After work, we need to unwind. Instead of drinking unhealthy alcohol. Let's do tea. Did you know you can get a buzz from tea. The buzz without headache. I love the ambience and the soft music. There are parkings for customers. The tea shop owner is well executed with her techniques and knowledge. The conversation at the tea bar is alike the barbershop. It's a healthy socially hangout for many Asian American, whom missed Asian-ness. I didn't realized that drinking tea from a thin-ceramic-rim-cup is much more tasteful than glass. I'm glad the owner hip me to the height of the cup allowing the aroma to rise and arouse your nostril. They have tea flights and the choices between $18 or $23. At $18 you can get 3 kind of tea under $10 and at $23, the full menu. I decided on pot because I really wanted to try a certain tea. We ended up doing kombucha flight and two pots and spent three hours here! Kombucha are freshly made here with amazing choices -- I love the oolong-- you don't ever sea a tea type kombucha. Wow!!!! read more

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Passing by after i got my matcha nearby. Saw this place on the way, so I got to check it out. Apparently this place is a specialty tea from around the world. You can tasting menu. See photos for details. So many selection of tea. Awesome. read more

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Cultivate tea offers various type of matcha , other tea drinks and products. When I entered the shop, I was amazed by high quality matcha powder and other tea products they offer. Ambience was calm and cozy. Staff were very friendly and helpful to explain their products. What I got - Matcha hikari tea latte to go. Staff made matcha latte in front of customer. It was very nice to watch the process staff was making it. Matcha hikari had strong , bold flavor and it was well balanced item. I really enjoyed their matcha latte. It is one of the most authentic matcha shop and highly recommend to visit here! read more

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Had a pretty nice experience at our tea tasting! We opted for the matcha tasting, which included 2 hojicha options as well. The tasting experience lasts 1 hour and we were able to try 4 different drinks. The drinks are made in front of you while the entire process is explained. As someone who makes a lot of their own matcha, I did go into the experience knowing quite a bit already, but the presentation could be very informative for someone who doesn't know much. Overall, the drinks were quite good and the service was friendly. My only critique is that the tasting experience happens at the bar in the store, not in a separate room/area. I think I was expecting a quieter/more private area, as people were just shopping around us the entire time. It got noisy/distracting and took away from the experience slightly. read more

Cultivate Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Cultivate carries an amazing variety of high quality rare tea (loose leaf tea and stoneground matcha), a small assortment of bottled housemade kombucha, tea accessories, and incense. The tea bar offers tasting experiences or matcha/hojicha lattes "a la carte" if you don't want to commit to the full tasting. Everything will run you a pretty penny but is worth splurging on if you want a really elevated tea experience. I tried all three of their kombuchas (green, white, oolong) and they are definitely different from the stuff you can buy at the grocery store - less sweet and the delicate aroma of the tea as well as the sourness from the fermentation are more prominent. As for their lattes, while the Uji hojicha latte I tried was very good, it didn't stand out to me as far superior to hojicha from specialized cafes like Whisk or Paragon, where you can get a hojicha latte for $4-5 cheaper. The Yame hojicha had quite a unique flavour and left more of an impression. The two matcha lattes I tried, from their exclusive Matcha Velvet 7 line, were really special. The lattes from this special line were $15 as opposed to their "regular" $12 matcha lattes, but I actually felt like I was tasting something very special that made it worth the high price. Definitely not the kind of thing I'd buy on a regular basis, but worth it if you really like matcha and want to experience different varieties. Their lattes are a smaller size and concentrated, served chilled (but not iced since ice can apparently shock the tea and alter the flavour). You can get a latte to go, but I second their recommendation to enjoy it in the store, since they're really meant to be savoured fully and presently, not sipped while doing something else. The staff is very knowledgeable if you have questions about the tea itself or the preparations, but if there's a group doing a tea-tasting at the bar, that's where their focus will be. I talked with Gerard (not sure about spelling) a few times and enjoyed his commentary on the tea. read more

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I had a great matcha tasting and demo led by Gerard. He was knowledgeable, welcoming, and answered all my questions. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the experience and matcha lattes. Highly recommend coming to this tea shop! read more

Cultivate Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Came by with a friend for their matcha tasting and I found it really informative! We were guided through 3 different matchas and since I had mentioned I liked hojicha, they also made a hojicha on the house :) Overall, very pleasant experience and would recommend to anyone who is interested exploring different matcha types. The ambiance was really calming and quiet so we felt we could take our time and didn't feel rushed through it. read more

Cultivate Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Very nice quality matcha. Yamabuki was rich, nutty, umami. $12 is a biiiit steep, but you also pay for the experience which is just fantastic. The vibes are incredible in here and the employees are super knowledgeable. They call it a "chilled matcha" since they don't put ice to keep the flavor stable. They also do tea tastings -- such a wonderful tea scene in van! read more

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We came to Cultivate Tea and honestly felt a bit ignored. No one came to greet us nor ask us what we were looking for until we asked despite only having one group at the tasting bar. This also brings me to the fact that during covid, indoor dining is not allowed yet there was a group at the tasting bar. We ended up getting a tea to go, and the tea itself was quite good although a bit pricy ($10.50 for a cup), although the customer service was very underwhelming. read more

Cultivate Tea - a hand holding a cup of coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I rarely write reviews, but this was such a distinctly bad experience, that I would like to help fellow tea peeps avoid going here. My friend and I, who are rather avid tea drinkers, who travel the world exploring and buying tea, and buy very fine and costly tea when inspired (my friend, being particularly knowledgeable and experienced about all things tea), stumbled upon this store on our last visit to Vancouver via Google. It was near our AirBnB. We often buy tea at places we find as we travel to help owners out if they are kind and do a tasting with us, out of respect for the art and because we know how hard it's been lately after COVID and so forth. Brick and mortar tea houses need tea peep support!! Though the store is nicely merchandised and most things were in pretty packaging, everything in the store was very overpriced from the teas to the tea wares. We both know the prices of all of these sorts of items and teas quite well. The teapots (unsigned and with no visible nomenclature whatsoever), in particular, were waaaay too costly for what they were (ridiculously so, like buyers are knuckleheads). But sometimes, you get what you pay for in expensive teas, and we were game to try some tea and buy some too. However, to say that the customer service and sense of any appreciation of our interest in their tea was lacking would be an understatement. The proprietor (and we expressly "confirmed" he was the owner) seemed distinctly disinterested in being helpful or hospitable in any manner. He had a single guest at the Tea Bar that seated 4. And when we asked if we 2 could join in and sample the tea that was already made and being served, he dismissed us and said we needed an advance paid reservation (even though 3 seats were clearly available). When we offered to pay and that if anyone with a reservation later came for a tasting, we would immediately surrender our seats, he retorted that the seats were still not available. So we then inquired about an empty table with two chairs on the other side of the store (away from the tea bar) where we could do our own gaiwan service and taste a few teas to make some purchase decisions. He told us it was available for 15 minutes per paid gaiwan session. (Mind you, he might have that 15 minute rule to avoid the loitering by unhoused persons, but that would not describe how we looked). When we inquired and were told how costly each gaiwan service was, to avoid disappointment, we inquired about how much tea and water was provided per session, because something just didn't feel right here! He told us that it was 3g per gaiwan service and then showed us the supply hot water pitcher included, which was barely 100 - 120 ml (essentially enough water for one steep). How can you fully taste a fine tea on a single steep? We wanted to do the gung fu style tea brewing method, which requires multiple short steeps to assess any tea. When we asked if hot water refills or a larger thermos were available, he said no, and that we would have to pay for another round of (ridiculously $$$) gaiwan service for two. Really - for just 120ml of hot water?! This gaiwan service was exceedingly overpriced for the amount of tea and water provided, but, the upshot of it all was that this experience of being treated so poorly and so inhospitably at a teahouse was something neither one of us had ever experienced in our worldwide travels. We left the store commenting about the shear lack of good tea house energy and lack of kind spirit of the owner. Perhaps it is owned by a person who runs it as a vanity hobby and feels entitled to be snooty? Perhaps, but perhaps I shouldn't speculate! But as 2 persons who travel and generally experience wonderful tea synergies around the world, where tea house personnel overwhelmingly sense that each of us are both knowledgeable and interested "buyers" (and not mere lookie-loos), this place was a real eye opening disappointment. Maybe if we had been wearing some couture bling clothing, fine watches and some super fancy shoes, we would have been better received and more hospitably treated? But alas, it was a inclement, rainy day.... To sum up this review, if you like "rude" (as my friend commented as we left) and "overpriced" for the places you like to shop and support, this place is a winner! And if the owner doesn't have a patience to graciously address the public, perhaps he should make the store a "by appointment only" experience. That way, tea peeps like us can steer clear of all the negative waves.... read more

I called in advance as I was trying to organized to have a group of us attend the tea room. Jude was very helpful, he explained everything in detailed even the special order fermented Amazake biscotti. We appreciate the personalized recommendation based on our tastes/preferences. Everyone was very pleased with their tea and have great experiences. We look forward to returning soon. I had the Autumn Snow, it was a delight. I managed to try 4 other tea from my group and I have to say, there are all really unique and tasty in its own way. read more

Cultivate Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I was ecstatic when Cultivate Tea opened up in their new location as it is within walking proximity for me. The aesthetic of this place is beautiful. A very clean, calming, and minimalist design with lots of plants, which brings me back to Japan. But the service have been meh at best and has become a major turnoff for me. I tried their tea, kombucha and onigiris (eat in and take out). While everything has been good, it didn't wow me. It was also on the pricier side for the amount you receive. For tea, I would prefer paragon tea room or Treasure green tea company in Chinatown because the quality is just as good, if not better, and their service have always been excellent. Cultivate Tea has a very pretentious vibe. Reminds me of Kafka (the tea version) where the staff are cold and acts like they are above you. As another reviewer posted, unless you are seated in the bar area, it's hard to get any type of service. Even harder to catch any glimpse of a smile from the owners. The male owner is slightly better than the woman (I presume his wife). But even still, their attitude towards customers made me feel uncomfortable...as if I'm begging for their service which I don't appreciate. I always root for small businesses but this one is a no in my books. read more

The environment instantly transports you to a Chinese-style tea bar. I loved all the accessories and teas that were available for sale to the right of the bar. The staff were very friendly and knowledgable about tea. I wished we could have stayed longer! I got the matcha and really enjoyed seeing the staff whisk the tea. It was from Kagoshima and it wasn't bitter. I would come back again if I'm ever in town. read more

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We bought a number of tea varieties from this shop. The quality is average at best. The prices are expensive and you're paying for the packaging and the aesthetics of the place. Average tea is average tea no matter how it's packaged. read more

I'm giving them a 4 because this is the first time I've tried kombucha. But it might be better, if I tried more... will change at a different time. We got the sampler kombucha on the menu and it gave us 3 different types of fermented tea to choose from! My favourite was the tropical pineapple flavour, very refreshing. The ambience of the shop is very quiet and relaxing, filled with greens and comfy chairs with cushions. It's the perfect place to unwind and just have a conversation with a friend. The owners are very nice and brew their own kombucha themselves! Also available is just regular tea of many unique flavours. read more

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Came here with a few friends and were deeply disappointed by the lack of service. It seems like only the people seated at the bar received any attention at all. We walked in and were not greeted (the only other people were at the bar), so we took some menus and seated ourselves. Our teas took forever to arrive, and it wasn't until we made several bouts of intense eye contact and a lot more waiting, that somebody came by to ask if we needed anything. Reading the other reviews here, I thought we were going to have our teas refilled automatically. How can anybody justify the price if you aren't going to get a refill? We got half-filled pots of tea, which was sad. Then they continued to ignore us for the rest of our visit :( read more

Cultivate Tea - Half-filled pots of tea? Aw man.. :( - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

We tried lemon and strawberry flavoured kombucha here a few days back, it was refreshing and tangy as expected. I thought the decor was really cute and cozy, very intimate. The person helped with our purchase seemed quite knowledgeable about teas, which is absolutely a must when running a specialised like this! Kombucha is definitely an acquired taste and not for everyone, my friend thought the after taste was a bit odd but I was used to it so it didn't bother me. I like that the teas here focus on quality freshly made teas with little to no sugar, great for tea lovers who want the true flavour of the teas to come out. read more

Cultivate Tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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It's been awhile since I wandered around the Main street shops, and I came across this cute tea shop. I'll confess that I'm not a tea fanatic, but I have friends who are quite into so I absorb tidbits just from listening to their conversations. My tea is usually limited to the stuff I get at dim sum, and then cheap japanese genmaicha. That said, this small little shop is clearly set up by the owners to show off the wonders of tea. The seating is limited, about 3 tables and then a couple bar stools. The counter is where you can sit to watch tea pouring happen, and it's very nice being able to watch them make the tea for you. Many different options of tea, none of which I knew but the owners are very friendly and you just have to let them know what you want. Personally I went for the kombucha since I wasn't in a tea mood. The oolong kombucha was fantastic, and I will definitely return to try all the other kombucha offerings. read more

This is an hidden gem ! Forget the scented teas, and come to discover pure good quality teas leaves properly brewed. I've been getting a 2005 Pu'Erh properly prepared by the owner for just a couple toonies, you'd never find a deal like this anywhere ! And trust me, I'm a tea geek. I really appreciated the relaxed place, very propice to creativity, and the friendliness of the tenant. A must try ! read more

Great little shop. Highly recommend going up to the tea bar for a sample of their teas. Jude & his wife were a pleasure to chat with & they'll help you find the perfect tea. Their Matcha was the best I've had. Ps. Their little Japanese deserts are tasty and cheap - a must try! read more

Jude and Lynn, the owners, are amazing. Such excellent knowledge on the various teas. They really take time to get to know you personally and are passionate about sharing their tea wisdom! Great hangout and date spot. read more

I stopped by with my mom during our last few hours in BC before our flight and I'm so glad I looked up this place! The shop was refreshing and decor charming. We chatted with the lady owner and learned a few things as well! She recommended teas for us and we ended up buying a tea set and tin of floral tea. The desserts were delicious; my mom is vegan and she had quite a few selections to choose from. A great experience and lovely store, would definitely visit again if I have the chance. read more

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We really enjoyed Jude serving us tea and chatting with him. He has lots of knowledge about tea. It's definitely worth the time to have him serve the tea at the tea bar. Don't expect a typical tea cup to go. The way he serve tea is the traditional way and we spent almost an hour drinking many cups in a mini tea cups. Not pretentious at all and the store has a cozy atmosphere. read more

Cultivate Tea - Drinking tea at the bar. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

- Beautifully decorated , calming store - enthusiastic workers who take the time to sit down with you and chat about their products and about the day - samples of kombucha can be requested ;) - sells tea , tea ware , and Japanese sweets read more

Absolutely amazing!!! A great selection on Teas and I got a Kombucha Kit to make at home!!! Super friendly staff and great atmosphere. TOTALLY RECOMMEND!!! :-)))) read more

Cultivate Tea - Fantastic:-))) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Hidden gem on Main St! They get the best Kombucha and tea in Vancouver!! I didn't know anything about tea before. When I purchased tea there, the owner patiently explained the differences between each tea and really wanted to help me to pick my favourite. After that, I returned to stay-in and have tea there. They brew tea through traditional Chinese method, which is amazing and something rarely seen in Vancouver! Moreover, I am not a Kombucha fan, but their Kombucha amazed me! It is not surprising since they got such good tea as the base to make Kombucha. A must-go place in Vancouver! read more

There are now tea shops like this in every major city in North America. By that I mean the "lifestyle/image" focused tea shop, usually operating in more chic chic neighborhoods, such as mount pleasant in Vancouver. 10 years ago one usually had to go to a Chinatown or Japantown to get teas of any quality, but tea has now become profitable and marketable outside of Asia, so such shops inevitably pop up. Usually they'll hit you over the head with first rate prose about how special their first picked/organic/heritage/etc. teas are, so that you get the sense that special You have the Privilege of Experiencing their Coveted Teas. If you actually spend some time in Asia (as I have), or are more serious about tea, buy it online from Asia, etc., you'll quickly realize that the quality of the actual *leaves* at these places is rarely remarkable. It's stuff you could find in most shops in China, Taiwan, or Japan. This was my impression of Cultivate Tea online, and everything about my brief experience there confirmed it: After biking around town on a sunny day, me and my gf went in here to investigate their senchas. Normally we order online at yuukicha, but we just wanted something to tide us over. They only offered 3 senchas--she asked the female owner about them. Owner was borderline clueless about her own products, had almost nothing of note to offer about them, and hadn't even tried one of them. Uh oh. I tried to engage her in some small talk about her shop and she plainly seemed uninterested in engaging with either of us or being informative in any way. Coming from more of a Chinese tea background, my gf then asked if it was possible to buy a bag of sencha and drink a little of it there--a common practice in Chinese tea shops (not to mention the owners actively offering cups of tea and conversation). The owner suppressed a laugh of what seemed disgust to me and said it wasn't possible--insert BS explanation of paying for tea service with limited number of set teas..even though you carry primarily Chinese teas and this is common practice all over China and TW. Eventually we just left without buying anything. Vancouverites, you have one of the best Tea shops in all of N America, in Richmond, The aptly named, The Best Tea House. Please spend your money there and/or buy Japanese teas online at several good vendors, unless you expressly want a chic chic experience of image over substance while listening to Muzak and a disinterested owner. No reason for me to return to Cultivate. read more

Delicious tea, gracious service, generous portions, decent price. The staff know their tea, and were able to recommend a tea that fit my specifications (I like strong Assam-like teas). Will visit again. read more

We had an amazing experience here. Customer service was great and so was the Tea. If you're around Main Street I highly recommend you check this place out. read more

Went in with high hopes because of the good reviews. We were intrigued by the seasonal kombuchas but were met with almost hostile levels of customer service. We ended up getting a tasting flight and had to beg the server to explain which kombuchas were which. We will never come back here. read more

New tea place that opened on Main. I came here on the way to RSD this year and grabbed some loose leaf tea for cold brewing. It's not your typical tea store as it is a different type of culture with their own set or rules. Staff there are very knowledgeable and patient. There still working on their pastry line, however, the atmosphere is very inviting and having just tea and chat is worth it. Prices are hit and miss depending on the species of tea you're purchasing. You are buying quality. read more

A place I love. Where cakes are not overly sweet and many are gluten free. Where the shop owner is thoughtful and recommended other great stores. And where I found some of the best raw chocolate I have ever had. read more

Great tea shop with a modern, clean setting and vibe. Knowledgeable staff on a variety of teas, definitely not your grandpa's style of tea shop. A healthy alternative to grabbing a cup of Java on the go. Much different, and in my opinion much superior to David's Tea as they focus entirely on the real stuff... leaves harvested in China and brewed with great care and attention to detail to temperature and timing, instead of the odd artificial tasting infusions that smell great but taste like plastic (which is basically what you get when you add artificial popcorn and chocolate scents to water). They really focus on all of the details, including rinsing of cups, ensuring they are of the right temperature to hold tea and time it takes to steep. read more

Oh this is how green green tea should taste! So much flavor. The chalkboard menu of teas is thankfully not overwhelming in length, unlike at many coffee shops. The staff are friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. The music is soothing but not soporific. Free wifi. It's a great place to work or to chat. One of my favorite spots in Vancouver. read more

As I was walking up Main Street with a friend, he suggested we try the Matcha at Cultivate. I haven't tried Matcha as a drink before (but have had the Matcha cookies at Basho, which I love). We went in and were greeted by Jude, who gave us an overview of the process and also described a few of the other teas they offered. Watching the Matcha being made was wonderful - it was a quiet moment on a cold day in an otherwise busy city. The drinks were made with precision, process, and care - and a fascinating process at that. After finishing the Matcha (which was delicious), Jude offered us a flight of the different kombucha they've been working on. Each one was different and refreshing - all the while Jude provided commentary about each of their teas used to make the kombucha. If you need a quiet moment and delicious tea, I highly recommend the kind folks at Cultivate. read more

I'm so excited that such an incredible selection of Chinese and Taiwanese teas is so close to my house! Really cute shop, very nice and helpful owners, and of course a wide selection of teas you can't easily find on this side of the world, all direct from the tea farms themselves. I will definitely be frequenting this place :) read more

Pretty amazing place for tea lovers. Jude's people skills are amazing, and their tea is sourced from small-scale farming businesses in China. They have lovely tea tasting parties and support local charities. A rare gem for sure. read more

Not sure why it took me so long to try this place! A true hidden gem of a tea house that feels nothing like any traditional North American tea house. The couple who run it are wonderfully passionate about tea, and happy to share their knowledge, or leave you the quiet space to enjoy on your own. If you're looking to try different varieties, they offer flights. I tried Gykuoro which is a luxurious green tea grown in the shade, wonderfully flavourful. I enjoyed 5 infusions, each one more flavourful than the last! Great care was taken to brew the tea with charcoal-filtered water of a precise temperature. The tasteful sampling of confectionery are yummy, and compliment the teas beautifully. The utensils and dish wares are precious. The relaxed and authentic atmosphere makes for a special little zen tea house that I can not wait to return to. read more

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Simply the best tea you will find in Vancouver! The owner is incredibly passionate and will take the time to explain all the teas to you in fine detail. The Osmanthus black is my favourite, it is almost magical in how replenishing it is to the body. If you like tea, go here now! read more

Great tea and great atmosphere! Such a great location as well. Perfect place to stop during a stroll on Main.