Far Leaves Tea

I never write Yelp reviews, however I feel so strongly passionate about this place that I simply must write.

First, I must express my deep and wholehearted gratitude to team-member Jesse (sp?) for their astute knowledge on tea, their welcoming and friendly demeanor, and their beyond excellent customer service. They were absolutely wonderful in introducing me to the basics of tea and tea making, the history of tea and herbal infusions (as I've learned our quite different!,) and to this establishment that I may very well call my "third place." I hope that this review finds its way to you.

Far Leaves Tea truly exceeds your expectations from the venue to the service to the tea. As other reviews might mention, at first glance, you would not think this place was open given the exterior. The windows are translucent and gives off a "hole-in-the-wall" vibe; however, when you open their doors, you will find yourself transported into a wonderful and peaceful world filled with various teas, tea pots, and an ambience that will soothe your very soul. At first, I was a bit lost not knowing how to order my tea however the wonderful tea barista/artist/master Jesse walked me through every step of the process including an excellent demonstration of how to steep different types of teas, the "arcs" and "stories" each one holds, and articulated their recommendations for each tea we taste-tested! We had such a fantastic conversation at the bar just talking about tea and Jesse welcomed each guest to the conversation with ease and finesse. Jesse took my existing knowledge of tea and broadened it to a world I am now incredibly excited to explore with Far Leaves Tea as my home base.

As I am writing this review, I continuously admire the small community here and the respect each patron has for tea and the environment. If you are a tea enthusiast, this is the perfect place to do any kind of work--professional or creative. Also, I'd be remiss to not mention the wonderful snacks this teahouse procures and sells that go perfectly with your tea. (Did I also mention affordable?) And newcomers, be not afraid! If other team members reflect Jesse's service, I can guarantee you will leave this place feeling like a tea master.

Far Leaves Tea might very well receive my one and only Yelp review as I have never felt more strongly, more inspired, and more enlightened after visiting an establishment. This place is so perfect you WILL want to gate-keep it. You can expect me to return several times.

I wish this business the success it absolutely deserves!

Summary:
Tea selections to fit all sorts of palates

Details:
Other Yelpers weren't kidding: from how rundown the outside is, you wouldn't be expecting much from this tea shop, if you even could recognize that it was such at a glance! But don't let this cover deceive you: the inside of Far Leaves has some really chill East Asian tea house vibes (from several different cultures), offering up a variety of seating options, even including a tatami mat area in the back.

Tea options span a huge range of varieties and price points, from your more basic flavored tea options, to fancier, and more expensive aged puers that go for hundreds a brick. The latter is what we've found is a great reason to go to a tea shop: to try something you either can't afford, or don't want to drop so much on without first taste testing it.

Staff is really helpful if you have any questions or want recommendations, especially given the extensive menu of options. They also offer a pretty good selection of packaged teas for sale, which seem largely priced in-line with places of similar quality.

Accessibility:
The venue itself is pretty spacious, with seating being a bit more hit or miss with accessibility: you'll definitely find a few tables that are accessible, but things like the tatami mat will not be.

I came to visit Berkeley for a couple days and never explored Berkeley and coming to this tea shop was a pleasant experience! Right away when I first walked in I loved the ambiance, definitely a great place for getting work done or to catch up with a friend while drinking tea. There were so many tea selections and I hope that I can come back to try more of their flavors. On the day that I came midway the electricity went out and the workers were accommodating and were not going to have us pay. However, I did end up going back to pay the bill because I really appreciated the thought and I wanted to pay for the exemplary service they showed to my friend and I. Would definitely recommend trying out this place!

Super sweet tea place. Very knowledgeable about tea. Mellow atmosphere. On top of that, some delicious snacks to munch on. Highly recommend.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon! It's soooo cute inside! So many options for tea & you can get a flight to try multiple. The three of us got matchas and they were so smooth & earthy. I love the vibe here & can't wait to come back!

Everything I was looking for in a tea house!! I'm so happy we came here. The ambiance is calming, socializing and cozy. The service was very friendly, may have been one of the nicest interactions. The worker was by themselves and handling all the business with a positive energy and a smile. It was lovely. The little mochi and pineapple cakes were so good that I genuinely want to know where they buy them! I need them in my daily life. They also give you a big water kettle to keep refilling your tea. I'd definitely come back! Thank you!

Far Leaves is a beautiful place to catch up with a friend and even to do some quiet work, as they have ample seating and wifi. They're very nice about you staying as long as you like.

They match the tea ware with the tea here. The best tea on the menu consciousness wise to me - and the most price-wise - is an aged Puerh that costs $350 a cake. (See pics.) The secret is, you can order it as a tea in-house. It brews 9-10 infusions. Amazing.

I've had six different teas here: high mountain oolongs, aged Puerhs, and even flavored teas that are balanced blends such as a lavender white and a chocolate black mint. All good.

They even gave us our leaves to take home! This is a lovely place to slow down and be present with. Everyone here is always good vibes. I like that they're turning on the heat now, too, so it's cozy.

While waiting for the kiddos to be done with their Spanish lesson down the road, I look on my gps for a place to stay and find Far Leaves Tea. I walk by and didn't noticed it and when I did, I thought it was closed.
Once inside, you step into a world of peace and relaxation, a break from the busy street just behind the door.
Multiple sitting options to satisfy all, so many teas, so many, the waitress was a vibe on her own, so sweet and patient, she got a few teas out for me to smell and I didn't feel judged for not knowing all about teas, neither for coming with my baby (I had doubt when entering the place) but everyone actually seemed to be happy to have a baby here.
Highly recommend.

What a cool find, in a spot I wouldn't have expected. Cozy inside with a few different seating areas. Warm and comfy on a rainy day. The setup is cool, with electric kettles for each table and small tea pots for each selection of tea.
The staff person, Jesse, was super helpful and very attentive and friendly. This was a great place to chat and relax over some nice tea.

This place is outstanding! I love the atmosphere of the inside room. Despite the comfort and quietness of a traditional feel. They offer a variety of teas in abundance, from floral to bold. I recommend this place to the fullness. Undoubtedly, this is my favorite tea place to visit and take home tea.