Nice cafe in a great location. Friendly staff…read more Many vegan options. Since it borders park, very kid friendly. Parking can be a challenge. Overall, recommend!

Hello, my fellow café junkies…read more I LOVE little cafés. I will happily spend my hard-earned money on an overpriced chai latte while sitting somewhere cute pretending I have my life together. So when I say I'm definitely not coming back here, just know it pains my café-loving heart. First, let me give credit where credit is due: the atmosphere is GREAT. Super cute. Super cool. Great little hidden spot. The service, however? SucKs--with a capital K. ‍ Here's how my first--and probably last--visit went: 1. We ordered THREE chai lattes: two hot chai lattes and one iced chai latte with oat milk. Pretty straightforward. Nobody was ordering a 14-step potion from Hogwarts. 2. We received only two drinks. So, channeling my inner Karen from Boyle Heights, I politely went back and said, "Excuse me, we ordered THREE chai lattes." 3. They told me they hadn't charged me for the third drink. Okay! No problem. I work my ass off. I don't mind spending money. Charge me, hermana. Let's get this chai flowing. 4. I took a sip of my supposedly hot chai latte and immediately my taste buds sounded the emergency alarm: NOPE. THAT'S COFFEE. 5. I looked at my husband suspiciously and asked, "Is yours chai or coffee?" He took his first sip and said, "This is coffee." At this point, the chai lattes had apparently entered the Witness Protection Program because nobody could find them. 6. I went back. To their credit, they were perfectly willing to remake the drinks. Thank you! And when we finally received the two hot chai lattes, they were actually GOOD. Crisis temporarily averted. 7. THEN I looked over at my friend holding the supposedly iced chai latte with oat milk and thought, Wait a minute... "Taste yours." He takes a sip. "This is coffee." GIRL. THREE chai lattes ordered. THREE chai lattes misunderstood. At that point, I wasn't ordering beverages anymore. I was participating in a listening-comprehension assessment. ‍ The person taking our order seemed rushed, distracted, and all over the place. And listen--mistakes happen. I teach for a living. I have patience. But when every single drink in one order is wrong, we've moved beyond "oops" and entered performance art. No manchen--venimos a gastar, no a pendejear. ‍ So here's my recommendation: If you're particular about actually receiving the beverage you ordered, you may want to try another café. Or, if this place has an app, USE THE APP. Let technology translate "chai latte" into "chai latte" because apparently the spoken version is giving everybody trouble. Better yet, buy your drinks somewhere else and bring them here. Then you can enjoy the cute atmosphere without participating in Chai Latte Roulette: Will It Be Chai? Will It Be Coffee? Nobody Knows! The place is called Hidden Café, and after today's experience... I can see why it's hidden. Cute environment? Absolutely. Would I trust them with another three-chai-latte mission? Esta mamona la cosa. Hard pass. ‍ Come for the atmosphere. Bring your own drink. And may the odds of receiving what you ordered be ever in your favor. Signed, A recovering Chicana Karen from Boyle Heights who just wanted her damn chai.

I came here on a weekday afternoon, where it was peaceful but there were a few other customers. The…read moreemployee was friendly and was wearing a high quality mask which I appreciated. They have an extensive menu of tea, I decided to get the black mango tea, which is indicated as high caffeine. They told me to keep it to less than 1 min steeping or else it gets oversteeped. They were prompt with coming out with my tea leaves and teapot, and gave me a towel to put your teapot on in case of spills It was bitter, but definitely has the fruity notes I was seeking. I was able to make several potfuls of tea which still had some flavor in them, so the leaves seemed to do well with re-steeping. They provided me with a kettle so I could continually reboil the water, so I felt it was decent value (since total it cost only slightly more than the average boba costs nowadays). I'm thinking I'd like to get the lychee or hojicha next time. The worker didn't mention to me if they offer milk, which I wish they did. But they do sell snacks. The bathroom is clean. They have free wifi but the day I was there, unfortunately they were having issues with the wifi. They have a 2 hour time limit on weekends, but no limit on weekdays. I appreciate that they have outdoor seating, for those who are airborne illness conscious, and also so you can enjoy nature and sunshine while having your tea. A lovely spot overall, right on San Pablo Ave so you can take the 72 bus lines to reach it.

My best friend and I were so bored this summer, we made it our mission to find experience based…read morefood/eats. We stumbled upon this place on social media and wanted to check it out. It is such a vibe. There's street parking (limited) we ended up parking 10 mins away from a public parking spot. We got the four seasons tea (they charge $3 per extra person for a cup) so for us two, it was only $3 extra on top of cost of the tea. We ended up spending $20 for tea for us both and the little snacks (pineapple bites and mochi). For the experience I'd say the pricing was worth it and especially if you are a tea connoisseur. Keep in mind, if you do go, you have to talk quietly since it's a quiet ambient atmosphere

I'm new to the Bay and trying to actually explore, so I'm really glad I found this place…read more I came with a friend on a slow Sunday around 4pm. Parking was pretty easy, though there aren't a ton of spots. Since it wasn't busy, we got a lot of attention and guidance on the teas, how to steep them, and what to pay attention to while drinking. We did the 3-tea flight ($25 + $3 per extra cup) and both got a snickerdoodle cookie, which was really nice alongside the teas since they were served without added sugar. This was the first time I think I actually understood tea descriptions. Earthy? Apparently that means I might feel like a little glistening frog licking a water droplet off a leaf in a swamp during the fall . I learned earthy teas probably aren't for me. But then you'll be sipping something, slightly lost, and suddenly be like....wait, I taste the chocolate! The plum? Brown sugar?? You start connecting the descriptions to what you're tasting and learning your own preferences: hotter or cooler, longer or shorter steep, which flavors you keep going back to. The changes between steeps are subtle, which I think is important to know if you're new to tea. It's less about huge flavors hitting your taste buds and more about slowing down enough to notice. We also had a little owl tea pet that we poured water over while setting intentions for our goals. As our conversation moved through life, plans and where we both are right now, I started to understand how tea becomes a ritual. Water to leaf, leaf to tea, tea to you, then back to the leaf for another steep. Calmingly informational is probably the best way I can describe it. I learned about tea, learned a little about myself, had a great conversation with my friend, and left understanding why the whole process can feel so grounding. Sooo I'd definitely come back! I think it's especially nice for catching up with someone when you actually want to sit and talk, a quieter date, or even just trying something you haven't done before.

Who knew you could have a tea flight? I didn't before visiting this spot…read more First of all, the ambiance speaks for itself, but the service is what set this experience over the top! I appreciate the detail Kebzie shared about each tea. I learned that certain teas can be steeped multiple times, changing the flavor profile. My favorite tea changed throughout the tasting experience due to this. I appreciate that each tea was labeled with the number of recommended steeps and the best temperature to pour the water. We were also given a tea pet which was perfect because my friend and I were discussing our intentions for the coming season. We were both very stressed from work and just life in general so this is just the type of experience we needed. We were able to slow down & enjoy each other's company all while learning more about tea (we're tea obsessed). Thank you so much to the Blue Willow team! My only complaint is that there are limited food options (the snickerdoodle cookie was excellent!). I say this as more of a warning so people don't come hungry, but it didn't take away from the experience. One final note: "If you get a few leaves in your sipping cup it's good luck" ~Kebzie

Very helpful, friendly and informative, great selection of teas. Love the look of this place.read more

Ended up here for an impromptu tea experience because we had no idea what we were doing. We tried…read moretwo different tea leaves; I only remember mine being the duck sh!t one. Wasn't blown away by it but always nice to try different tea.

at this point I have tried most of the Matcha places in downtown and this is the only one I have…read moregone back to multiple times. The Matcha is always a beautiful bright green color with a large depth of flavor. both the hot matcha and strawberry iced matter matcha are my favorite depending on the weather. Also they have adorable tea and California enamel Pins for sale at reasonable prices. I can get my morning cane and birthday present shopping done on the same day.

I moved to Berkeley about a month ago, and Asha quickly became one of my go-to spots for matcha. I…read morelove the vibe and decor of the cafe, the baristas have always been sweet and friendly, and the menu has a great selection. I especially appreciate that they have genmaicha, which can be harder to find. Their version has a distinct roasted tea flavor that doesn't taste watered down, which I love. Their strawberry matcha is also delicious, with a fresher, juicier strawberry flavor than a lot of other spots. I would honestly give this location 5 stars based on the drinks and regular barista interactions alone, but my last experience was really off-putting. I noticed that people often study there with laptops, so I came in with mine and brought a small lunch from Oori down the street to make a morning out of it. I've done this before without issue, but this time, a woman with crazy eyes who seemed to have a higher role came out and very abruptly scolded me, saying, "You CAN'T eat outside food here," while aggressively pointing toward the door as if I needed to leave immediately. I completely understand having a no-outside-food policy, and I would have had no problem following it if it had been communicated respectfully. But the way she approached me felt unnecessarily harsh and honestly pretty upsetting. I apologized right away, packed everything up in a panic, and left. After processing it, I realized how inappropriate the interaction felt for something that could have been addressed with a simple, polite reminder. Overall, Asha has great matcha, a cute space, and friendly baristas, but that experience really left a bad taste in my mouth. Just a heads up: the drinks are good, but you may want to be careful about bringing outside food in, because the policy might be enforced in a pretty unpleasant way.

Advertisements for the latest Matcha are around but I would go for the coffee. Arabic music plays…read moreand the decorations are reflective of their culture. Brought me back to my childhood in Saudi Arabia. The barista was welcoming and the overall vibe was quiet even with the music. I would come here to study. I ordered the orange blossom mint decaf and it was delicious. I should have gotten the Turkish coffee but my body can't handle the caffeine.

AI Slop photos for their drinks and menu :(…read more Drinks were just Okay. Would not go back unless it was the only option. Decent place to study.

What a delightful find after a morning of bike ride into Berkeley. We stashed our bikes and…read morequickly became immersed with the variety of colorful, tantalizing pastries beautifully displayed inside the cafe. Eclairs galore! Friendly server quickly got our tea and iced latte out. I also couldn't resist a chocolate dipped scallop shaped cookie which turned out to be two sandwiched together. Very flaky texture and lightly sweetened which was perfect. We saw that they also offered different savory sandwiches and a "French taco" lol. Will have to return and try next time!

I came in to get a coffee. I sat down with a pistachio latte and two beautiful pastries, which is…read moreone more than I intended to get. I also wanted to get one of everything, but that's not feasible. So delighted to have stumbled across this charming French & Algerian bakery. Warm and friendly service.

Cute store. Very clean. I like that they display each donut and muffin in the case with its name…read moreand price (vs just a list of flavors on a menu) so you can see exactly what you're getting. The lady at the counter was super nice and personable. She was easy to talk to and friendly. She asked if we wanted our treats warmed up but since I was taking mine home, she recommended to heat it up for 45 seconds at home. Thank you!! I ordered: * black sesame mochi muffin - nice chew, great sesame flavor, and not too sweet * churro mochi muffin - covered in cinnamon sugar, so good. Great texture as well. * banana bread pudding - looks so ooey and gooey! I took an edge piece because I like the chewy crispy texture. Love to return when I'm back in the area.

Maybe back in the day, Third Culture's matcha was considered novel, innovative, and really good…read more But compared to all the new matcha spots popping up, I honestly don't think their drinks hold up anymore. Especially at the price point, you expect a more premium drink. The matcha was gritty and tasted mostly like milk, with just an essence of whatever flavor it was paired with. For the price, I was expecting something much more flavorful and refined. The donuts were fine, but nothing particularly special or memorable. Overall, I just don't think the drinks or donuts justify the price compared to what's available now.

I want to inject every single item on this menu into my veins and live on that forever and ever. If…read moreyou are visiting downtown Berkeley, you need to stop in. I've visited elaichi twice since in the area already and I plan on going back again. My first visit was on a Monday morning with a friend. I ordered the Banana Chai Einspanner (chai with banana sea salt cold foam) with oat milk and the Aloo Tiki Paratha Roll (potato fritter with cilantro chutney, red onion and garlic yogurt). My friend ordered a hot latte and the Paratha Quiche (tomato, red onion, Serrano and cilantro). We also shared a piece of Pistachio Cake. The Banana Chai Einspanner is simply the best drink I have ever had in my entire life. I am truly not kidding. It is so decadent, smooth, spicy, fresh. This is the best drink to grace this plant. My friend was really happy with her latte as well. I wouldn't say it strikes the "classic chai" chord, as this is incredibly sweet, so if you're looking for that, I would select a more basic option on the menu. It's also worth noting, the Banana Chai is a seasonal option for the summer. As for the food, everything was delicious. The Pistachio Cake was moist and had such great flavor. The crusts on both of our savory dishes were so flaky! I visited again on a Tuesday morning (yes the next day) and ordered the Banana Chai Einspanner once again and the quiche. Both were as delicious as the first time around. And the product isn't it all. The staff at elaichi are incredibly friendly. Even when the shop was busy on the Monday morning, we were taken care of with respect and care. I can tell the staff also have good relationships with those in the community. The atmosphere of elaichi is also lovely. There is plenty of seating inside and outside and a raised countertop for folks who want to work but stand up. This is a must visit!!!

This place has a great vibe - people hanging out - getting work done…read more I had a chai to go - fantastic! Hits the spot. Tried the karak chai. Will try more next time. Elaichi is cardamon - yummy!

This is the first boba places I've been to where they have tea demonstrations. There is a display…read moreof their tea blocks. A nice boba shop, pretty big. There are 2 ordering kiosks. They have unique drinks. I went with milk tea w/taro ball and taro paste. I really liked the taro ball and taro paste. So glad they serve fresh taro and not powder. Street parking. It is located by a college so this place does get really busy.

O this absolutely amazing tea house…read more If I could, I would have a dedicated budget to conquer this entire menu. Such a special treat!!!