, I'm going out tonight... if this tonic can give me whatever I need, then sign me up. "One She.. she.. shizandra please!"
I get a tray with a pot of reddish pink iced tea and two cups. Upon tasting, the drink isn't as cold and refreshing as an iced tea should be, but I begin to see why they described it as a tonic. The whole presentation just made me think of herbal medicine more than a brisk iced tea. It also takes like POM. Room temperature POM with three cubes of ice to cool it down. Ok, I said I was no tea connoisseur.
Amy gets a citrus iced tea because they were out of the refreshing aloe tea we wanted. That tastes kinda like my drink but with lemon and tangerine bits mixed in. Neither tea is really refreshing or rich in flavor to me. If all you want is something cold to imbibe, you might want to think of other places.
We also shared a turkey sandwich between the two of us. Of course, it's a fancy tea place so it's no ordinary turkey sandwich. It was actually quite good! It tasted fresh and healthy, and made a perfect meal to go along with tea and chatter. I do wish we had ordered the honeycomb, cheese, and fruit platter though, as that would have made for a fuller experience, but perhaps next time.
Now, this sort of place isn't exactly my everyday cup of tea (ha! okay that was lame), but If it were a perfect day in SF and I were with someone I'd want to sit down and have a pleasant chat with, then I will for sure be back. The view, ambiance, and service were phenomenal and the price won't set you back terribly at all. An ideal place to get an afternoon snack or a cup of tea with someone.
Excellent combination of concept and location. A "tea room" with outdoor seating overlooking Yerba Buena Gardens, an oasis behind the hotels and above Moscone North. I didn't sample the food, but the menu was impressive -- particularly the very large choice of teas. A little overwhelmed by the options, I went with the Earl Grey, which I can still taste an hour later. That's some good, strong tea!
I wasn't in a hurry (it took the servers a while to notice me), but they were apologetic and charming when they came.
My hotel was a block away from Samovar, without even knowing! We walked around San Francisco our first night there. While in the Yerba Buena Gardens I noticed the Samovar sign and got excited because I wanted to go to Samovar during my stay. I worked at a tea place for a while, but I actually learned about this place from Diggnation. My friend could have cared less, but I made a mental note of where it was.
The next day, my friend and I got in an argument and decided to go around the city on our own for a few hours, and I thought it'd be the perfect time to try this place out. Even the walk up was relaxing :).
I really love the location, it's so beautiful. The people were really nice and friendly, and greeted my right away. I decided to order the Soy Matcha Shake and the Fudge Brownies with Matcha Mousse, I guess I went a little matcha crazy. It was sooo yummy though. It was a little chilly once I left, so I took the Nocturnal Bliss with me to go.
It all helped me relax and kind of regroup after the argument my friend and I had. I wish there was a Samovar in Southern California. I will definitely go back if I am ever in town again.
Having spent several dates in high school at the Yerba Buena Center and the Metreon, I was a bit surprised to find this little gem hiding there. I went in here for a business lunch with two associates and I was put at ease by the chill music and the light yet bright interior. Plenty of natural light complements a huge tea list well, and despite some steep prices here, I enjoyed my experience.
I had the vegan thai iced tea (which tasted like pumpkin pie - really spice-flavored but without the sweetness). That was a bit odd. It led me into my lunch: the egg bowl. "Organic poached eggs, steamed brown rice w/ hijiki, ginger-soy dipping sauce" all served with smoked salmon, at the recommendation of our server. The salmon was really stiff and chewy, and it did not have a distinctly smoky flavor. It tasted like something that had just been pulled out of a fridge and slapped onto a plate. Which I suppose it was. The rice was good, and the poached eggs and sauce combined very well together.
All in all, this place was grossly overpriced, clearly serving a hoity toity well off crowd - but the atmosphere and decor really made for an enjoyable experience.
As part of my civil duty, I decided to stop yelping unless I've had an exceptional experience. Who needs bad PR anyhow in this economy when most businesses are struggling to keep busy...
My experience at Samovar did not fit in the "exceptional" category. I felt compelled, however, to write a review because my friend (who shall remained unnamed) gave this place a nasty nasty yelp review a while back because of the lousy server that she got from her last visit. True to her character, she felt bad about "bad mouthing" - so on this particular sunny afternoon, her good conscience dragged us to Samovar again to give it another shot.
Even though I am not a "tea" person, I did like my experience at this tea haven. The ambiance was just very calming. There was a lady sitting a few tables down, quietly enjoying her pot of tea with a book. I wondered what she was reading. Another lovely couple sat next to us, sharing some appetizers and tea while holding hands. And in the other corner, a father and son were bonding over some toys and tea. My friend and I, in the meantime, shared a pot of mint herbal tea, and then we switched to a pot of rooibos. Simple and relaxing.
The service we got this time was attentive - I suspected it had something to do with the fact that my friend complained about her last lousy service to our server as soon as we sat down this time. The server made a note of it and made it right this time. It helped also that he was tall and cute and very friendly.
I am not a believer of "second chance"... but this one, I might have to re-think... over tea.
Two things you need to order here:
1) 4 seasons tea
2) Wasabi Salmon salad
It's definitely yummy yummy in your tummy! Came here with my friend, who heard about it from DiggNation's Kevin Rose, and Samovar definitely reached and breached our expectations. Excellent service, informative/friendly staff, and superb knowledge on teas. I learned a couple of things here: some teas do not taste as good as they should because of the pot it was brewed in, and the amount of time you put into infusing a tea really matters!
Samovar offers a slew of entrees but the wasabi salad is my personal fave. Aside from the fantasic and diverse menu, I enjoyed their breathtaking surrounding: set in the middle of Moscone Center & Metreon, facing the park and gorgeous SF architecture. Some people prefer trees and lots of nature when sipping pu-erh, but I really don't mind the city setting. You have the option of sitting in doors or out.
If it's your first time, let the staff know, they will give you their personal insight and ask if you like it "woody, sweet, a little bitter" and take it from there.
Lovely place for a date if you're the sophisticated kind.
Neighborhood: Castro
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
Category: Tea Rooms
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Coffee & Tea
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