Looking for tea shop in Oakland, CA, chinatown
 

Hi

Looking for a good tea shop near the Oakland area and wondering if any
good ones in Chinatown.

I would like to

1. Find a source for good oolong's, green teas that are reasonably
priced. Currently buy all my teas from special teas.

2. Buy a quality gaiwan or yixing teapot for oolongs/green teas.

I own a chatsford tea pot, but want to try and brew oolongs and greens
in a gaiwan/yixing if I can.

Any suggestions. (if nothing in chinatown, general east bay area or
even SF is fine, or even online if thats the best).

Shriram

Looking for tea shop in Oakland, CA, chinatown
 

On Feb 7, 10:24*am, wrote:
> Hi
>
> Looking for a good tea shop near the Oakland area and wondering if any
> good ones in Chinatown.
>
> I would like to
>
> 1. Find a source for good oolong's, green teas that are reasonably
> priced. Currently buy all my teas from special teas.
>
> 2. Buy a quality gaiwan or yixing teapot for oolongs/green teas.
>
> I own a chatsford tea pot, but want to try and brew oolongs and greens
> in a gaiwan/yixing if I can.
>
> Any suggestions. (if nothing in chinatown, general east bay area or
> even SF is fine, or even online if thats the best).
>
> Shriram

We now live in Oakland. There's only one relatively good tea shop in
Oakland Chinatown - Hong Kong Market on the corner of 9th Street and
Broadway. When the tea is fresh, it can be delightful and inexpensive.
But, it's "hit or miss'. The shop down the street "Golden Teashop" on
the north side of the block is a real rip-off.
In Oakland on College Avenue, there is Far leaves - small, not bad.
But, the better tea shops are in Berkeley: Teance is on 4th Street (I
personally think this tea shop is VERY over-rated and expensive; some
folks really like it. I have yet to have any FRESH teas there.).
The BEST is Roy Fong's Imperial Tea Court in Berkeley on Shattuck
Avenue in the back. The food is good, as well.
All Imperial Tea Court teas are carefully selected and worth the
price. The younger kids in the shop are not that tea-savy; but, often
Roy or Grace Fong, Michael or James are there and they are tea
experts.
In San Francisco - two shops: Imperial Tea Court (as above) in the
Embarcadero Ferry Building (James is usually there) or Red Blossom on
Grant Avenue Chinatown -Alice and Peter - both knowledgeable and fine
teas. The other shops on the street are overpriced and under-quality.
Unfortunately, the original, wonderful Imperial Tea Court shop in
Chinatown SF closed in December.
There is also, in SF, Samovar - nice tearoom, good food, very small
and over rated and over-priced selection.
Welcome to the beautiful, now warm and sunny Bay Area!
Shen