I buy all my loose teas here. They are the best. I love their Everyday Black at work and enjoy Assam, Darjeeling, Jasmine Green, Jasmine Pearls at home. The buyer is great-she spent time talking with me about the teas and the best way to steep them. She made me a cup of iced tea while she packaged my purchases and refilled it before I left! What service! read more

Love this place. Great selection of fine teas in a quiet, aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. Good source for puer in the Bay Area.

OK. I went back and was helped by a very nice and helpful salesperson. Helpful, knowledgeable, interested in telling me about what he knew, interested in listening to my questions. Basically all I could have hoped for. So I'm bumping them up to 4 stars. Their tea really is quite good, and if I continue to get service like I got on my most recent visit, I'll keep going back. read more

my first experience of far leaves was back in 2001. i happened upon it during my aimless walks up and down college. i dont recall what it was like then, or if i actually went in but five years later, finding myself in a similar position (returning to california from another part of the country), i remembered this place and decided to go in after a hike in tilden. i was impressed with the tea selection and overall atmosphere; by that i mean quiet, calming, and unpretentious. i had awesome orange tea cookies but felt that it was ridiculous to charge a sitting fee of $5 a person. this isnt paris, its berkeley. if any place could get away with charging customers to sit, it would be cafe fanny. however, in an effort to be more "optimistic", as some friends of mine like to suggest, i will say that we were not bothered once we sat down. im the kind of person who likes to be left alone when i drink my tea, esp. if im with someone. i want to be able to enjoy my beverage and engage in conversation with said company without interruptions. however, we probably werent bothered b/c we sat upstairs and the employee was hanging out with her friends when we came in. whatever the reason, i left vowing to return. read more

I don't get it. I looked at all the reviews on here and it makes me scratch my head. The reason my boyfriend and I visited this place was because of the rave reviews and what we read in their on-line advertisement but after a visit, I was highly disappointed. First off, when we entered the place, no one greeted us. We were new customers just coming in and really didn't know the process so we waited for the person behind the register to finish ringing up a couple who appeared to be buying tea. So we waited and waited, walked around and looked at products on display. It has been over ten minutes or so and the person behind the register was still helping the current customer but didn't really pause to acknowledge us. When her customer left, she still didn't acknowledge us so we had to make the effort and get her attention to ask if we can sit down and drink some tea. She gave us a menu with no enthusiasm, no recommendation, no effort to make conversation. So after we picked our tea of choice, she pointed out a table for us to sit and so we went there. You know the feeling when you're excited to go someplace and when you get there, you're so disappoined because the people there aren't making you feel welcome that you're unsure you want to stay....we'll right about now....we were feeling that. In their advertisement, it says that they show you how to brew the tea, tell you what the right temperature is to brew the tea, etc.....but when we sat there, a server came (different person from the one behind the register) with our tea cups and tea and some other things that was not familiar to us. She put a pot of hot water on this heating device, turned it on and off she went....not one word ! So my boyfriend and I were left staring at each other wondering what to do....We summoned her back finally (she was busy along with the girl that was working the register at another table nearby socializing and having a great conversation and get this....smiling) and asked for some direction. She gave us directions with no smile on her face and left to go to the table where she socialized with glee. So.....I don't get it. read more

Great tea! especially the earl grey! Love the new location! It's really beautiful, but I always come here just to buy tea.

The tea was truly delicious and the people working there were very gracious and kind. The reason why I'm writing the review is that it was Yelp that directed me there in the first place, and my impression from the reviews missed the mark of what I was looking for yesterday. Maybe it would have been a 4 star if all I was looking for was a cup of tea? Specifically, I had a lot of paper work to do and wanted to get out of the house to work on it. Cup of Tea has long been my go-to soft chair for such days, but I'm pretty sure they've moved down the street and into a parking situation that I didn't want to tackle. It was cold, and I wanted cozy with no fuss. I searched "cozy tea" for Berkeley, and this place had the word cozy come up about a zillion times. Sounded like a winner. Well...the tea was hot, but other than that, it's got concrete floors and walls and only hard wooden chairs. San Pablo is as loud as anywhere. The decor was nice enough. It just wasn't cozy and wasn't comfortable enough to get all the way through the big pot of water. And it wasn't "no fuss" either. The presentation and service was confusing. They should catch on to the vibe of a totally confused first timer and explain how it works. Instead, I sort of tiptoed around until something happened and rolled with it. Here's how it worked for me: I ordered at the cash register like most coffee/tea places, but she didn't ring me up. I waited for a minute and said, do I pay later? And she said sure. And I waited a little more until she said she'd bring it to me. I went to my table and waited. She brought over two empty tea pots and gave me my choice. I didn't know what to pick. Next came my tea cup, a lid that I presume was for the tea cup but am not sure, the teapot with tea in it, and a hot water pot that went on a device to keep it hot. You keep adding water and brewing to taste. It was all very nice, but it was just more of a show than I was looking for in a do-work tea house. read more

This is one of my favorite "escapes" in Berkeley. I love to come here, get a pot of tea (only ~$5!), and cozy up with a book or journal. It's very quiet and tranquil, nothing like the noisy/chaotic atmosphere of some coffee shops. Tons of different flavors and types of tea. Parking is easy to find on adjacent streets. read more

My friend and I always go here to catch up, it's cozy and inviting, and they have a large selection of teas. The atmosphere is relaxing and the people are nice, which is probably why we always go back there. read more

Great tea and a wonderful location. Read a book or just sip some tea and relax. They even let you bring in food from other resturants for a small fee. Love this place. read more

Tea was yummy, but damn is this ish pricey! I understand, they gotta make some coin off hot water and leaves, so I'm not hating, but they didn't have the first three kinds of tea we ordered. Really? You have dozens and dozens of teas on the menu, but we happened to choose the three you ran out of at noon on a Sunday? Great place to study for the bar, apparently, but our group of five felt guilty even talking in hushed tones because there were so many students silently gazing at their computers. read more

i LOVE this place. had been to the location on college a couple of times...and now it's in MY neighborhood. a nice stroll past cafe trieste and the black oak books...and hit the tea time! they have a bazillion kinds of teas. really nice folks who work there. and the scones are YUMMY! they make them there. the blueberry looked good. ate the savory one which they offered us on the house. it tasted a little bit crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside...like lightly cooked cookie dough. for savory, it was also a tad sweet. i'd go for a big bag of these to go, too. i love the table by the window, even tho the view isn't the best, there are still fascinating people to watch going by. i like sitting crosslegged on their raised sitting area. and the little heater devices for the tea water are convenient. the space is a bit rough and rustic, but i like it that way. they plan on putting in sky lights--which are beautiful in their back storeroom area. there are colorful banners of cloth hung, ornate asian furniture, sweet earthy teapots and cups to buy. and of course, tea. i am not a huge tea drinker, but i'd come here again and again to hang out, get work done, chat with a friend, or read. you have to visit. cool, cool spot. read more

Great place. Quality tea and ambiance. Staff is very knowledgeable and unpretentious. This is the best tea place in the Bay Area. The Dong Ding Oolong is excellent if you are coming the first time. read more

This place is simply amazing. The atmosphere is tranquil without being stuffy and the tea is high-level. Try the pu-erh teas, but make sure to ask for a recommendation...these people know what they're talking about. read more

Far Leaves is quite the hidden gem. Right next to a bookstore if you feel like reading and having a nice relaxing afternoon. Great selection of tea with delicious treats such as an assortment of steamed buns and mochi snacks. Everything is reasonably priced and the ambience is quite sedative. Sometimes I feel like taking a nap but I don't want to get kicked out lol read more

This is a wonderful place to relax with a cup of tea. The owner Donna turned me on to Oolong tea. Once you have Oolong from Far Leaves no other Oolong will do. Whenever I am in the neighborhood I always stop for tea. I ended up buy one of their tea pots so I can brew the tea at home. read more

This is one of the coolest tea houses around! Such educated tea sommeliers and the atmosphere is so nice. High recommending this place!

pleasant experience, don't know how often i'll actually go back though definitely quiet inside not much to eat at all, don't go hungry read more

An asian tea shop that makes friends--not customers. Knowledgeable staff and a great selection of Asian teas. Love the tatami mat rooms upstairs. Sit and sip on the two Chinese platform sitting areas downstairs. read more

Let me start off by saying I run into friends here. Not standard friends. Friends i met while living at a Zen monestary/Organic farm. So thats the clientel. the best are the oolongs (order the - i sh*t you not - ding dong oolong) though herbals are nice too. yeah. herbs. read more

What a great place to hang out and drink some delicious tea! Every tea is unique and can be served hot or iced. Each cup is also made fresh and not only can you pick the level of caffeination, they are very generous with free refills. The owner was working the counter when we went there and was so friendly, explaining all of the teas we asked about and recommending specific teas based on our preferences. A fun place to go sit, relax, and spend time with a couple of friends or a loved one. Also- in an AWESOME area of Berkeley. read more

Best place in Berkeley to buy loose teas (huge selection) and I finally learned how to make the perfect cup of tea. The staff's very helpful and friendly and that's why I keep coming back. Cool place to hang out too! read more

This is an authentic, fine tea shop where one can sit for hours drinking the very best black, green, oolong and white teas. The owner travels in Asia frequently and brings back the highest-grade teas you can imagine. I've sampled every black, white and oolong tea they have--I'm not into green tea--and every one has been of the highest quality. When I'm lucky, I get a seat at the table that sits by the window, and can look out at the parade of pedestrians passing on College Avenue. The other seats on the first floor are for sitting cross-legged, which is impossible for my oh-so-aging legs, but there are also tables and chairs on the second level where college students often sit and study. A great place for two people to drink the same tea together, as they'll give you a pot and two cups for only about seven dollars. (It's more like four dollars apiece if you drink two different kinds.) Far Leaves also has an excellent selection of teapots and cups for sale. read more